Artists Band Together For Environmental Awareness
By Troy Carpenter, N .Y.
Billboard Magazine

Beastie Boys' Mike Diamond, Alanis Morissette, Jackson Browne, Barenaked Ladies, Dave Matthews Band, Moby, Phish's Trey Anastasio, James Taylor, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are among the artists who have teamed up with the Save Our Environment Coalition in an initiative to oppose the energy plan of President George W. Bush.

The coalition is a collaborative effort of more than dozen of the nation's most influential environmental advocacy organizations, including the National Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club, and Greenpeace. The artist coalition, dubbed the New Power Project, directs promotional efforts at fans through Web sites, E-mail lists, and concerts, raising awareness and promoting opposition to the Bush plan, which includes a recommendation oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

One of the prime directives of the New Power Project is to get fans to sign petitions and fax members of Congress and the Bush administration expressing opposition to the plan. Many of the artists are encouraging interested parties to visit the "action center" at the Save Our Environment Coalition's official Web site, where they can send faxes to members of Congress.

Recent gigs by Petty, Taylor, and Anastasio have also featured information and petition-signing booths for the effort. Morissette plans to hold an awareness-raising concert July 31 in Anchorage, Alaska, near the threatened Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

"The artists and fans can make a real difference stopping the flawed Bush energy plan and building support for a solution to our energy needs that is cleaner, faster, cheaper, and safer," the Sierra Club's Carl Pope said in a statement.

My Two Days Backstage
By Casa Dega

After seeing Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers at Red Rocks in May I figured seeing them anywhere else in the country would never compare to the experience I had had at Red Rocks. I was in the second row and sitting in one of the nicest outdoor venues in the country. It wasn’t until July 14th when my husband and I arrived in Atlanta to see Tom Petty, and we were given backstage passes that I realized things could be better.

We arrived at the venue around 4:30 p.m. and checked in at the backstage gate for entry. We were given the backstage passes and basic instructions as to what we could and could not do. No cameras were allowed and we could not roam the area without being accompanied by the person who arranged for the passes. As we walked down a long driveway behind the stage I could see lots of tour buses and semi trucks parked. There were also a lot of people milling around. We were shown Tom and Dana’s bus, the bus that Howie, Benmont, and Steve rode in and Mike Campbell and his family’s bus. These buses were strictly used for transporting the band back and forth to the airport, venues and hotels and some short distance travel.

The sound check had just ended a short time after we had gotten there. We weren’t there long when Howie walked past the bus we were standing next to and we were introduced to him. We shook hands and exchanged small conversation. At that time I did not realize that this was just the beginning of several times we would be exchanging conversation with Howie. A short time later Steve Ferrone and his girlfriend walked up to talk with the person who gave us our passes. We were introduced to both of them and enjoyed a few minutes of conversation with them too. Benmont walked past, and then Mike Campbell walked by next. Some of the band and road crew were having dinner after the sound check, so we walked out on to the stage, looked around and then went to check where our seats that we had purchased would have been. We could see fans already setting up on the lawn at the rear of HiFiBuys Amphitheatre. We stopped and watched a local band performing on a side stage for a while, then wandered back among the buses.

Mike’s dogs were cruising around. Both dogs wore backstage passes around their necks. Several times during the next two days we stopped to pet and talk to the dogs. Band member’s children were cruising the driveway on motorized scooters. We saw Dana a couple of times prior to the show, and were introduced to the production manager who we found to be a very likable guy. We were invited to see the bus that Howie was sharing with Steve, Benmont, and the business manager. While sitting on the bus, Howie came out from the rear quarters, sat with us for a couple of minutes, then continued on to get ready for the show. Chinner walked by sporting a cane. He said that he had injured his back earlier in the week.

Jackson Browne was announced and started his show. About half way through his set, Scott Thurston joined him on stage and finished out Jackson’s portion of the show, including the encore. Jackson Browne left the stage promptly at 9:00, and we returned to the bus area to hang around until the Heartbreakers were ready. At exactly 9:30, Tom led the group out on the stage and began with Running Down a Dream. The stage was very small and was taken up mostly with the band’s equipment, so we watched the band from the side of the stage behind some amps.

