Peter Frampton in Chicago: Frampton comes alive on farewell tour
Farewell tours have become a big thing among classic rock era musicians. It's the last chance to see the musical heroes of your youth. Paul Simon, Bob Seger and Elton John are among those who say they're calling it quits. If you haven't seen any of these musicians, it's a now or never thing. I'm always skeptical about these announcements. I always wonder if these folks can stay off the road and stop performing after decades of that lifestyle. Seger has already add new shows to his final tour, including a return to Chicago. Damn him...I thought I already saw what was billed as his last local concert!
You can add legendary guitarist Peter Frampton to this list. At age sixty-nine, he says this is his last tour of live performances. This is one I believe. Frampton was diagnosed with the progressive, degenerative muscular disease Inclusion-Body Myositis. It affects his legs and arms and is expected to move into his fingers. While it hasn't happened yet, it's expected that it will affect his ability to play guitar, which is a big part of his act. Frampton wants to call it career before that occurs.
Frampton has been on the music scene for more than fifty years. He started with Humble Pie when he was only eighteen years old. After a few years, he embarked on a solo career. The high point came in 1976, with the release of his best-selling album "Frampton Comes Alive." Other highlights since then include his touring with Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings and Ringo Starr's All Starr Band.
Obviously, Frampton has nothing musicially left to prove and would like to leave at the top of his game. You can't blame him for that.
His last Chicago appearance was last night at the Huntington Bank Pavillion, on Northerly Island, along Chicago's lakefront. A beautiful venue with great views of Chicago's downtown. The show includes a variety of his hits, new songs and lots of bantering with the audience. Frampton tells stories about his fifty-plus years in the music business, including his interactions with many of the industries legends.
Among the concert's highlights are "Show Me The Way", "Baby, I Love Your Way" and couple of Freddy King covers from his latest album, "All Blues." There is also plenty of music in which he utilizes the "talk box", which is a Frampton trademark.
While this wasn't the Peter Frampton of the mid-70's, with the long flowing hair, open shirts and a big sound that could fill huge stadiums like nearby Soldier Field; it was a pretty good finale for a sixty-nine year old man with a muscular disease.
Thanks, Pete for all the music. Here's to continued good health. We hope you feel like we do.
Related Post: Elton John at Rosemont-The Farewell tour that never ends
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