Designer John Varvatos hosted a benefit concert on Jan. 7 with Peter Frampton, plus Denis Leary and his band, The Enablers. Proceeds went to the nonprofit organization Road Recovery. The concert was part of Varvatos’s “Thursday Nite Live” series of performances at his Bowery shop, located in the former CBGB space. With his electric guitar and signature talk box, Frampton rocked his classic songs “Do You Feel Like I Do?” and “Show Me the Way,” closing with George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Leary, star of TV’s “Rescue Me,” and his band cranked out their own hits — like “A**hole” and “Traditional Irish Folk Song.” Road Recovery is a nonprofit organization comprised of entertainment-industry professionals whose lives have been touched by addiction and other adversities and now wish to make a positive contribution to the lives of others. Said Frampton of the evening, “It’s very humbling to be a part of a night like this. Knowing that I can be of help in some small way to Road Recovery is the best feeling. I can only hope that I helped them as much as they have helped me.” Said Leary, “Keeping kids off drugs is important and the fact that I get to play with Frampton is priceless.” Varvatos said, “It’s an honor supporting Road Recovery. Denis Leary and The Enablers are unbelievable musicians and have the best sense of humor in rock ’n’ roll. And it goes without saying that having Peter Frampton on stage in our Bowery NYC store was a dream come true!” The store was filled to capacity and the event raised more than $20,000 for the charity.
