Flashlight Funk-ifies Labor Day Fest

Greenbelt kicked off Labor Day with a slew of festivities this weekend for their 56^th annual Labor Day festival, bringing residents tastes of old funk with the band Flashlight Saturday afternoon.

The house band, comprised of two brothers and a husband and wife duo, got their start 19 years ago on campus at Ithaca College in New York. After a conversation about Go-Go music and funk, the individuals banded together to recreate the music with their own style.

"Our music has come full-circle since we started," lead vocalist Bret Goldstein said. "We don't play the same exact music for each performance, but it's very similar."

The show officially started about 20 minutes late after 3 p.m. due to technical difficulties, but fans waited patiently on the lawns and bleachers to hear the band.

Flashlight offered a lively performance as they played classics such as the Fat Albert and Cosby Kids popular theme song, "Ease on down the Road," by Michael Jackson, best known in The Wiz, and the song where their name derived from, "Flashlight" by George Clinton & The Parliament.

"I liked it. They played a nice mix of songs, it sounded great through conversation," said Lenny Wertz, visiting from Riverdale Park. Wertz sat with a small group about 5 feet away from the speakers.

The music spurred a wave of dancing from young kids and some adults near the stage. Other listeners relaxed on the lawn, while the music could be heard past the nearby booths. Despite some crowd participation though, not all listeners enjoyed the performance. The band was a "misrepresentation of Prince, P-Funk, and Parliament," according to some listeners, as it was advertised in various write-ups and advertisements.

"What we read about Flashilight was it was fun funk music, but it was more for the kids," said Judy McCormick, a local Greenbelt resident.  "We came here thinking we would hear more Prince tracks."

"I didn't think it was very good," Eldridge Brown said. "The music didn't have depth; singing wasn't great there weren't enough instruments.

The music was geared toward the younger crowd, though, and many of Flashlight's events are a family affair. As the local music teacher at Greenbelt Elementary School, Darelynn Fung's performance on bass often reels in her students.

"I think it's good that her students get to see her play, outside of teaching them," Goldstein, her husband, said.

Typically the band plays private events where they're invited by friends and family, including Bar Mitzvahs and smaller festivals. Their love of music and fun approach to performances has made each one a relaxed experience.

The band doesn't play too much, though; after two gigs this week, Flashlight said they set their personal record. This is the end of their performances for the summer, and it's back to family life for them.