Prior to the Atlanta show, we were invited to the Nashville show the next night. We got directions to the hotel where the band was staying in Nashville. Our friend booked a room for us, and we left HiFiBuys after the final song - American Girl. We got stuck in traffic, but finally departed the Atlanta metro area about 1 am. We drove up I-75/I-24 and arrived into Nashville at 4 Central time. We checked into our room, after having a bit of trouble proving to the front desk who we were and whom we were with. We slept until 11:00a.m. or so. We got together with our friend, had lunch, and waited just outside the doors of the lobby as the buses rolled up to take the band to the sound check. While sitting on the bench, Scott Thurston came out and boarded one of the buses. Steve and his girlfriend came out next, and then Mike came out with his family and dogs, then Howie, and finally Tom and Dana with two other guys. The two guys came out just a little in advance of Tom and scoped out the area. Then Tom came out with his head straight ahead, shades on, and a straw cowboy hat. He quickly boarded the final bus, and they all left for the AmSouth Amphitheatre. I was almost in a daze and speechless thinking that Tom Petty had just walked right past me. We hung around for about an hour at the hotel, and then got a call from our friend to bring a case of bottled water and a twelve back of Diet Dr. Pepper for the production manager. We picked that purchase up, and drove about 20 minutes to the show.

Again, we parked just outside the backstage entry gate and picked up our passes. This time, we didn’t see any band members. The back lot was a lot smaller then the one in Atlanta, and appeared to have more indoor buildings for the band and crew to hang out in. We needed a bathroom and were led to a concrete block building at the rear of the stage. We went down a hallway where each band member’s name was taped on a door to a dressing room. Benmont was in one with the door open, and Mike was standing in the doorway of his dressing room. While standing in the hallway, Jackson Browne tapped me on the shoulder so he could get by. I was amazed at how small a person he really is. There was only 10 minutes until he was scheduled to go on, and he was carrying a shirt on a hanger to change into. He disappeared into his dressing room and we went back to climb up on the backstage.

We were asked to stay away from the main entrance to the stage from the rear until Jackson and his band had taken stage. Three open semis were parked against the loading ramp, ready to receive the equipment after the show. All around the backstage area were trunks for the wiring, the lights, the amplifiers and soundboards, etc. Jackson took the stage and we were allowed to move up to the stage entrance area.

We were shielded from the audience by the tall amplifiers, but we could stand right where the band is first visible to the audience. We saw the whole show from there except that we had to move back on the loading dock halfway during Jackson’s last song. He returned for an encore, and we were able to watch that from up close until right near the end, when they had to make room for the band to leave the stage. We then left the stage and sat on Howie, Benmont and Steve’s bus until the show was to begin. Howie had been resting in the back of the bus. Five minutes before the greatest show was to begin Howie walked to the front of the bus and told us to enjoy the show.

Again, exactly a half hour passed and Tom led the band onto the stage. We were able to move back to the same position at the side of the stage, and we had a straight view of Steve Ferrone, with Scott Thurston and Howie closest to us, then Tom, then Mike and Benmont on the other side from us. The sound was so clear as we were hearing the monitor speakers that the band hears. Dana came by and took a spot closer to the front of the stage by sneaking between a bank of amplifiers.

Four or five songs into the show, I remember it being after “Billy The Kid, the production manager ran up and asked us all to move away from the stage. Dana was there along with Bugs, and some other techs. The production manager was very polite and explained that Tom was not feeling well and may have to come off the stage. We stayed back on the loading dock for the next two songs, then moved back into position for the remainder of the show when it became obvious that Tom was doing all right. The band did Don’t Come Around Here No More, and I noticed a couple techs. setting up a cloth over one of the equipment trunks. Glasses with ice, some beers, some cigarettes, and other assorted stuff was prepared. As the band began You Wreck Me, we were asked to move back again as the band would be coming through for the encore. Tom thanked the audience, and then the band left the stage. All of the Heartbreakers came off, with Tom in the lead. Dana met him where we were standing and they immediately left the area toward the dressing room area. We were standing just a few feet away from Tom when I noticed he was given a burgundy sweat towel, which was later given to me. The rest of the band stopped on the loading dock and drank the drinks set out on the equipment trunk. It seemed like 5 minutes that the crowd cheered, lighting their lighters. Tom and Dana re-emerged, led the band back on stage, and began a three song set with Free Fallin’. Rainy Day Women 12 + 35 was next, and finally American Girl. We packed up and left the stage at the beginning of American Girl so that we could get out ahead of the buses.

We could still hear the cheers as we pulled out of the parking lot, and the buses were right behind us. We returned back to the hotel in Nashville, and watched the band arrive back about a half hour later. Each member got off the bus at the front door, walked through the lobby directly to the elevators, and disappeared for the night. They did not enter the lobby together, but Mike did enter with his family and the two dogs. It was at this point I realized our room was six doors down from Tom and Dana’s room.

