STEVENSON: Frampton comes alive in Niagara Falls following disorder diagnosis

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Peter Frampton

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Saturday night

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OLG Stage (Fallsview Casino)

RATING (***1/2 out of four)
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NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — It’s clear, from the sheer joy on Peter Frampton’s face, that he loves his job.

Perhaps, even more so, since the English singer-guitarist was nearly forced to retire after being diagnosed in 2019 with inclusion body myositis (IBM), a progressive muscle disorder characterized by muscle inflammation, weakness, and atrophy.

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That year he announced his withdrawal from touring with a farewell trek, but then COVID hit, and all bets were off.

Fortuitously for Frampton — now 73 — his disorder has been slow-moving so he is back out on the road in 2023 with his cheekily-titled Never Say Never tour that made a stop on Saturday night at Fallsview Casino’s OLG Stage.

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“The fingers still work!” the chatty, talented and funny performer announced off the top.

Boy did they ever.

Playing to a crowd of 5,000, Frampton walked on stage with a cane and sat down backed by a crack four-piece band that happily improvised with him all night long on lengthy jams that featured his still stellar guitar playing and frequent use of the voice box he made famous on his best-selling 1976 double live album, Frampton Comes Alive! which sold 20 million copies and counting.

“You alright?” he asked the crowd.

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The roar back indicated so and everyone was eventually rewarded with such crowdpleasers as Lines On My Face, Show Me The Way, Baby, I Love Your Way, All I Wanna Be (Is By Your Side), and Do You Feel Like We Do.

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There were a lot of crowd singalongs, as encouraged by Frampton, and in between, there were notable covers like Hoagy Carmichael’s Georgia, Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun and the show-ending Beatles’ While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Even songs from the Humble Pie catalogue — his pre-solo band with Steve Marriott of Small Faces — like Shine On, I Want You To Love Me and I Don’t Need No Doctor went over big.

Going into the show, it felt like it was likely the last time I’d see Frampton playing live in the Toronto area, but his optimism and joy were infectious.

He thanked the crowd profusely as he wrapped up the two-hour,15-minute performance, saying he might return yet again.

“This was the concert of the tour that was never going to be,” said Frampton.  “I’m a glass half full sort of person … so maybe Never Say Never: The Sequel?”

Sure hope so.

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