One of the most influential albums of my youth, had to be Frampton Comes Alive. I had it on vinyl, 8 track, cassette, CD, and now DVD. The memories of a smokey Cobo Arena, hair down the middle of my back, and a group of 12 of my best friends at the 1976 show, are indelibly etched into my brain. With this memory, off to Pine Knob we go. Dinner and drinks with friends Ed & Maureen and meeting up with Jimmy & Peggy after dinner. This is going to be an epic night!
The weather was perfect for an outdoor show, 84 and sunny. The crowd was mostly 40 and 50ish, but here to have a great time and chill to good old rock and roll. I'd guess the crowd size at about 10,000. The VIP Starlight Lounge was buzzing with anticipation of tonight's show.
Tonight, there is no warm up act, just 3 hours of Frampton. When we went to take our seats, much to our surprise, we were held at the concourse for the first 4 songs (just like at a hockey game) due to filming and the band not wanting any additional movement in the shots, or some crap like that. Being the 50 something, loud mouth, get my own way sort of brat that I am, I put up severe protest and tryed in vain to rally an uprising. ATTICA, ATTICA or whatever. Once we were in our seats, the sound, crowd appreciation, and interplay between band mates was excellent. Even in his best days, Frampton never went for elaborate sets or lighting. tonight was no different. Just the usual screen and overhead lights that all acts have. Side one and two were played in sequential order with a few cuts from other Frampton albums thrown in. From 7:30-9:15 the band played flawless renditions of all the songs and the crowd was truly into this Rock Legend! Intermission from 9:15 to 9:35 went by real quick. Just enough time for a quick JaeggerBomb and another Long Island.
Set two was album sides three and four, with a few more oldies thrown in. Just like the first set, this set rocked the house. For the most part, the crowd was on their feet dancing and singing in mass. When the show ended at 10:55, by my count, Frampton played 33 songs. No one should have felt short changed by this show.
Also feel the need to toss out a big vote to Brandon, owner of BAB Tickets. This local reseller of tickets is the most ethical and trustworthy reseller I've ever dealt with. If you ever need tickets, check out his Facebook site or on Craigslist. His prices are fair and when a show date is near and he has tickets unsold, prices drop exponentially. Twice this season, Brandon has called me with great seats at the last minute at prioe's I can't refuse. Brandon you my friend, are a class act! Thank you for the great seats.
Weather A+
Crowd B
Atmosphere B
Sound A
Lighting C
Staging C
Effects N/A
Line up A
Overall this was a very enjoyable night out and I give the overall show a strong B.
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