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New respect for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

ShawshankShawshank Posts: 1,018
edited May 2012 in Other Music
Holy shit, I've been meaning to write about this for a few days now. My wife has been a huge huge fan of Petty's since the early 80's. She's seen him a few times in concert. I've gone with her to two shows as well. We always had crappy seats, way up high and far from the stage, but it was always a good time. I've like Tom Petty, but would never call myself a huge fan of his, even though I nearly melted down my Full Moon Fever tape when that came out. He's just always been someone else I listen to, but I never really followed his career.

Anyway, for our anniversary this year I surprised my wife with not only tickets to the EV solo shows, but I also sprung for the Tom Petty Premium Ticket package that Live Nation does. It's pretty pricey at $250 each, but I wanted to get this for her so bad, because she freaking loves these guys. And to be honest, I was really happy with what it came with. Here's what you were guaranteed to get:

Ticket on the floor within the first 15 rows of the stage
A commemorative jersey sweatshirt for the 2012 tour
A limited edition 2012 tour poster (these were really nice)
A set of nice guitar picks
VIP Lanyard
Early entry
And a few other trinkets and goodies.

So their presale started at 10am back in January, and I had my receipt emailed to me by 10:03. It went smooth as glass and honestly, I couldn't have done it any faster than that. So we had no idea where our seats were until the night of the show. We ended up 2nd row, just left of center stage on Mike Campbell's side. We were so close, it was like having them play in our living room. My wife was absolutely blown away, and so was I. The set was similar to what they had been playing every night of their tour, but the place was rockin like mad and the energy was unreal. I never realized how bad ass Mike Campbell was, and it's also surprising how his stage presence is so similar to Mike McCready. It was just an amazing show. I've never been sweating so much and so hoarse after a concert. I left there with a new found respect for that band, and just thinking about how much history is there, and how they still brought it that night like they had no intention of ever slowing down. It was freaking awesome.
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Comments

  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,472
    nice!!! awesome gift you got her, man! i've seen them a few times & they never disappoint. one of the best bands around! and Mike Campbell IS a bad ass. 8-)
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  • LukinFanLukinFan Florida Posts: 29,050
    They are one of the few bands left on my bucket list
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  • BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,309
    I haven't seen them since the 90's, but the 4 shows I saw back in the day were all extremely top notch.
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  • IgotshitIDIgotshitID St.john's Newfoundland Posts: 895
    Seeing them on June 3rd, I cant fucking wait
    St.John's 9/24/2005
    St.John's 9/25/2005
    Toronto 9/11/2011
    Toronto 9/12/2011
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  • djjazzy276djjazzy276 Posts: 229
    That sounds like a pretty awesome experience! They were the first concert I ever attended. I was in the fourth grade and it was on the Into The Great Wide Open tour. So awesome. I've seen them four times since then and as recently as four years ago. Still one of the best live shows around. Those guys know how to have a good time and rock as much as they ever did.
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,429
    I must've seen the only bad show he's ever put on. Seen him 2x previously and he was really great. I dunno if it was the fact that the Black Crowes were opening or if it was just a lousy performance. Alot of the guitar solo sections seemed to be taken over by piano. It was more old-timey rock and roll sounding compared to the other shows and most of his studio work. I haven't liked him nearly as much since that show.
  • Indifference71Indifference71 Chicago Posts: 14,845
    They put on a great show. Seen them a couple times. Once was with PJ opening in Milwaukee in 06....what an awesome night that was.
  • CobCob Posts: 857
    I Was @ the same show as you if you are talking about the show Sat night @ the Frank Erwin Center, I was going to take my wife, but she backed out at the last minute, so I went by myself. Got there about 7:45, walked up to the box office and all they had were $99.00 seats on the floor, I didn't really want to pay that much.

    A scalper wanted to charge me $60.00 for an upper level, I had already been to Roger Waters The Wall on Thurs and Death Cab for Cutie on Fri and it was Sat and I was already worn out. I told the scalper guy, "I can get a ticket on the floor @ the box office for $99.00.", his reply was, "Well then go do it.", kind of like a threat so I would buy his ticket.

