When was the last time someone treated me to three hours of his music (no joke, he played almost exactly three hours with no intermission)? That would have made Comes Alive a quintuple album at the least.
I have to revoke my previous judgements about the man. Herr Peter "I'm so happy I went bald because only now do people take me serious!" Frampton is
- a playful and tuneful lead guitarist (who's obviously heard some Joe Pass and some Jeff Beck in recent decades, all integrated very nicely in his bluesy style),
- still a youngish sounding vocalist though these days almost half his live work is of instrumental nature ("They gave me my first award for my instrumental album ... why did they do that I asked myself ... Because I didn't sing on it? I feel very self-conscious about this I tell you ...".)
- a very allowing and giving band leader who gave the second guitarist ample solos (and did dual leadwork with him that warmed my Wishbone Ash-contaminated heart, sometimes it even sounded like early Fleetwood Mac), the very well-singing keyboarder several vocal spots (he sang "I don't need no Doctor" better than Peter who has essentially a pop voice), Stanley Sheldon ample room for bass runs which got flashier and more prominent as the evening wore on and even the - excellent -drummer a drum solo across the Papa was a Rolling Stone riff,
- a humorous frontman ("It's been too long since I played Germany, you may boo me for that now ..." and the perhaps 1,500-2,000 krauts follow suit which had him muse "When did I lose control of this audience?" and then "But to make it up for it, we'll play so long tonight until you can't hear any of it anymore!").
- has a brilliant soundman, you could hear every nuance at that concert and it was still "rock" - the hall certainly had a factor in this as it is wider than long and those halls - for whatever reason - always sound best in my experience,
- a varied ouevre, with his last and penultimate album (the instrumental one) getting both broad treatment, the instrumental rendition of Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun (very Beatlish chords in places) having a Southpark-moment when he voiceboxed the chorus at the end thus must-causing eternal wrath with grungies everywhere, but also the old chestnuts being played, much if not all of Comes Alive, even Humble Pie's stormer "I don't need no Doctor" in a lovely version that slowed down to long but very tasteful and entertaining jamming in the middle, some nice melodies courtesy of Herr Sheldon, and even that fantastic Will to Power gem and original was featured
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38Y6-C-tKe8&playnext=1&list=PLFAB99F347CA363AAthough, strangely enough, Peter left out the very sweet "If I leave here tomorrow ..."-part ... If he covers something he should do it proper me thinks! Probably too difficult for him.
He'll be back in November plugging what will then no doubt appear as the 35th anniversary edition of you know what. With added and remastered Grand Funk Railroad audience handclaps in 6.1 Dolby. But I might be there to see him again. He entertained me alright last night.
Uwe
Show Posts