We had to drive back to Florida the next day, so we packed up and checked out about 1 pm. The band was staying an extra day, but the buses left on their way to Columbus for the next show. All the way home I admired the souvenirs I was given and the two cd’s I had brought with me to have autotographed by Tom and the Heartbreakers and by Jackson Browne.

This was a weekend I will never forget. A lot of dreams came true for me because of two people. My husband, for letting me follows the band like we did, and for a very wonderful friend I met in Denver who made this all happen for us. If not for him we would have been sitting in our “crap seats” at the HIFI in Atlanta. The only thing that could have made the weekend any better is if my Partner in Petty, tpfan/Judy had been along with. She will be along for the next tour.

Tom Petty At The Tweeter Center
By Joshua Klein

When Tom Petty began his rise to fame, many people wrote him off as just another pale imitation of either Bob Dylan, The Byrds or Bruce Springsteen. Twenty-five years into a career that has defied expectations, Tom Petty is in a position most artists would kill for: His catalog is like classic rock's Fort Knox, a deep cache of hits and classics. But Petty's perennial popularity also poses the same unique problem faced by many of his peers. If he plays just the songs his fans want to hear, he'll be accused of courting nostalgia. If he peppers his sets with too many new songs at the exclusion of some old nuggets, he's bound to disappoint the people that put bread on his table. Oh, what's a rock star to do?

Petty had a couple of key factors working in his favor at the Tweeter Center Friday night. First, the relatively mild reception to his most recent studio album, 1999's "Echo," made the decision to avoid newer tracks (save the fine "Billy The Kid") a no-brainer. Second, Petty has amassed so many hits and beloved album tracks that even a "greatest hits" set did not preclude variety.

Amid the more familiar fare, a laid-back Petty played a few surprises, including a graceful rendition of "The Best of Everything" and an acoustic "Learning To Fly." But the best way for fans to approach a set that ranged from the driving "Runnin' Down a Dream" to a lengthy "You Don't Know How It Feels" was to revel in the details that Petty's band the Heartbreakers provided. Drummer Steve Ferrone's subtle shuffles on "Breakdown" and "Good to be King" were snazzy, and organist Benmont Tench embellished the still-rebellious "Refugee" with little flourishes. Bassist Howie Epstein anchored "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and enhanced it with his backing vocals. Then there was guitarist Mike Campbell, probably the most essential component, whose perfect arpeggios on "Here Comes My Girl" and compact solo on "I Won't Back Down" epitomized class and creativity.

Petty's show didn't lack a little hubris. Though Petty released his second best-of collection late last year, this tour saw him supporting mostly his reputation. With across-the-board concert revenues down a great deal from last year's haul, it took guts on Petty's part to coast into town, even if he is doing better than a lot of other acts on the road right now. But as Petty backed opener Jackson Browne on "Take It Easy," blazed through a cover of Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" and performed "American Girl" like it was the first time, it became clear why he wanted to hit the stage again: Years after his start, he's still having a ball.

Petty Doesn't Disappoint With Rock Solid Classics!
BY BOBBY REED

Tom Petty is the embodiment of consistency. He's the musical equivalent of a dependable employee who reports to the factory at the same time each day, has a bologna sandwich and chips for lunch, and, at closing time, promptly drives home in the same American car he's had for decades.

Petty's engaging, rock-solid show Friday night at the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park was a breezy yet graceful waltz through his greatest hits. Much of the show was a blueprint from previous concerts that Petty gave in the '90s.

And the '80s. And the '70s.

With the exception of some gray stubble in his beard and a new wedding band on his hand, Petty even looked like he had stepped out of a previous era. He wore a black leather vest and faded jeans. His cliche showbiz stage banter and guitars with long, old-fashioned electrical cords made him a visitor from another era.

At 50 years young, the Florida native reminds classic rock fans of a time when AM radio was dominated by three-chord songs sung by long-haired adults, instead of hyper-kinetic beats chirped by moussed-up teens barely old enough to drive.

Touring without a new album to promote, Petty seemed to simply be having the time of his life. He frequently took deep bows and traded grins with members of his band, the Heartbreakers.

Petty opened the show with a blistering, extended version of ''Runnin' Down a Dream'' that was punctuated by a fluid solo by his right-hand man, guitarist Mike Campbell. The chemistry between Petty and Campbell anchors this band. The two met when Petty was 17, and they've been recording and touring together for a quarter-century.

