Photo by ceedub13 – Peter Frampton @ Ottawa Bluesfest 2011 via Flickr. CC.
On Sunday’s show at the Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Red Wing, Minnesota, Peter Frampton left the stage during his set after he was angry with what was shown on the video boards.
During Frampton’s set, a cameraman cut to a shot of a fan holding up a cover of his album, Frampton Comes Alive!, displayed on the two video boards on stage. The Star Tribune reported that this caused Frampton “to lament that the interruption came during a guitar solo.”
Just after this happened, the cameraman cut to yet another shot of the same woman, who this time held up a cover of Frampton’s I’m in You album. This angered Frampton even more and he then reportedly looked into the camera and said a “two-word expletive” and left the stage after the song was done, giving no explanation.
Concertgoer John Krause said Frampton got into a “tug-of-war” with the cameraman as he was exiting the stage.
It went back and forth between them until Peter finally let go and walked off stage, followed by his band a few seconds later.
After a few minutes, the band returned to the stage and finished the rest of their set, this time with the video boards off.
Peter Frampton, my hero, had a meltdown & left the stage after a cameraman showed fan's album during a solo #framptonmeltdown #blankscreen pic.twitter.com/Um7ZURyHsB
— Jeffrey Borg (@jeffborg) July 24, 2017
Treasure Island Public Relations manager Kevin Smith spoke with KARE 11 about the incident.
He goes off stage, we talked to him backstage, and he didn’t want the video boards on, so we turned them off. It was an interesting few minutes…and the show went on…It kind of is what it is. It’s rock and roll, man.
After the show, fans took to social media sharing their reactions to the show and Frampton later apologized about the incident in a tweet to a fan and released a statement on Facebook.
I stand w/ the cameraman who was pleasing the crowd – @peterframpton you're not gods gift #MillerFramptonTI #Diva #IWishYouStayedOffStage
— annie butler (@miss_bananie) July 24, 2017
I appreciate ur understanding & I apologise. I had 2 give you all the show you deserved and things beyond my control changed my MO.
— Peter Frampton (@peterframpton) July 24, 2017