George Clinton is one of those guys who often gets labeled a genius. Yet he can’t sing all that well — his voice sounds like it’s been soaked in a Jamaican herb mixture for years. And he doesn’t play an instrument.

In fact, he never appeared on stage Thursday night in Lafayette Square until about an hour into the 3 1/2-hour show.

But Clinton brings something else with him — his band. He’s that rare performer who has made his mark by inspiring others to do things they never would have done without him. His incredible mixture of dance music, technology, Aquarian imagery and acid-tinged rock is unique and was on full display Thursday night.

So nobody was surprised when guitarist Garry “Starchild” Shider arrived on stage clad in a large diaper, socks and running shoes — and then played the whole night in them. Or that other guitarist Michael “Kidd Funkadelic” Hampton shredded solos like a metalsmith in the middle of a funk band.

Clinton is one of those artists who makes things possible for others — he allows his fellow artists to give themselves permission to do creative and crazy things they might not otherwise do.

And the venerable artist — about to turn 68, white-bearded and wearing his trademark rainbow dreads — was at center ring for most of the show as a group of about 18 or 20 performers joined him.

On one level, it was perfect party music for a balmy Thursday night, with most of the crowd knowing the call-and-response chants that go with Clinton’s P-Funk (Parliament-Funkadelic) music.

“We’re gonna party like it’s 1979,” the announcer said during the show-opening hype, referring to Parliament and Funkadelic’s golden era. And all the classics were there — with extended jams on songs like “Flashlight,” “One Nation Under a Groove,” “Bop Gun” and “Up for the Downstroke.”

Of course, it was a Thursday at the Square, with all that goes with it. That meant only about a quarter of the shoulder-to-shoulder audience could see the stage well — and that’s being generous. Even fewer could hear it well.

The event might have been well-served as a ticketed event, like the Buffalo Place Rocks the Harbor shows featuring Robert Cray and the Black Crowes this weekend.

On the other hand, though, that would have taken away the community get-together feel of the show. While some of the regular Thursday at the Square audience was there, the event had the feel of a family reunion for Buffalo’s African-American audience, as well, with many people bringing their kids or even three generations of family.

The show had it’s rougher edges, particularly on the Funkadelic songs like “Cosmic Slop” and “Maggot Brain,” from the Clinton outfit that had more of a Hendrix-influenced psychedelic edge. The music wasn’t necessarily meant to be pleasant — or even particularly danceable.

But somehow it all meshed together into one extended jam like you’d expect from somebody who’s been doing it for 30 years.

And best of all, at least for the more hard-core fans who forced their way close enough to the stage that they could both hear and see the group, Clinton’s P-Funk outfit gave them permission to free their minds — and let their behinds follow — in a way they might not have for any other band.

REVIEW

WHO: George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic

WHEN: Thursday night

WHERE: Lafayette Square