Most of Petty's muscular and melodic tunes, including ''Refugee,'' ''Breakdown'' and ''Here Comes My Girl,'' were terse poems, but the band transformed ''It's Good to Be King'' into a 10-minute novella.

Campbell's guitar work on this opus included sound effects that were reminiscent of breaking glass, a huffing steam engine and the cascading crash of a waterfall. As the long, winding tune came to a close, Petty and Campbell stood toe-to-toe, eyes locked, fingers dancing on their respective fretboards, coaxing a final burst of emotion from the song's finale. The duo displayed the kind of musical telepathy that comes with a lifetime of slinging guitars side by side.

Petty did take at least one slightly unexpected detour, offering the rarely performed ''The Best of Everything.'' This haunting and flawlessly executed ballad allowed the crowd to momentarily sit and relax before Petty continued his job of punching the clock at the old-time rock 'n' roll factory.

HB Chick's Boston Review - I may have kissed my computer the day that I got email from TomPetty.com announcing the east coast tour and advance ticket sales.
:-o

I went on-line 10 minutes prior to start time for advanced sales. Got my password early, good. Sale starts - search for tickets - best possible - Sec. 4 Row 22 - "No, no!!" Search again! Seven searches total, until I accepted 2 tickets near the stage end of Section 3/Row N. I was happy, and somewhere around the 9th row, as the rows start at "F". I'd really thought I'd be offered better seats earlier in the attempt at purchasing. It was frustrating, but not as bad as the phone or the old-fashioned early morning lines. I was just happy that I'd be closer than my last 5 shows, and Row N turned out to be the 7th row!

When the tickets arrived three days later, I had been getting ready to do some exterior painting. (I like it when you have them in your hands. It's more concrete, it seems more real.) I opened the envelope while I was wearing latex gloves. I checked them to be sure they were for the right concert, lol, seating, etc. Then I walked out to the kitchen to show my daughter. "Look, Casey! My tickets came today!". She looked at me, holding the pair of tickets with gloved hand, and shook her head. "Mom", she said, "you are obsessed! You know that don't you?" I tried to explain that I hadn't put the gloves on to handle the tickets. I really was going to finish painting the rails on the deck. (I had no choice. Just to prove my sanity, I had to go finish painting.) Thinking about who I would bring with me. Casey? - for her first? My sister? my friend, Kathleen? husband? (he thought I should bring Casey!) I had one extra ticket and not sure what to do, but I had time to figure it out.

As soon as I'd seen the post about Jackson Browne opening for this leg of the tour, my decision was made. It would be Kathleen. She loves JB the way that we love TP. If I didn't bring her, I'd never hear the end of it. We'd have much better seats than the first time I brought her 2 years ago, and she had the bonus of seeing her long-time love, Jackson Browne.

The day of the show was a little hectic. I brought my son to his job, made arrangements to get him a ride to a friend's house later. I dropped Casey off at her friend's for the night. I picked up some ice, and the red heart balloons I'd ordered, packed up my gear and called Kathleen at work barking out my last minute orders. "If you're not ready to go by 3:30, I'm leaving without you", and "No! You can put your make up on while I'm driving!" (I'm really much more easy going than this. Hey, I was under a lot of pressure!) I knew we'd hit traffic as we tried to leave this peninsula. All those tourists leaving Cape Cod on a Sunday afternoon really tie up traffic over the 2 bridges. We'd left from Hyannis at 3:30, and when we got to Exit 4 on Route 6 the cars suddenly slowed to a crawl. OMG I knew this would happen! This trip has a normal drive time of an hour and 15 minutes. It took us two hours.

It was 5:30 when I parked the car at Great Woods (ahem,...the Tweeter Center) I 'll still call it Great Woods, even if they did change the name! We were lucky to have ended up in one of the lots on the "wrong" side of the venue (I always park on the lower side, towards home- I figured that the group of people I was meeting would mostly be coming from the other direction.) I stood in the car and searched the nearby lots for some bbs fans ~ and I saw their balloons in the next lot! What a stroke of good luck that was. We scooped up some of our gear & I untangled the balloons, giving one to Kathleen. She was about 15 feet from the car when I heard her exclaim, "My balloon!" (Everyone within 100 yard radius heard her. It was like a kid at a parade!) I turned to see it floating quickly - and she's holding the limp string! LMAO I tried to quiet her, while we trudged through the gullies and under ropes to the place I'd spotted the bbs group. I cautiously approached wanting to be sure I had the right tailgaters, and saw bbs written on some of their balloons. I knew this must be the place. I walked up to a circle of nice ladies and apologized for my late arrival. When they saw my red heart balloon, they knew I was one of them! They had brought fold out tables, chairs, and food to feed a small army! It tplover2, no1pettyfan, Bonnie, Bluegill, pettyfan52, and hugepettyfan! (Hard to keep this all these names straight) When they asked my name and I replied "Half Baked Chick", they automatically laughed - I mean they cracked up in unison! (I can't imagine why?) A few minutes later I met TPRox and then Honeybeez. TPRox's seats were right behind me. (She had a blown up copy of her license plate for sign - TPETTY - really cool, Diane!)

