Yawn. I saw him in concert a couple of years ago at a festival and was bored then, too. He took ten minute breaks between songs to get ready and played identically to the album, no variation and no energy. I wasn’t surprised to see the same thing.
I’m a big Tom Petty fan, but only on albums, where the superb mixing means “American Girl” is an experience to be cranked as loud as you can handle it. His songs are far better suited to intimate intimate settings like bars and living rooms.
[QUOTE=An Arky]
I think that Tom Petty is great, though perhaps not the best choice for the SB halftime because people want dance-oriented pablulum coupled with wardrobe malfunctions, not straight ahead rock.
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It was still pretty low key and bland for a rock performance, IMO.
I think safe is what they wanted. In the first three songs we got “American”, “free” and “Jesus” in the lyrics.
[QUOTE=Siege]
Tom Petty did look and sound good for a man his age. Are you sure they were really playing, though? At times what the music was doing and what he and his lead guitarist’s fingers were doing didn’t quite sync up.
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It seemed pretty clear to me that they were not playing. The whole performance sounded incredibly flat for a live performance. All the guitar playing looked ‘off’. There was also one point where Tom Petty had just finished singing a line, and looked into the audience and pointed and said something but you only heard the second half of what he said. Clearly his mic was off and someone turned it up real quick when the saw he was trying to talk.
[QUOTE=missbunny]
The last real memory I have of Tom Petty is that video he did, the one on the Alice in Wonderland theme. What was that, about 1989? And he was scary bad-looking there. I mean, not an ogre or anything, but not a handsome man. And he looked a LOT better tonight. I don’t even usually like facial hair but his looks really good on him.
(I’m sure I’ve seen him here or there since 1989 but that’s my most vivid memory of him.)
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“Don’t Come Around Here No More”. Love that video.
My favorite will always be “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”.
Oh my my, oh hell yes, honey put on that party dress…
I was disappointed that they didn’t play Don’t Do Me Like That. That’s my favorite Petty song.
I was really hoping they’d do Breakdown, and have the crowd sing.
I can’t watch Petty anymore without yelling to my wife, “Baby Girl! Hurry on in here and look at Lucky play his gee-tar on the television!”
“Tom Petty’s Teeth”… BAND NAME!!!
[QUOTE=WordMan]
Mike Campbell - Petty’s lead guitarist - is very highly respected as an “in the pocket” lead player - he can do flash, but typically just plays the perfect lick for the song. He was playing a new Mike Campbell signature Duesenberg - that blue with the white racing stripe is the official color. Duesenbergs are assembled in Germany of parts made in a variety of places and are currently getting buzz as a cool New Thing.
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Thanks for the info WordMan. I meant to look up the guitar after the show, but now I don’t have to. I liked that guitar quite a bit.
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy]
Agreed, and I’m perplexed at how enamored people are of the hugely overrated FMF. I would have loved to see some more Heartbreakers and maybe one solo number, but virtually the whole set? Ugh.
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What does FMF stand for???
[QUOTE=Argent Towers]
What does FMF stand for???
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Full Moon Fever, his first solo album.
Meh… not bad for a guy who’s based his entire career upon ripping off Dylan.
duck
His voice cops Dylan, but that’s where the similarity ends. Instrumentally their music has very little in common.
[QUOTE=sweepkick]
Meh… not bad for a guy who’s based his entire career upon ripping off Dylan.
duck
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It would be a nice shot if it were true. He’s more like The Byrds if you are going to cite a 60’s influence. Lyrically - in style, topics, word choice and pretty much everything else - Petty and Dylan couldn’t be more different other than using words like “a,” “the” and “is.” Okay, maybe both sing with a nasal voice and are ugly as sin, but that’s not the basis of a career… 