Peter Frampton and Steve Miller rolled into Costa Mesa’s Pacific Amphitheatre on Wednesday night and gave us all a lesson on how to deliver a “No Holds Barred” rock and roll/blues show that delighted their SoCal fans. What an awesome show it was.  This review will concentrate on the Peter Frampton Performance that night but look for the Steve Miller review in an upcoming issue.

Frampton started the show and performed first, I really felt this was more of a co-headlining show.  Let’s face it;  these are two creditable musicians who have forever left their mark on the music world.  Peter claims he has known Steve Miller for 47 years. They’ve played together before in years past and have always enjoyed it; so much so, that Steve put this tour together so they could keep a good thing going. This was just two good friends playing music and doing what they love.

As stated, Peter Frampton started the night off, and to a bit of a limited crowd, but by the time he was about a third of the way through his amazing set the seats had practically filled themselves with enthusiastic fans.  Starting off with what seems to be the standard opener for him, “Something’s Happening”, Frampton took us through a delicious song list that displayed his guitar prowess and gave every fan what they were looking for.  This was vintage Frampton and he looked like he was thoroughly happy to be there playing his music.  The band is as tight as ever as they fluidly wound their way through each number.  He came armed with new music too, performing “I Saved a Bird Today” on acoustic guitar which was inspired by a bird crashing into a window on his balcony and Peter taking the bird to a river nearby and releasing it.  Peter spoke solemnly of the passing of his friend Chris Cornell.  Images of Chris displayed on the huge “Frampton Backdrop” while Peter paid tribute to his friends guitar-heavy cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun”, which he previously recorded on his 2006 Fingerprints album, to Cornell’s wife and children.  Peter plays this song with so much feel, it was a really nice tribute to a dear friend and artist.  Another high point was the dual guitar soloing between Frampton and his band mate Adam Lester on “(I’ll Give You) Money”. They both did an awesome job!  Of course; all the big hits were played as well, with the crowd usually finishing all the lines and verses along with Peter. “Show Me the Way” was there along with the famous “Talkbox” sections;  during “Baby I Love Your Way” the audience was swaying and singing the chorus back to Frampton before he could even get to them.  Peter also produced his Original 1954 Black Beauty Les Paul Custom which was lost in 1980 in a cargo plane accident and finally returned to him some 31 years later.  It’s an amazing story and makes a good read; I could write an entire piece on the history and story behind this amazing guitar.  It is the original guitar played on the song “Do You Feel Like We Do” which makes sense for Frampton to Wrap up his set with a 17-plus minute version of the iconic song performed in all its might and glory with the guitar that put it on the map.

Peter Frampton Setlist:

1. Something’s Happening
2. Lying
3. Lines on my Face
4. Show me the way
5. I saved a Bird
6. Black Hole Sun
7. (I’ll Give you) Money
8. Baby, I Love your Way
9. Do you Feel Like we Do

Peter Frampton – Venue: Pacific Amphitheatre Costa Mesa

Reviewed: Storm@backstage360.com