Maceo Parker, Aug 4, Queens Hall

The sense of anticipation over this gig was almost stifling; this is the man behind James Brown's funk, yet the crowd was surprisingly thin round the edges tonight. Regardless of how much crazy-ass funk Maceo Parker has produced over the last four decades and who he has produced it with, and despite a happy atmosphere in the Queen's Hall, the band wasn't as tight as you would've expected from the world's only 'funk orchestra'. Maceo sang a gorgeous rendition of Ray Charles' Georgia, accompanied by his flute, even though the timing of the song in the set – just as the crowd was beginging to feel the beats – slowed the gig right down. However, his conducting incorporated some whacky jazz dance moves, and the backing singers rocked with some old skool hip hop, while a recital of Hamlet's 'To be or not to be' kept all amused. A fun night with a great funkster none the less.