Frampton apologizes for meltdown that halted Treasure Island rock concert

"Things beyond my control changed," the British rocker explained on Twitter.

July 25, 2017 at 8:18PM
Peter Frampton is shown on the video screen during his concert at Treasure Island Casino in Red Wing, shortly before he walked offstage in annoyance.
Peter Frampton is shown on the video screen during his concert at Treasure Island Casino in Red Wing, shortly before he walked offstage in annoyance. (Dennis McGrath — Special to the Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Peter Frampton's rock concert Sunday night just outside the Twin Cities area as the warmup to Steve Miller hit the skids for several minutes after a fan took the crowd on an impromptu nostalgia trip.

Frampton, the 67-year-old native Londoner whose classic rock hits include "Do You Feel Like I Do" and "Show Me the Way," halted his outdoor show Sunday night at Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Red Wing in response to a camera operator putting a woman on the two stage-straddling video screens as she hoisted Frampton album covers.

The enthusiastic fan first held up the cover from "Frampton Comes Alive," drawing a raucous cheer of approval from the crowd of roughly 8,000. This prompted Frampton to lament that the interruption came during a guitar solo.

A moment later, the same thing happened, only this time the cover for Frampton's "I'm in You" release was waved.

Frampton leaned his face into the camera and let out a two-word expletive.

Song complete, Frampton and others exited the stage with no explanation. Lights out, video screens to black.

Concertgoer John Krause said he saw Frampton get into a "camera tug-of-war" with the cameraman on stage just as the unscheduled break began.

"It went back and forth between them until Peter finally let go and walked off stage, followed by his band a few seconds later," Krause said.

Later that night, Frampton went on Twitter and posted in a reply to a fan, "I apologise. I had 2 give you all the show you deserved and things beyond my control changed my MO."

Casino spokesman Kevin Smith said Monday that Frampton "apparently didn't like what was on the video board for one reason or another. That was obvious."

Smith, who attended the concert, confirmed that the screens were turned off "at the artist's request."

Once the request was fulfilled, Frampton came back on stage and played the two songs remaining on his set list and threw in a third, Smith said.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

In this Feb. 11, 2007 file photo, Peter Frampton is shown at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
In this Feb. 11, 2007 file photo, Peter Frampton is shown at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. (Dennis McGrath/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Paul Walsh

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Paul Walsh is a general assignment reporter at the Star Tribune. He wants your news tips, especially in and near Minnesota.

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