"Nubian Nut."
"Atomic Dog."
"Do Fries Go With That Shake."
These titles may mean little to many students now, but on April 12, these songs will be just part of a night filled with goofy hats, rainbow dreadlocks and the funky stylings of George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars.
The Social Planning and Events Committee announced on Monday that Clinton and his band will be headlining the annual Hill Field concert as part of Spring Fling, giving die-hard P-Funk fans a lot to look forward to.
"I'm obsessed with George Clinton," College freshman Dana Popkave said. "I have his CD programmed as my alarm clock to wake me up every morning."
Although some on campus are only vaguely acquainted with the P-Funk opus -- the 1994 cult film PCU led many to sample a taste of it -- many students nevertheless recognize his name and are enthusiastic about his upcoming campus appearance.
"I'm excited to hear anyone new to me," College sophomore Elizabeth Kimmelman said.
Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars are no strangers to Penn. The legendary funk musicians drew rave reviews when they headlined the Spring Fling concert in 1995, sharing the program with The Roots, Sonic Youth and The Samples.
And some students were pleased by SPEC's announcement that such a well-known, tried-and-true group will headline the concert.
"I think he's just great," Popkave said. "I don't care about De La Soul or any of the other people."
Clinton will culminate the four-act show, following performances by ska-punk group Lucky Boys Confusion, singer-songwriter Pete Yorn and hip-hop trio De La Soul.
But while Clinton may have a greater fan base on campus than the concert's other acts, some students said they were unfamiliar with Clinton.
"I'm not too familiar with him, so I don't think I'll go," College freshman Missy Lincoln said. "I've heard of him, but I couldn't put his name with any songs."
"I'm sure people who know his music will have a great time, though," Lincoln added.
And for some, the $15 charge for tickets, which will be available for purchase on April 1 on Locust Walk, tips the scale in favor of making alternate plans that Friday evening.
"It's kind of expensive," College sophomore Sahm Contractor said. "And I'm not very interested in any of the bands that are playing."
But for others, because the Hill Field Concert is conventionally the highlight of the Spring Fling weekend, the convivial atmosphere of the event is just as much of an appeal, if not more so, than the musical groups that are scheduled to perform.
"If my friends go, I'll go," Kimmelman said. "It's a tradition to go to the concert."
The social experience is an especially strong draw for Spring Fling first-timers.
"I hear it's a good time," College freshman Will Yu said. "I'm personally not a big fan [of Clinton], but a lot of my friends are."
And Kimmelman said that maybe some of the disinterested students on campus will become inspired to get their funk on once the Fling climate sets in.
"I'm sure a lot of people might say now that they're not going," Kimmelman said. "But when Fling comes along, they'll change their minds."