    I looked him right in the eye and said, "I Will!", I have seen them about 5-6 times since the 1980's and they are one of my favorite bands of all time, but I too have never seen them from very close. I walked back up to the window and asked if they still had the $99.00 tickets, I bought it, sat a little ways back on the floor, but the sound was GREAT as was the show, I think they gave it a little extra as it was the last US show on this tour.

    My wife should have gone, to me it was like listening to a soundtrack of my life. One of the memories I have as a kid is walking to grade school (in the 70's) and going past the spot where all the Jr. High and Sr. High kids would catch the bus, they were always smoking and listening to Tom Petty on their boom box.
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  • adam42381adam42381 Kernersville, NC Posts: 2,505
    The wife and I saw them last week and we were similarly blown away. I agree about Mike Campbell, he was on fire. While I was expecting the setlist since they don't change it up too much, I wasn't aware that they'd be jamming so much. I always liked them, but I now have a new found respect for them as a live band. Here's the setlist:

    Listen to Her Heart
    You Wreck Me
    I Won't Back Down
    Here Comes My Girl
    Handle with Care (Traveling Wilburys cover)
    Lover's Touch
    I'm a Man (The Yardbirds cover)
    Something Big
    Saving Grace
    Free Fallin'
    Spike
    It's Good To Be King
    Time To Move On
    Learning to Fly
    Yer So Bad
    I Should Have Known It
    Good Enough
    Refugee
    Runnin' Down a Dream
    Encore:
    Mary Jane's Last Dance
    American Girl

    http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/tom-petty ... fbdf0.html
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  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,517
    I have seen TP&HP a few times over the years...usually once every 10 years or so!

    They are playing in AMS two days before PJ.....if we are not too jet-lagged, we may go!
  • helplessdancerhelplessdancer Posts: 5,272
    DewieCox wrote:
    I must've seen the only bad show he's ever put on. Seen him 2x previously and he was really great. I dunno if it was the fact that the Black Crowes were opening or if it was just a lousy performance. Alot of the guitar solo sections seemed to be taken over by piano. It was more old-timey rock and roll sounding compared to the other shows and most of his studio work. I haven't liked him nearly as much since that show.
    benmont is as good as mike is
  • thefixer9thefixer9 Posts: 9,376
    Tom Petty and the Hearbreakers rule!!! Hope to see them live one day! :mrgreen:
    Tres Mts- 3/16/2011
    Eddie Vedder- 7/16/11
    Brad- 4/21/12 (RSD Performance), 4/27/12, 8/10/12
    Flight To Mars- 5/23/12
    RNDM- 11/27/12

    PEARL JAM- 12/6/13 I have finally seen Pearl Jam live!
  • MayDay10MayDay10 Posts: 11,728
    Mojo is my favorite TP&tH album.
  • thefixer9thefixer9 Posts: 9,376
    MayDay10 wrote:
    Mojo is my favorite TP&tH album.

    Mojo is one of my favorite Petty's record also.
    Tres Mts- 3/16/2011
    Eddie Vedder- 7/16/11
    Brad- 4/21/12 (RSD Performance), 4/27/12, 8/10/12
    Flight To Mars- 5/23/12
    RNDM- 11/27/12

    PEARL JAM- 12/6/13 I have finally seen Pearl Jam live!
  • BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,309
    That's a stellar setlist.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • IgotshitIDIgotshitID St.john's Newfoundland Posts: 895
    He charges way too much for his tickets though! Mine was $215 total which is fuckin ridiculous
    St.John's 9/24/2005
    St.John's 9/25/2005
    Toronto 9/11/2011
    Toronto 9/12/2011
    Quebec City 5/5/2016
    Ottawa 5/8/2016
  • TheBeardedFellowTheBeardedFellow Posts: 321
    He was on my list for long time and I finally got to see him a few years ago when he had the Black Crowes opening. That was one awesomely good time.
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