The (Way Later Than I Had Hoped) Tuesday Afternoon “Nobody-Asked-Me-To, But-Here-I-Go-Anyway" Concert Review: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and Steve Winwood

(Or, Why I Will Never Be A Professional Concert reviewer…)

Words cannot begin to describe the Tom Petty live concert experience. So why even bother?

What’s that? Oh…alright – I’ll try and put it into words…

Well, if a person was forced to describe the Tom Petty live concert experience, the first thing you would have to mention is the audience. The audience last night was uncontrollable. They were inconsolable. They were probably even a bit inconcludable. Even Spell-Check isn’t buying that word…

The crowd in the Saddledome was quite nuts. Every time Petty changed guitars, they roared, and gave a standing ovation. This was in addition to their thunderous response, right from his very first song. He even tried desperately to quiet them down, but the audience would have none of it. This was the first time Petty had ever appeared in Calgary, and the crowd had over 30 years of anticipatory cheering bottled up – it had to be released. It was a Tom Petty love-in.

Mr. Petty and his Heartbreakers did not disappoint – playing for about an hour and forty-five minutes, including the three-song encore. There was an outstanding unplugged version of “Learning To Fly”. There were frequent sing-a-longs, especially during “Breakdown, and “I Won’t Back Down”. And there were frequent trips to the back catalogue, which were just as enjoyable as his more current hits.

Not that he played it, but in 1980, I recorded a radio demo tape, with “Don’t Do Me Like That” as one of the background tracks. I think he still looks the same today as he did on that 1979 album cover…

One appropriate song touched on Mary Jane, which seemed (in the slang sense) to be in attendance last night. The aroma of weed was wafting in the rafters of that old hockey barn last night, and I have to suspect that there weren’t that many glaucoma sufferers there. But, some of his fans are getting up there in age, so you never know…

A particular highlight was Petty’s cover version of a Travelling Wilburys song. Hey, wait a minute – he WAS a Travelling Wilbury!!

Seeing Tom live means that I have now seen three of the original five members of The Travelling Wilburys. Which Wilburys have I seen? Take a stab, and post your guess in the comments…

Crap! I’ve run out of space, and I haven’t even talked about the incredible performance of rock legend Steve Winwood.

He, as well, was superb.

Good time had by all!!

ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chow for now!!