After 6:30, with the light rain starting, Kathleen & I decided to go inside the gates. We could hear the end of sound check. ("O-oh, Boston you're my home...") It didn't occur to me that his would be a cover tonight, I just thought they were playing around! When we'd passed through the turnstile, a girl asked if we wanted our picture taken - which we could look at later and buy for $10 if we liked it. Kathleen was all for it, and I went along with it for my friend. (You can tell by the eye roll. I said to the girl, "Go ahead and take a picture".) Later, when we saw it - we had to have it. (That's me in the yellow shirt)

We had to be seated by 7:30 for Jackson's set and wanted to get out of the rain. When the lights went down, and JB came out people were still getting to their seats. He played most of his usual hits, Lawyers in Love, The Pretender, Running On Empty, Somebody's Baby, Barricade - and Scott came to play along, wearing a denim shirt. I had to sit quietly. When I'd tried to say two words to Kathleen, ("There's Dana"...) she brushed me off, telling me, "I'm Busy" (hmmmph! What's with that?)

I'll continue now, with the real show. This song list is inclusive, but not in exact order. I'll apologize here for the few pictures that I managed to snap. I used a pretty decent disposable - in case it was going to be taken away. The lights went down and the roar went up. We anxiously waited..."Oh"................................ "Baby"......................."Doll" !!!!! Then start:
Runnin' Down A Dream - I knew they would begin with this as we eagerly awaited the first note. Most of you are familiar with the stage set - it was the 3D artwork with the columns (well described in the Boston Globe review) Tom wore his blue jacket (the sparkly one) and blue jeans. Mike started in a white jacket with a green shirt - of course they came off early. Benmont wore a blue shirt under his jacket, Howie was in a white shirt, with his hair pulled back, and Steve wore a green shirt and khakis. I Won't Back Down - Kathleen tried to say something to me. I brushed her off, and told her, "I'm Busy." (...she understood.) Breakdown - My all time favorite sing-along Mary Jane's Last Dance - Mike & Tom at their absolute best - this is perfection! At one point Tom asked to have the lights brought up, so he could see who showed up tonight. The light crew was slow to respond, and most of us pulled out lighters and lit the place for him. The real lights came on after a couple of minutes, and Tom looked around to see who had made it. He thanked us for coming back to see him - he was talking to his long time, die hard fans here. Don't Come Around Here No More - No, Tom. Do come around here some more! Here Comes My Girl - They must do this, or we don't let them leave town! It's Good To Be King - Tom would know. (And, Mike Campbell? pssst... You are a guitar God! You Don't Know How It Feels - Damn. Best Of Everything - Nice surprise - (this is when the youngsters get beer though) Time To Move On - People from the back sections tried to get others to sit, but most of us declined their offer. Billy The Kid - This song from Echo was one of my favorites! Too Much Ain't Enough - Have I mentioned Mike Campbell? He & Tom & Steve went nuts here! Booker T. & he MG's Green Onions - Ben shines, and we get the glow! Into The Great Wide Open - Tom seemed particularly pleased to do this one. The crowd was more than pleased! The Waiting - I think a lot of people had been waiting for this one! Dirty Water - A local favorite about the Charles River (from the '60's) This was wild. Refugee - still sounds like the original - pure solid rock. You Wreck Me - Crowd still singing along with every word. Free Fallin' - didn't matter at this point what they played... Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - They'd done this for us in '99. It was great to hear it again. American Girl - Every note of this tune is burned into my memory, as I realize I may have to wait a year or two. (...deep sigh) until I get to see the greatest band one the face of the planet, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.

I saw Tom flip his pick to the front center section - and while they were taking their bows, I watched Howie flip his as well. Some schmuck could be selling them on eBay for the price of their tickets! I hope that they went to some deserving fans.

