The last time I saw Peter Frampton was in October 1995. He was over here testing the ground after 'Frampton Comes Alive II' had been issued and he had a show at Shepherds Bush Empire, just the one, preceded by a warm up at Nottingham's Rock City. Tickets were a very reasonable £8.50, so how could we refuse and in fact he was absolutely brilliant. So good in fact that at one point one of my mates went to the toilet during a song and came running out with his dick caught in his zipper (Hi Steve) as the guitar playing really was THAT good. He left the stage promising to come back real soon but of course… he didn't. Those Rock stars, you just can't trust them and he's actually not been back since as far as I know. Anyway, a recent visit to the UK by ex-Cry Of Love tour manager and all around good guy Bob Davis brought him to Dorset for a day early in June while having a couple of days off with current tour commitments. While chatting I learned that my Cry Of Love buddy Audley Freed was now in Peter's band and they were currently touring on the back of Peter's Grammy award winning album 'Fingerprints'. Not only that but Bob was going to see them in Baltimore in a couple of weeks, and I just happened to be just down the road in Maryland at the same time. Obviously we had to hatch a plan here and sure enough I found myself flying to the US and then heading to Baltimore for a couple of days to see the show and hang out with Bob, Audley and his wife Jen. It was short and it was sweet but what about that show.
I've always liked Frampton. I liked Humble Pie and I liked his solo stuff so in that respect the show was unlikely to be disappointing. Having Audley in the band was simply icing on the cake. I hadn't however heard the new instrumental solo album so was unfamiliar with that material. With the heat in Baltimore a rather crushing 98 degrees during the day it was nice to actually get inside the air conditioned venue which sprawled over three floors to a strange seated area right at the back of the second balcony. Starting on the floor where there was almost no guitar in the mix at all we quickly moved upstairs where the sound fared considerably better.
songs performed from it this evening. As a comfortable performer Peter Frampton has an amicable personality and jokes with the audience quite a bit, chatting between songs. He did this in Nottingham too, and it was one of the things that makes that show so memorable. If you shouted something out and he heard you, he'd answer, and the same went for this evening - though with a few hundred people on the floor all shouting at once that can be kinda tricky.
The songs roll past, and in no particular order included 'Show Me The Way', 'All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)', 'Wind Of Change', 'Baby I Love Your Way', an excellent 'I Wanna Go To The Sun', 'Lines On My Face', 'Do You Feel Like We Do' and a righteous blast through Humble Pie's 'I Don't Need No Doctor'. All good stuff and some blinding guitar playing. It was nice that Audley got a couple of good extended solos and he showed that he's lost none of his tasty chops, great tone and expressive feel. It was nice to see him playing so well as I've not seen him for some time. Of the new material I recall a lot of guitar changes and being not so impressed with an instrumental version of Soundgarden's 'Black Hole Sun'. Not that the playing was bad, far from it - but given the choice between this and another Frampton song, or maybe even some more Humble Pie ('30 Days In The Hole' maybe), well I'd prefer either of the latter. Its quite a medium paced set, so a good rocker would be nice. Still, in all a good show and I was glad to be there enjoying it.
After the gig Audley
is in good spirits despite the looming drive to Chicago and having to
leave Jen behind. Peter Frampton is charming as ever and I'd forgotten
how small he is but he looks well and happy. I ask him about the UK. 'Of
course I'll come." He replies… heard that one before Peter…!
Words David Clayton Pix by Bob Davis.
