Petty Larceny - Rock legend steals 12,000 fans' hearts
By Justine Spisak TIMES-SHAMROCK WRITER

Chandeliers and a set of elegant red curtains - along with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - were more than enough to get 12,000 fans out of their seats and rocking like it was "Mary Jane's Last Dance" Wednesday night on Montage Mountain.

Petty and his band, and an opening act almost as good as it gets - songwriter Jackson Browne - came together for the f irst time as the second leg of the Petty tour kicked off and left fans kicking and screaming for more.

The lively fans were treated to a visually stunning performance from the rockers whose careers have spanned 30 years.

And, while they were looking older, their fans were acting pretty young. The audience that spanned generations from Baby Boomers to Gen X attested to Petty's crossover to a new genre of listeners.

He and his band stole the crowd's affection with many of his hits, beginning with "Running Down a Dream." They continued with favorites "Won't Back Down" and "Mary Jane's Last Dance" adding, "You Don't Know How It Feels."

Lighters lit up the mountainside as he helped the crowd "Learn(ing) to Fly." And the crowd responded by roping Petty back for an encore of "Free Fallin" and the staple "American Girl."

The wildly beautiful setting that seemed more like a ballroom than a stage, was a fittingly mysterious and beautiful ambiance for Petty, one of the most off beat yet classic musicians and Browne who possesses a distinct song writing elegance.

During Petty's set, the drapes opened to reveal a breathtaking tapestry that looked as though it was taken directly from one of his conceptual music videos - think "Don't Come Around Here No More" and "Mary Jane's Last Dance," .

Browne opened for Petty and to a warm reception. He played such well-loved classics as "Running on Empty," "The Pretender" "Doctor My Eyes' and his smash hit "Somebody's Baby." Browne mixed it up with acoustic and electric performances, even sitting at the keyboard for a few songs.

Vegas Review
by Andrea RH
Published in Billboard June 4, 2001 (Way to go Andrea!)

George Gershwin once said, "True music must repeat the thought and inspirations of the people and the time." If that's the case, somehow Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have managed to tap into the thoughts, dreams, and hopes of a cross section of music lovers through the past 25 years. This fact was evident over the weekend at Las Vegas' the Joint, a small venue accommodating less than 1,500 people. And, no, you haven't missed anything. There's no new record. This band just heard the call of the road and had to answer it -- much to the elation of its fans.

Petty selected this intimate venue to present a two-concert finale to the first part of his band's "mini-tour." When Petty and company finally hit the stage, they ripped into a scorching rendition of "Running Down a Dream." The crowd greeted the song enthusiastically as Petty and guitarist Mike Campbell poured their souls into the performance, and barreled into "I Won't Back Down" which managed to sound fresh, despite the fact that it's been a staple in their live set for several years.

Petty tipped his hat to those fans who'd been with him since the beginning in 1976 during a trimmed-down version of "Breakdown" that stated straight away that these shows were meant for them.

The band then picked up the torch of rock tradition with a bevy of old tunes and eclectic covers, including Willie Dixon's "Little Red Rooster" and "I Just Want to Make Love To You," John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom," "Green Onions" by Booker T and the MG's, the Rolling Stones' "Heart of Stone," and J.J. Cale's "Call Me the Breeze."

While Petty played close to two dozen songs, several stood out. Over the years, many have commented that a certain level of energy was missing from the original recording of "Refugee." For those who never made a real connection with that one, check out the live version during this tour. It's honest, straight up, rock played with passion. Drummer Steve Ferrone's sheer power was breathtaking. Howie Epstein effortlessly sang all the high harmonies and kept the band tight with his bass parts.

During "Too Much Ain't Enough," it may as well have been 1978 again. Here the audience witnessed the power of rock 'n roll, as Petty danced across the stage in delight. Another highlight was a new arrangement of "Learning to Fly" that helped pull the irony out of the lyrics.

A strong encore set started with a sing-along version of "Free Fallin'." Next came the ever-potent classic "American Girl," but when the band took off their instruments, the crowd still wasn't satiated. Petty strapped his guitar back on and played the lullaby-like "Alright for Now," its lyrics reminding the faithful of the artist's strong connection with his audience: "I've spent my life traveling / Spent my life free / I could not repay all you've done for me / So sleep tight baby / Unfurrow your brow and know I love you / We're alright for now."

Jackson Browne Links With Tom Petty's Tour
by Rob Evans
LiveDaily News Editor

Jackson Browne will join Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' tour on June 27 in Scranton, Pa., and will continue with the outing through its conclusion, according to Petty's publicist.

The Wallflowers opened the Heartbreakers' dates through May 21, and Steve Earle and the Dukes will open the remainder of the tour's first leg, which concludes on June 2.

Petty's tour was initially scheduled to visit 15 western U.S. cities, and was intended to help the group warm up for subsequent studio sessions. The second leg focuses on the eastern U.S.

Southern California singer-songwriter Browne released two albums of original material during the '90s--1993's "I'm Alive" and 1996's "Looking East."

Browne is also to perform in Seattle on Friday (6/1) at the Songbird Foundation's benefit concert for the Sustainable Coffee Campaign. The benefit, to be hosted by novelist Tom Robbins, will also feature performances by Bonnie Raitt and Keb' Mo'.