European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 13, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Frank Sinatra in his native new Jersey last year filled Frankfurt s fest Halle last  . Kominicki senior Staft writer at a Sinatra concert $150 gets you a Nickel seat first Balcony Back Row up behind the orchestra left or right. You glimpse Frank s face Only when he turns to the piano to pick up a Glass or to tap out a Camel. What you can see Are his shoulders still Broad but sagging Forward a Little now As if he a perpetually going into a Bow. You notice his walk More from behind too that the swagger is now the stiff kneed sometimes hesitant gait of an old Man. Finally and somewhat tragically the cheap scats get an unrestricted View of the Tel prompt cars the video screens placed left and right and along the front that Roll the lyrics of each Blue eyes classic. At 75, Frank sometimes forgets his words. But if legends Are doomed to merely fade away the chairman of the Board is at least fading slowly. In his performance saturday at Frankfurt a fest Halle Sinatra slowed through a captivating 45-minute set built around such classics As where or when bewitched. Bothered and bewildered under my skin Mic the knife and Luck be n lady. Late in the show there was also a lightning paced Medley of his hits with guests Steve Lawrence and Edyie a Jorge although Lawrence carried most of the male vocal Load. Sinatra a voice is at its Best a Gravelly Shadow of what it was once and on saturday he professed to having almost beaten a cold. Still he has plenty of strength in Bis lower Register and All the cracked notes and cheated endings did no to seem to bother the crowd anyway. If Frank barely made it through my Way. He did somehow manage to punch the High notes on new York new York and bring just the right smoke to one for the Roud. In Many ways it did no to matter. The ians most of them the invited guests of american express International were there to see the legend in his premiere performance in Frankfurt. That he was not As Good As he once was did no to mean that he still Wasny to great. A maybe its different in America a said one Middle aged German woman in the cheap seats. A but Here Frank Sinatra is something very  Sinatra May have sensed it too. Giving the standing cheering crowd one last look at the end of the show Frank paused for a moment then muttered slowly into the microphone. Quot you people Are very very kind a he said. October 13, 1991 sunday a Page 11