GLENSIDE, PA —”We’re an American Band / We’re coming to your town / We’ll help you party down / We’re an American Band.”
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The legendary early 1970s group Grand Funk Railroad —featuring two original members —came into town to the Keswick Theater to party down with fans during a performance of its classic hits on Thursday night.
Back in the day, this band sold out a concert at Shea Stadium faster than The Beatles.
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Now that’s saying something about the popularity of former lead singer/guitarist Mark Farner, drummer/vocalist Don Brewer, and bass player Mel Schacher.
While Farner departed, the band rocks on with guitarists Max Carl and Mark Chatfield and keyboard player Tim Cashion.
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And rock on they did before a packed house, performing their hits and featured tracks soaked with an American theme and led by the bottom beat of original drummer and singer Don Brewer.
It was Brewer who wrote and sang “We’re An American Band,” noting the debauchery of a band on the road followed by groupies and female fans meeting them at hotels. The song hit the top of the charts.
But this tour was billed as the 5oth anniversary of “The Loco-Motion,” another huge hit in which Brewer and company led the audience through the sing-along song.
Before that, the band rolled through the opener “Rock N Roll Soul,” “Footstompin’ Music,” “Shinin’ On,” and “Heartbreaker,” from its first album before “The Loco-Motion” got the crowd on its feet.
After two more songs, the band played a ballad, something they never did during their career. That came from Carl, who wrote and sang the No. 1 adult contemporary hit “Second Chance” when he was a member of southern rockers 38 Special back in the day.
From there, America took the stage as the Flint, Michigan, band featured its signature finger-pointing logo backed by the stars and stripes. An American flag was brought to center stage as Chatfield played a cover of “The Star-Spangled Banner” with a guitar that also had the stars and stripes on it.
Brewer again led the crowd through the sing-along smash “Some Kind of Wonderful” before the set ended with the classic “Closer To Home (I’m Your Captain),” sung by Carl.
Then came “We’re An American Band” as the encore as Brewer brought the crowd to its feet once again and sent them home with positive memories about the country and a group that made its mark with songs that will stand the test of time.
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