Peter Frampton Was Fantastic at His Hard Rock Atlantic City Appearance

The guitar icon is having a blast on his “bonus tour”

Frampton is alive on stage again.

Last night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, guitar icon and songwriting guru treated fans to a fantastic evening of classic hits. Frampton told the capacity crowd inside Etess Arena that he’s calling his Never Say Never run his “bonus tour,” because it’s the tour he never thought he’d get to do.

“At the end of every Finale Tour show I did say, ‘Never Say Never’ and I am always full of hope for the impossible,” Frampton says of his decision to tour again. “I’m very pleased to let you know that I am feeling strong and my fingers are still roaming the fretboard. Every note I play now has more meaning and soul. I love playing live and this fighter wants to stay in the ring for as long as he can. I’m so happy to be able to see you all one more time this summer.”

Now, he’s back on stage doing what he does best, and his fans are beyond grateful to see him on stage again.

He walked on stage and was greeted with a standing ovation that was deafening. He proceeded to take a seat with a vintage Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty that had plenty of road wear. Kicking things off with “Lying,” Frampton and his band rolled into “Shine On.” After the second song, several fans were released from venue ushers’ grasps to make their way to their seats. They most likely got hung up in the beer or merch lines, but Frampton took the opportunity to have some fun with them.

Frampton asked cheekily, “Trouble parking the car?” The whole crowd laughed, even the folks caught making their way to their seats. “Oh, I’m gonna have fun with you guys,” Peter added. It was evident that Frampton was likely the person in the arena having the most fun, which was beautiful to see.

He continued to scan the room some more, like a stand-up comedian looking for more unsuspecting audience members to roast.

“We already did ‘Do You Feel,'” he said to another cluster of people still standing, alluding to the fact that even though they only missed two songs, they had already missed one of his biggest hits, 1976’s “Do You Feel Like We Do.”

The crowd roared with laughter.

The set continued with “Lines on My Face,” serving as a beautiful tribute to late bassist John Regan. Frampton followed it up with his seminal smash “Show Me The Way.” At the end of the song, he changed a lyric from “I can’t believe this is happening to me” to “I can’t believe this is happening right here, tonight.” The audience erupted. It was another nod to the notion that he never thought this tour would happen, and he is soaking up every second.

Other highlights included “Baby, I Love Your Way,” “Do You Feel Like We Do,” a wonderful rendition of “Georgia (On My Mind), and his epic cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” that has become somewhat of a staple at his live shows over the last few years.

He wrapped up the 15-song set with “I Don’t Need No Doctor” which garnered another standing ovation.

While his health may not be what it used to be, Frampton looked well and sounded amazing. He dug deep into the pocket for his signature guitar solos and his voice sounded crisp. With the storied career he’s had, he could certainly be at home enjoying retirement – but he’s back out on the road for his fans. He’s giving them one last good run, and they’re showing up by the thousands to support him. Anyone making it out to a Never Say Never show is in for a historic treat.

Peter Frampton is one of the most celebrated artists and guitarists in rock history. In 2007, Frampton won a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album for Fingerprints and in 2014 was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame. He received the prestigious Les Paul Innovation Award from NAMM’s TEC Awards in 2019 and his album All Blues was #1 for fifteen weeks on Billboard’s Blues Chart. After 47 years, Frampton Comes Alive! remains one of the top-selling live records of all time selling over 17 million worldwide.

In 2020 Frampton was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, his autobiography Do You Feel Like I Do?: A Memoir debuted on The New York Times Bestsellers list, and his 2021 album Frampton Forgets The Words was released to widespread critical acclaim. In November of last year, Frampton performed a sold-out show at London’s Royal Albert Hall which was filmed and is currently airing on PBS as part of their Pledge Drive. 

On July 28 Frampton will release Frampton@50 (Intervention Records), a numbered limited edition vinyl box set featuring Frampton’s essential 1972-1975 studio releases Wind of Change, Frampton’s Camel and Frampton.