It Was A Feast of Funk

The place: Red Hook Brewery in Portsmouth. The event: Red Hook Fest. The feast: Funk. Incredible live funk from no less than Parliament Funkadelic (and thankfully, the funk was backed up with good food and drink.) The folks at Red Hook have mastered this event.

How One Feasts On Funk
Feasting on funk is not exactly a refined dining skill. It's more of an intuitive kind of thing. You sort of have to toss aside your inhibitions -- and, as they say, let it all hang out. Feasting on funk involves a lot of dancing, waving of hands (in the air, like you just don't care).

Did I mention that my six year old son, Simon, came to the show with me? The event was billed as family friendly. Kids under twleve with an adult were invited in free. Simon didn't have any idea what to expect. He's just an easy going kid who, like his dad, loves live music. After he caught a glimpse of Garry (Starchild) Shider in his diaper on stage -- he realized this was going to be fun. He immediatley asked for the best seat in the house -- Dad's shoulders. Simon was my photographer all day -- and on my shoulders, all day. He also led our charge to the picnic area. We had a ton of fun with PFunk and the incredible vendors that Red Hook had invited to feed the crowd.

The food was fresh and delicious. Our options included sandwiches, grilled burgers, veggie burgers, NY style pizza and even smoothies made from the freshest local berries I have seen all year. And by the way, the smoothie truck was solar powered. Huge panels up top. It was something to see. I should also mention that Newick's seafood was there serving up the standard fried fare. Sadly, only a few were in the Newick's line.

And the beer -- I savored one pint while Simon enjoyed root beer and a bottle of water. My choice for the day was Red Hook's hoppy as heck IPA. Their beer spread was pretty amazing -- if I recall correctly, this list included ESB, IPA, Black Porter, Blonde, Winterhook and Copperhook, Late Harvest and Sun Rye. This lineup was as mouthwatering as the aroma of the fresh burger grill smoke.

You know, it's too bad that we had to travel to Portsmouth for this fun. Portland needs something like this -- and don't tell me that is what Baystock is. Hey Fred Foresly, maybe there's a Shipyard fest in your future?

Cheers.

*Moms and dads...I tucked a bit of cotton into Simon's ears to protect his hearing.