Tom Petty
After what seemed to be a long intermission, darkness had fallen and the ready crowd was eager for Petty. He did not disappoint. He instantly made contact with the crowd saying "Oh, Baby!" and after "Mary Jane's Last Dance" he said, "I hear you singin out there!" He suggested "Let's sing this one together" and "I Won't Back Down" became the anthem. "How ya feelin?" "Well, we're feeling good up here!" He thanked the crowd countless times and often changed poses to even further endear us to him. He stood with arms out, smiling, "You're outta control!"
He surprised us with "Sweet William" a song from an EP in Germany that he recorded 10 years ago. He said, "We're gonna try it." It was very bluesy, yet mid-way through had a hard fast guitar riff and then brought you back to the blues again, had some harp, too. The guys behind me yelled, "We don't care if we don't know it, it's hot!" Petty put the stage lights on, "Let me see these people!" He played the traveling Willbury's "Well, It's Alright" with vocal accompainment.
The band was introduced and well appreciated, calling the lead guitarist the "co-captain". He called "Breakdown" "a real old one".
He lead the crowd in a back and forth exchange, "I won't cry" "yeah, yeah, yeah." and made the song more like a blues number, very cool. He slowed it down even more and "Face in the Crowd" included a long piano solo that was beautiful. And just when we were all mellowed out, he turned up the energy with the Byrds classic, "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better", a song he said he hadn't played in 15 years. "You Don't Know How It Feels" had a country vibe and he had us laughing with his poses, including shaking his rear to the crowd from time to time. As with Tom Petty's collection of deep classics, there is endless talent, endless energy and the show itself, was a solid two hours. His voice and band without a shadow of a doubt, rocked the house.
Setlist:
1. You Wreck Me
2. Mary Jane's Last Dance
3. I Won't Back Down
4. Even the Losers
5. Free Fallin'
6. Honey Bee
7. Sweet William
8. End of the Line
9. Breakdown
10. Saving Grace
11. Face in the Crowd
12. I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better
13. You Don't Know How it Feels
14. Learning to Fly
15. Don't Come Around Here No More
16. Refugee
Encore:
17. Runnin' Down a Dream
18. Baby Please Don't Go
19. American Girl
