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Look before you snicker. The prospect of a cutting-edge concert DVD from a '70s rocker who's mostly been MIA during the intervening decades might seem baffling to all but his staunchest fans. But Peter Frampton's particular 15 minutes of fame were rooted in his sturdy prowess as a live player, and that crowd-pleasing instinct kicks into gear quickly on
Live in Detroit. The expatriate British guitarist, singer, and songwriter cheerfully admits that this well-shot, crisply recorded concert from Pine Knob amphitheater is banking on the lack of any video companion to his epochal live double album,
Frampton Comes Alive, which broke sales records following its 1976 release. Accordingly,
Detroit serves up a set list featuring the earlier set's high points and preserving the front man's affable, enthusiastic rapport.
Those virtues won't entirely neutralize the initial shock of seeing the former rock heartthrob as he crowds 50. The shoulder-length locks that made him a poster boy (and supplied a then-chic androgyny) are gone, his hair now close- cropped and white, and he wears small wire-rim glasses that reinforce a comparatively clerical look, even in dark jeans and T-shirt. But when Frampton and his current quartet launch into old arena workhorses like "Baby (Something's Happening)," or signature hits like "Show Me the Way" and "Baby I Love Your Way," he shows his singing and lead guitar playing are both unchanged.
In short, meat-and-potatoes musicianship, an eager-to-please affection for his audience, and that archetypal song book of '70s radio favorites all play to Frampton's strengths and to his audience's expectations, right up to those talkbox effects that sounded anachronistic until Cher dusted them off for her Europop-inflected comeback. For DVD music fans of a certain age, that translates to a canny mix of nostalgia and show-biz professionalism. --Sam Sutherland
Product Description
Pine Knob Amphitheater is the setting for an unforgettable evening with legendary musician Peter Frampton. Hold onto your seat as he rocks the house with a fusion of old favorites, new hits and screaming guitar riffs that leave the audience breathless. It's Frampton at his boldest, brightest and very best! 101 minutes.
Widescreen, enhanced for 16x9 TVs, 5.1 Dolby Digital, 5.1 DTS. Peter Frampton autobiography, discography, video interview.
