Talkin 'bout Tom Petty

oistheone · Feb 27, 2013, 06:18 PM

Surprised to see there wasn't already a Petty thread! Here we can come to appreciate the greatness of Tom and every Heartbreaker.

For those who can't see TP&tHB at any of their festival stops this summer, REJOICE! Tour dates are reportedly being announced tomorrow! I'll be seeing them at Bonnaroo, but I'll sure as hell try and hit up another date as well. A Tom Petty tour without a new album to promote? Sign me up!

wolof7 · Feb 27, 2013, 07:02 PM

TP&THB are in my top3 bands of all time....seeing them with the Jacket opening was one of the greatest concert experiences ever...I don't even know where to start with this thread...I am gonna go to amazon right now and buy the must see documentary Runnin Down A Dream

manonthemoon · Feb 27, 2013, 08:30 PM

Always was a Petty fan, one of the first few bands I enjoyed in 90's. Caught him when they toured in 08 IIRC and they were awesome. Might have to check them out again if they come close by.

weeniebeenie · Feb 28, 2013, 07:07 AM

TPATH don't tour Australia. Anymore at least. Which really sucks 'cause I'd love to see them. I was listening to Wildflowers today. I don't think it's my favourite TP album, that spot goes to Damn The Torpedoes but Crawling Back To You is definitely my favourite song. What's everyone elses?

wolof7 · Feb 28, 2013, 07:16 AM

Quote from: weeniebeenie on Feb 28, 2013, 07:07 AM
TPATH don't tour Australia. Anymore at least. Which really sucks 'cause I'd love to see them. I was listening to Wildflowers today. I don't think it's my favourite TP album, that spot goes to Damn The Torpedoes but Crawling Back To You is definitely my favourite song. What's everyone elses?

Wildflowers is up there for me. I started my Petty addiction with his stellar greatest hits collection because I was around 10 when it came out. Shortly after Wildflowers was everywhere. That album is so amazing, so many great varied tracks and possibly Petty's most matured effort. Crawling Back to You is a top notch track and one I love playing on guitar when I feel so inclined.

My favorite song at 14 was probably The Waiting or Even the Losers because come on, what else would a hopeless romantic nerd choose at that age?

Now I would opt for Don't Do Me Like That. Don't think I could ever get sick of that song.

Breakdown is a karaoke standard for me and I always fantasize about doing Here Comes My Girl with talk/sing lyrics.

One of my favorite random deeper tracks is Letting You Go off of Hard Promises, so simple, so catchy, so great!

FiddleCastro · Feb 28, 2013, 11:02 AM

Was never a big Tom Petty fan, but when MMJ opened for them a couple of years ago I was really impressed with them. They've got a run at the Beacon coming up and I'm thinking about getting tickets for one of the nights.

Fully · Feb 28, 2013, 11:13 AM

I saw Petty several times in the 80's and 90's. I like his music, but it's been on the radio so much and his shows while perfectly good aren't in the stratosphere of amazing to me that I may use his set as nap time to get ready for late night Bonnaroo. I will enjoy it of I go see him. I know that, but I won't kick myself for missing his set either.

Shug · Feb 28, 2013, 11:40 AM

I'm super into Tom Petty and have been seeing him live for years. I've ranted before that his stagnant setlists from both night to night and tour to tour (he basically has played the same show over and over for 20 years now) has turned me off going to see him live. Exceptions being the awesome 20-night Fillmore run in 1997 and then another great run of 10 nights in 1999 and then a blues run at the Vic in Chicago in 2003.

So I'm thrilled to read he is doing a Fonda Theater run and a Beacon theater run this year. It just might get me to go see him again.

He's a masterful songwriter and I really agree with you guys about the brilliance of Wildflowers and Hard Promises. Crawling Back To You and Wake Up Time, You Can Still Change Your Mind, The Insider, Letting You Go, etc are the kinds of songs that he rarely plays live and it drives me fucking crazy! If he'd do a different show each night, like the Dead did, I'd go see him night after night after night. Instead he does the same damn crowd-pleasing set. I think he ought to challenge his audience and play entire shows, damn the hit songs. If you play down to your audience, you attract that kind of an audience who complains if they don't get to hear all their favorite songs in one night. If you challenge your audience, you get true music fans coming back night after night. At least that's what I think.