Once we'd been herded past the gates like cattle, we were directed to a different route than the one we'd taken from my car. Somehow in all the excitement, we'd neglected to take notice of the # of the lot where we'd parked! We wandered around the circle of lots for 45 minutes. The more we roamed the more we seemed lost. Meeting other lost souls in the same predicament made me feel a little less foolish. I was drawing a map for Kathleen in the dirt and 3 guys in the waiting traffic (?) asked if we need some help. A blonde in a waiting in her jeep says, "Awww, Did you lose your car?" She flagged down a guy in uniform riding through on a bike by saying, "Ask the Rent-A-Guy!" OMG! The guy screeched to a halt and went right over to her window to ask "What did you call me? A rent a guy?" (She apologized for her blondeness, and we all had a good laugh.) The bike guy came to help me. His first question was, "What lot did you park in?" (I thought, "Hello? What's under the helmet there, buddy?" If I knew this simple answer, would I be here? ) But, I'm the idiot who didn't know where she'd parked, so I politely told him that I didn't even bother to take notice, and that I've always parked on the south side of the venue. He determined that I was probably in one of two lots based on my arrival time. Thanks Bike Guy, whever you are. We headed in the right direction, and found the car in a few minutes. My dear friend kissed it, and we got settled in. I'd been parked next to a light pole - and when I backed out, I turned smack into the 2 foot high cement footing at the bottom of the post. I couldn't see it from where I sat. *Ouch* Gouged a chunk of paint from my right back quarter panel, down to bare metal. Kathleen tells me I'll have a reminder from tonight. To hell with that, I say. I'm getting this repaired right away before it rusts! Besides, I'd never forget tonight.

Next time, front row center. It's the only way I could top this one!

Tom Petty Delivers Hits Despite Heat
By TIMOTHY FINN
The Kansas City Star

Neither performer had a new record to promote, but both have big stockpiles of old, popular songs to perform, so Wednesday night figured to be a long evening of nostalgia. Things didn't exactly work out that way.

Maybe it was the heat: Jackson Browne is from southern California and Tom Petty is from Florida, but both had something to say about our crippling Midwestern humidity, which remained oppressive long into the night. Browne, who performed half of his one-hour set staring into a glaring sunset, fought the heat by shedding his sandals and socks.

After a surprising introduction by Petty -- whose scruffy beard and cowboy hat made him almost unrecognizable -- Browne opened with one of his bigger hits but lesser tunes, "On the Boulevard," an odd choice considering some of the better, more enduring songs he wrote early in his career.

He'll be 53 in October, but Browne still has the lanky frame of a young man and a voice as thick and supple as his hair, which he still wears in a Bobby Sherman/Davey Jones mop.

The rest of his set was a mishmash of his good stuff, like "Fountain of Sorrow" and "The Pretender," and some of his more innocuous tunes, like "World in Motion" and a melodic but generic thing called "Barricades of Heaven." After that one, the crowd actually got riled up over a ditty like "Somebody's Baby," but he and his four-piece band salvaged the rest of the set with straight, clean versions of two of his best-known songs: "Runnin' On Empty" and "Doctor My Eyes," a tune he wrote when he was but 23 years old and at the top of his game.

After a 30-minute break, Petty and his Heartbreakers came out and reaffirmed their status as one of the world's tightest rock bands.

On a stage set with a large, satin curtain behind them and five chandeliers glowing above them, they opened their two-hour-plus set with three tunes pulled from various part's of Petty's career: hard, brisk versions of "Runnin' Down A Dream" and "I Won't Back Down," which ignited the boisterous crowd right off the bat; and a version of "Breakdown" that would foreshadow things to come.

Petty has never been shy about letting his mates, especially lead guitarist Mike Campbell, show off their repertoire of licks and riffs. But on this night, the Heartbreakers suffered a few Widespread Panic attacks, starting with "Breakdown," which dissolved into a meandering jam before petering out into its ragged, murky resolution. After that came "I Went Down Hard Like Billy the Kid," a listless tune from the "Echo" album that dampened the mood a bit.

Great renditions of "Here Comes My Girl" and "Even the Losers" got the crowed riled again, but the sprawling 10-minute version of "It's Good To Be King," which included a monster dueling-guitar jamboree at the end, only gave people an excuse to head the bathrooms or beer lines.

The rest of the set list was just as uneven -- a mix of instant favorites, like "Refugee" and "Don't Come Around Here No More," and much less interesting stuff like "Best of Everything" and an old surf-guitar instrumental called "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" that felt out of place.

For a guy who can write such tight, melodic rock tunes, Petty was on a different schedule this evening. Ninety minutes into his set, he and his band had performed only 12 songs -- an average of well over 7 minutes a tune, which is getting into Grateful Dead/Dave Matthews territory.

