BY BLAINE SAYERS – ROGERSPLACE.COM
Some people call him the space cowboy, some call him the gangster of love and some even call him Maurice; but at Rogers Place this past weekend, fans called him Steve Miller.
The Steve Miller Band treated Edmonton to a plethora of classics and guitar wizardry but it was the band’s longtime friend and co-headliner, Peter Frampton, who was responsible for starting the night off right and as expected the guitar legend delivered. Frampton opened his night the same way his best-selling album, Frampton Comes Alive, does with “Something’s Happening” and the first few chords sent a rush of people to their seats. As the seats began to fill, Frampton slowed things down with an extensive version of “Lines On My Face” but before the song, he paused to gladly thank Steve Miller for his “continued relationship over the years and for touring since the 1700s together.”
Frampton was jovial in between songs, often commenting on his age, bantering with front row fans and telling stories of how he wrote specific songs. He spoke glowingly of Soundgarden’s now passed lead singer, Chris Cornell, before he dedicated an instrumental version of “Black Hole Sun” to Cornell and his family. The cover garnered a standing ovation from the crowd after Frampton delivered a magnificent display of guitar brilliance. The set also heavily featured Frampton’s signature guitar talk box, an effect he championed and is most well known for. During “Show Me the Way” the crowd sang along in unison as hundreds of phones popped up, while others chose to revisit their high school prom by dancing in the aisles. The singing, dancing and lighter saluting continued as Frampton finished his set with two more hits – “Baby I Love Your Way” and “Do You Feel Like We Do” – before Steve Miller graced the stage.