I'd kill to have him do a whole acoustic show of focusing on his rarely played masterpieces. He's got dozens of 'em.

oistheone · Feb 28, 2013, 11:44 AM

Quote from: Fully on Feb 28, 2013, 11:13 AM
I saw Petty several times in the 80's and 90's. I like his music, but it's been on the radio so much and his shows while perfectly good aren't in the stratosphere of amazing to me that I may use his set as nap time to get ready for late night Bonnaroo. I will enjoy it of I go see him. I know that, but I won't kick myself for missing his set either.

Rumor is that Petty will be closing the fest on Sunday night, so if you nap through his set, you might just sleep away those precious last moments of Bonnaroo!

And I am beyond ecstatic at this tour announcement. Those multi-night residencies are leading right into his Bonnaroo set, virtually guaranteeing that Roo will get some rarities. There is no reason that those New York and LA runs would be happening unless they were planning on shaking things up a bit. Glad to see that I'm not the only one excited at the prospect of Petty trotting out some new setlists!

oistheone · Feb 28, 2013, 12:33 PM

Oh man!

Quote"I don't want to do a 'greatest hits' night," Petty says. "We should push ourselves, do things we don't even remember. It's about getting the best out of the band and to show people there are a lot of sides to us, the different kinds of music this band can play. We are a very good blues band. And we're a pretty good bluegrass band, believe it or not. We just don't get a chance to do that very much. You only get so much time in a concert – you can't do everything in one night. But I'm just gonna go where the wind blows us."

This article also confirms that Petty is playing Bonnaroo on Sunday. Which essentially means he is the guaranteed closer. Ain't no one goin' on after Petty.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/blogs/alternate-take/tom-petty-plots-intimate-summer-tour-theres-no-telling-what-well-do-20130228

Fully · Feb 28, 2013, 02:54 PM

Quote from: oistheone on Feb 28, 2013, 12:33 PM
Oh man!

Quote"I don't want to do a 'greatest hits' night," Petty says. "We should push ourselves, do things we don't even remember. It's about getting the best out of the band and to show people there are a lot of sides to us, the different kinds of music this band can play. We are a very good blues band. And we're a pretty good bluegrass band, believe it or not. We just don't get a chance to do that very much. You only get so much time in a concert – you can't do everything in one night. But I'm just gonna go where the wind blows us."

This article also confirms that Petty is playing Bonnaroo on Sunday. Which essentially means he is the guaranteed closer. Ain't no one goin' on after Petty.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/blogs/alternate-take/tom-petty-plots-intimate-summer-tour-theres-no-telling-what-well-do-20130228

Well then I may be going to see Petty after all.

Shug · Feb 28, 2013, 02:59 PM

"I don't want to do a 'greatest hits' night," Petty says of the New York and L.A. shows. "We should push ourselves, do things we don't even remember. It's about getting the best out of the band and to show people there are a lot of sides to us, the different kinds of music this band can play. We are a very good blues band. And we're a pretty good bluegrass band, believe it or not. We just don't get a chance to do that very much. You only get so much time in a concert – you can't do everything in one night. But I'm just gonna go where the wind blows us."

HALLELUJAH!!!! ITS ABOUT FUCKIN' TIME!!!! That's what I'm talkin' about. I'm there!!!

rincon2 · Feb 28, 2013, 03:05 PM

I bought TPs first 2 albums when they came out. Loved them. He had leather jackets, and the press labeled him as part of the punk movement. I remember hearing Refugee for the first time, and stating it would be a monster hit. Have not really thought much of him since then. He always sounds to me like some kind of generic classic rock/psuedo Americana guy, where every song sounds about the same.

Penny Lane · Feb 28, 2013, 03:36 PM

Wow, 5 nights at the Beacon in May.

I've seen him a few times, always delivers. The documentary Running down a dream is incredible, it will turn a casual Petty fan into a die hard.