They'd do nearly 20 songs by the end of the night, and Petty saved some of the best for last. "Learning to Fly" sounded fresh; so did "Into the Great Wide Open." Those tunes nicely set up two encores: a lean, hearty version of "Free Fallin' " that prompted the most raucous sing-along of the evening; and a romping cover of Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Woman 12 & 35."

The crowd seemed to appreciate that one especially. Maybe that's because unlike several other songs they heard this evening, that was an old one with some history behind it. There's nothing wrong with revisiting the past, but it's hard to get nostalgic about something you never longed for in the first place.

Detroit Review
By CARMEN HINOJOSA (FAN!)

Well the stars were out on July 12,2001. We all had a "Room at the top of the hill"at DTE Music Theatre. Tom Petty toured Michigan again this summer, and it was magical!

Beginning with his set, the stage was draped with deep colored curtains,hanging from the top of the pavillion were chandeliers,where as last summer he had large incense burners hanging from the pavillion.

This set the mood for a wonderful evening of music. As the evening played on, he had a screen with an aray of colors reminiscent of the 70's which gave the show a "Retro Feel"! Tom Petty opened with "Running Down A Dream" which had the place dancing in their seats. This summer Tom chose to extend his songs and that added to the intensity of his show. Tom's diversity in music was brought forth when he broke into a awsome rendition of "Rainy Day Women". As the evening started to wind down, so did the music. Tom played "Free Falling" {one of my husbands favorite} with such pleasant calmness that it was almost as if it was meant to be played that way! Finally, one of the many highpoints in the show was the encore song, "American Girl". "WOW"!!!! what a pivotal moment in the show! Tom showed that he could still play that song with such emotion and intensity! "Americn Girl" was such a surprise tune to hear live, he really brought the house down!!!! Well the nite was over and done with, but in my soul and heart, I knew that I walked away with such a great feeling from the show, that "COMING DOWN WAS THE HARDEST PART"

Tom Petty Mixes Mellow Instrumentals
With Rock 'N' Roll
By PETER COOPER

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers opened up at full-throttle Sunday night at AmSouth Amphitheatre, with Mike Campbell's blistering guitar introduction to Runnin' Down A Dream signaling the start of what many in the packed audience hoped would be an evening of hard-nosed, hooky rock 'n' roll.

And it was, and then again it wasn't.

The Heartbreakers' gift to the world is found in the signature jangle, thump and swagger of Even the Losers, Refugee, You Wreck Me and American Girl, all of which the band slam-dunked in concert. Nowhere in America Sunday night did a band reel off great rock songs with more conviction than did Petty and his crew at AmSouth.

Benmont Tench offered organic, soulful keyboard work with occasional wailing Hammond organ solos, bass man Howie Epstein (he's changed his look from ''regular guy'' to ''sinister gargoyle'' since his last time through town) sang invaluable harmonies, drummer Steve Ferrone played impeccably, and multi-instrumentalist Scott Thurston worked well with Petty and with opening act Jackson Browne. Guitarist Mike Campbell was the main weapon in Petty's arsenal, putting on a clinic in tone and phrasing and melding Petty's melodies with leads that ranged from chiming and Byrds-ish to twanging and Stones-y.

And Petty … well, Petty was more stoner than Stones-y, more mellow uncle than fire-bellied rocker. Therein lay the problem: The front man paced the show more for distance than for speed, neglecting hell-raisers like Listen To Her Heart, The Waiting, Love Is A Long Road and The Same Old You in favor of elongated, fatuous instrumental noodle-jamming on It's Good To Be King, the senseless mood-killer cover of Little Red Rooster (the Rolling Stones did it better in 1969) and the simple-minded encore of Bob Dylan's Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (the ''everybody must get stoned'' song). There was nothing from the phenomenal Long After Dark album, no Don't Do Me Like That and no You Got Lucky.

Whether borrowing from the Dylan catalogue, inviting the crowd to ''smoke one'' during Campbell's run through Guitar Boogie Shuffle or leading the sing-along of his own You Don't Know How It Feels, the concert's point was often (to quote Petty): ''Let's roll another joint.'' Top-flight thrillers were followed by focus-free meanderings. He always came back to rock 'n' roll, but why not just stay there instead of wandering off in the first place?

On the upside, Petty delivered a luminous, acoustic-based take on Learning To Fly, strutted through I Won't Back Down and closed with a propulsive American Girl.

