Concert review: Peter Frampton at Birmingham Symphony Hall

Peter Frampton

Birmingham Symphony Hall

It's been 35 years since Peter Frampton set the music world on fire with a live concert album which symbolised the '70s and turned him into a mega-star almost overnight.

The double album - Frampton Comes Alive - became one of the best-selling records of all time. And to commemorate the landmark album's success Frampton was in Birmingham as part of a tour which recreates the record in its entirety - with one or two surprises thrown in for good measure.

Gone is the trademark long, curly hair, skintight loon pants and unbuttoned shirts of those heady days of youth. But the youthful grin, the skill, passion - and that all-important wah-wah voice box - are still there. His tenor voice is also undiminished.

Frampton now describes himself as a musician, rather than a rock star, and without the distractions of a teenage heart throb image his ability as a very fine guitarist indeed is all the more apparent.

Backed by an excellent four-piece band, including bass player Stanley Sheldon who worked with him on the original album, Frampton launched the show with Something's Happening and by the second number, Doobie Wah, the audience was clapping along.

He continued to belie his 61 years as he powered through tracks including Show Me The Way - complete with famous wah-wah sounds - and All I Want to Be (Is By Your Side) against a background of projected images of his younger self, stirring memories among the many 50 and 60-somethings in the audience of the heatwave of 1976 when it was released.

They joined in with Baby, I Love Your Way and clapped along to Jumpin 'Jack Flash before giving a standing ovation after Do You Feel Like We Do.

The second set of the three-hour show featured songs from Frampton's latest studio album Thank You Mr Churchill and music from his Grammy award-winning instrumental album Fingerprints.

It allowed the band members to really let rip and demonstrate mastery of their art, the sound of each instrument both blending into and distinguished from each other.

Highlights of the concert included a dazzling duelling guitar session between Frampton and band member Adam Lester and a crisp and jaunty rendition of Penny For Your Thoughts. There was also an appearance by Frampton's 22-year-old son Julian who bounced on stage to perform impressive vocals for Road to the Sun which he wrote with his father.

The show ended with another standing ovation for the encore - a spellbinding version of George Harrison's While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Review by Eileen Wells.