ManNamedTruth · Feb 28, 2013, 11:13 PM

I've seen him 4 times, I usually go see him because it's a show that a lot of my friends can agree on. It's a good time, but there's not enough setlist variation. The only reason I went last time was because we got a party bus, and because Drive-By Truckers opened. That was the tour MMJ opened for some dates and DBT for others, was disappointed it wasn't MMJ in my neck of the woods but at least it was DBT. I even went in early for DBT while ALL of my other friends stayed in the lot and partied. He's coming again this year but I probably won't go, since he's playing Consol Energy Arena instead of the usual outdoor Star Lake. Haven't seen who's opening yet so that may sway me into it, he almost always has a solid opener.

weeniebeenie · Mar 01, 2013, 06:50 AM

Quote from: Penny Lane on Feb 28, 2013, 03:36 PM
Wow, 5 nights at the Beacon in May.

I've seen him a few times, always delivers. The documentary Running down a dream is incredible, it will turn a casual Petty fan into a die hard.

It's one of my favourite movies ever! I could watch it over and over and over.

weeniebeenie · Mar 01, 2013, 07:01 AM

Quote from: wolof7 on Feb 28, 2013, 07:16 AM
Quote from: weeniebeenie on Feb 28, 2013, 07:07 AM
TPATH don't tour Australia. Anymore at least. Which really sucks 'cause I'd love to see them. I was listening to Wildflowers today. I don't think it's my favourite TP album, that spot goes to Damn The Torpedoes but Crawling Back To You is definitely my favourite song. What's everyone elses?

Wildflowers is up there for me. I started my Petty addiction with his stellar greatest hits collection because I was around 10 when it came out. Shortly after Wildflowers was everywhere. That album is so amazing, so many great varied tracks and possibly Petty's most matured effort. Crawling Back to You is a top notch track and one I love playing on guitar when I feel so inclined.

My favorite song at 14 was probably The Waiting or Even the Losers because come on, what else would a hopeless romantic nerd choose at that age?

Now I would opt for Don't Do Me Like That. Don't think I could ever get sick of that song.

Breakdown is a karaoke standard for me and I always fantasize about doing Here Comes My Girl with talk/sing lyrics.

One of my favorite random deeper tracks is Letting You Go off of Hard Promises, so simple, so catchy, so great!

Oh man. All those songs are great. Hard Promises is so awesome too. I love Thing About You, it's another favourite.

johnnYYac · Mar 01, 2013, 09:19 AM

Petty entered my conciousness during the early stadium days of the Grateful Dead. I'd heard their hits on the radio, but was impressed to see them serve as Bob Dylan's band when Dylan opened for the Dead.

I never saw them as a headliner until the day they had MMJ open at a show in Mansfield, MA in 2010. Poor Petty, I'm either there to see the band they opened for or the band opening for them. Still, can't deny a solid crew of musicians and some classic songs. Some of the new stuff is good, and they put on a solid show.

Shug · Mar 01, 2013, 09:44 AM

They are really like the American Rolling Stones. Its straightforward, kinda basic and simple music, definitely not complicated or artsy or jamming enough for some tastes, but they do Chuck Berry-style rock 'n' roll perhaps better than any other band. They have played together so long, they are like the greatest most seasoned bar band in the world, can play any song off the top of their heads and totally nail it and they know ALOT of songs (but sadly play the same old radio hits over and over). Like Yacc said, playing behind the mercurial and impulsive Dylan, you have to be on your toes to follow him. When they get up a head of steam, they are freight train powerful. Its not always obvious because they don't headband or jump around, but the way they can get deep into the groove of a 3 minute roots rock song is amazing. That 20-night Fillmore run in 1997 was staggeringly good. Since then they have only rarely lived up to their potential, IMO, which is tragic for me. Maybe this tour will show more of what they can do. I sure hope so, because they can be so damn good.

Penny Lane · Mar 01, 2013, 10:59 AM

Quote from: weeniebeenie on Mar 01, 2013, 06:50 AM
Quote from: Penny Lane on Feb 28, 2013, 03:36 PM
Wow, 5 nights at the Beacon in May.

I've seen him a few times, always delivers. The documentary Running down a dream is incredible, it will turn a casual Petty fan into a die hard.
It's one of my favourite movies ever! I could watch it over and over and over.

i had such a new found respect for Petty after watching that..usually there's some back story where the artist overcomes his demons and transcends into being a good person towards the end and now there's a comeback in this new healthy lifestyle or something...with Petty there was no drama, he was always about the music, treated people well, took care of his family, never succumbed to fame, and the best part was all the footage of the Traveling Wilburys...all american success story and he's got the songs to back it up..just makes me feel good watching it..(very LONG, though)