Review of January 9, 2003 at Soaring Eagle Casino, Mount Pleasant, Michigan:

Liz and I flew out of Newark Thursday morning 1/9 through Detroit into Saginaw, Michigan, where we hooked up with Joe and Luann. It was good to see Joe and Lu again. We got our car and headed to Mount Pleasant.

We went right to the Casino to check in and immediately started to see some Cyberfunkers...George Christopher, Mary kay, Rick Summers, Mike & Robin then Craig. It was good to see everyone again.

We hit the room then checked out the Casino and Venue, which was in the Casino. The Soaring Eagle is a beautiful Casino and the venue was nice also. The place held about 3000 and was 90% sold a few hours before the show. In talking with one of the Casino ticket people, he told me they were expecting a total sell out....not bad for a brutal cold Thursday evening. More Cyberfunkers began showing up, so Joe, Liz and I headed over to Craig and Nancy's house for the preshow party. Craig and Nancy rule, and if you haven't met them yet...you'll love 'em. We had a nice group at this event, including those listed above and Shock, Denny and Beth, JR and Lynn, Denise and Brad, Andy, Tom, Bill and Carebear, John and Deb, Evil Lorie and Shannon. About 6:30 PM, we headed back to the Casino, and after walking outside through some frigid friggin' low temperatures, we headed for the venue. Craig did a great job getting us great seats...front row tables, left side...oh, it was gonna be a good night!! We chatted with Tim F. and DJ briefly, then the show began......

A little after 8 PM, GFR hit the stage to a new intro that blended into a new song..."Bottle Rocket"...da, da, da, da.... just like a bottle rocket....da, da, da,da...guitars, drums, bass all over the place....I can't remember all the words...but it was rockin' and reminded me of an Aerosmithish song....oh yeah....just like a bottle rocket.....then right into Rock 'n' Roll Soul. Mel was playing his new bass, custom made for him by Zon with some of the largest pick ups ever put into a bass (according to Tim F.). Mel was lovin' it and so was the crowd....his bass was pounding and rattling the casino chips next door. Later we found out, that the housekeeping staff had to vacate the room next to the venue 'cause the walls and floors were shaking to the beat of Funk. The set was as usual, but no Heartbreaker, and Don pounded his drums during his solo like Godzilla beating up on Mothra. The crowd was in a frenzy, and when Bruce lit into the Star Spangled Banner, it pushed the crowd over the edge into Grand Funk heaven. Then Inside Looking Out and a special surprise....Max whips out his harmonica and starts workin' his magic....wow....I want more!!!!! They closed with CTH followed by WAAB as an encore. I think this band needs two encores....finish with CTH, then come back with Black Licorice or something, then come back with a 2nd encore WAAB....the crowd will love it. By the way, Tim F. said he set a record in that Casino for the loudest show....now that rules.

After the show, we all headed to a private room/hall that Craig and nancy arranged for all of us, and the band...Craig and Nancy did a great job organizing all this. All night long, people tried to crash the party, so we posted the biggest guy, Joe R., at the door. I also helped out, even though I'm not a really big guy, but I AM Italian and have a big set of calhoonas. We had one guy who kept coming back....we had some jack off who kept singing at the top of his lungs lyrics from Aimless Lady....funny mothers, but what a great night of music, friends and memories.

Liz and I stayed until Sunday and hung out with Joe and Luann. We had a great time. Liz and Lu even had time to go to the Spa at the Casino and have their bodies oiled up....I like that in a woman. On Saturday night, we all went out to an Italian restaurant and had some very funny moments. Joe and I decided to start a business....J and J Jugs, Inc., catering to adults who like good food and adult entertainment. I was describing to Joe how we should have our take out boxes shaped like female jugs, when a few seconds later, our very young waitress came up and asked Joe if he wanted a take out box for his leftover food just as he was taking a big gulp of beverage....now this was funny, and Joe proceeded to expel the soda from his mouth and nostrils in a foaming froth-like frenzy, then Liz, Lu, me and Joe started laughing like a group of crazed maniacs, while the young waitress was trying to find out if it was something she said or if Joe was having a medical problem. What a night, and what great memories. So you see, it's not only the music that makes these events special...it's the people, and fun you have doing it...so Thanks to all, and thanks again to Mel, Don, Max, Bruce, Tim, Dena, DJ and Tim F. for another great show.

Jimmy G.