Jackson Browne got the night off to a good start, breaking no new ground but offering effectively melancholy replications of hits, including The Pretender, Doctor My Eyes and Running On Empty. More so than any non-Beach Boy, his still-potent voice sounds like the sort of smog-free California summer that exists only in idealized memory.

Nothing Petty On This Site
If You're A Fan Of Tom's
Reviewed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tom Petty's Heartbreaking Walk Down Memory Lane
By Ed Masley, Post-Gazette Pop Music Critic

Quite possibly the most consistently inspired American hit machine to rock 'n' roll the radio these past few decades, Tom Petty arrived at the Post-Gazette Pavilion last night two years down the road from "Echo," the Heartbreaker's latest collection.

And while the crowd of 18,606 was treated to an organ-soaked "Billy the Kid," Petty wasn't promoting an album so much as a lifestyle. He and the boys in the band approached the show like rock 'n' roll students, disciples and cheerleaders, taking a break from their own amazing catalog to honor a few of the songs that made them what they are today, from Booker T's "Green Onions" to a gritty take on Howlin' Wolf's "Little Red Rooster" and on to an encore of "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" by Petty's most obvious hero, Bob Dylan.

And amazingly, they showed the same enthusiasm playing "Refugee" for what was probably the seven millionth time, as though the steady gigging hadn't gotten any more like work since back when Petty, as he told the crowd, convinced his guitar-playing sidekick Mike Campbell to drop out of school for the sake of the band.

No, it's not the Sonics or even the Troggs, but the Heartbreakers rocked, with Steve Ferrone mining a groove on the drums that dared you not to shake it during "Mary Jane's Last Dance," and thrashing away at the kit on "Too Much Ain't Enough" with a force and abandon that made it hard to miss departed drummer Stan Lynch.

Benmont Tench proved every bit as indispensible as ever, surrounded by organ, piano and keys. But Petty's none-too-secret weapon in the band has always been and always will be Campbell.

Fueled by Campbell squeezing out the first of maybe 20 awe-inspiring solos in a style that's always focused more emotional content than number of notes, they opened the show with "Runnin' Down A Dream," a song that's always better live than on the record.

And from that point out, the night was living, breathing, sweating testament to Petty's enduring appeal as a hitmaker, stretching from "Breakdown" to "It's Good To Be King." For all the passion Petty showed on newer tunes, he seemed as thrilled as anyone to be reclaiming two lost classics in "Even the Losers' and "Here Comes My Girl" (with some excellent Petty narration).

An exceedingly gracious Jackson Browne proved an excellent choice of openers on Petty's part, getting the crowd in the mood with a loud but gently rocking set that, as brief as it was, included such radio favorites as "Somebody's Baby" and "Boulevard." "The Pretender" was great, as was a slinky, soulful "World In Motion."

Freewheeling Petty, Cohorts Prove They've Still Got It
By Dean Johnson - Boston Herald

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers celebrated a belated 4th of July last night by lighting up the Tweeter Center like a s tring of Roman candles. The veteran band's two hour show for a full house was everything a good rock concert should be.

There were great songs with huge hooks, a few surprises, and plenty of gritty, noisy guitar solos. And it was all tied together with just the right amount of cocky swagger. A quarter of a century down the road, Petty and his gang just might be as good - and relevant - as ever.

Some of the names have changed over the years. Steve Ferrone is on drums now, and Scott Thurston has joined on as a multi-instrumentalist. But the core of Petty (looking neo-Biblical these days in a full beard), guitarist Mike Campbell, bassist Howie Epstein, and keyboardist Benmont Tench are still on board, and together the sextet romped and stomped through a 22-song set.

With no new product to promote, the band was free to play whatever it wanted, and rarely has nothing new to say sounded so good. Along with hits like the opening ``Runnin' Down a Dream,'' ``Don't Come Around Here No More'' and ``Breakdown,'' the band launched into spine-snapping versions of ``Refugee,'' ``Even the Losers,'' and ``Too Much Ain't Enough.''

An intentionally trashy ``Dirty Water'' was tossed into the mix, along with ``Green Onions'' and Dylan's ``Rainy Day Woman 12 & 35.''

Faithful versions of most tunes, including ``It's Good to Be King,'' ``Billy the Kid,'' and ``Here Comes My Girl'' were juiced up with delicious fills and extended guitar runs. Five ballroom chandeliers (hiding enclosed spotlights) and a rear multi-imaged scrim - equal parts Disney and Monty Python - added a visual kick to the sweaty concert.

Jackson Browne opened the show with a well-received set of smart songs such as ``The Pretender'' and ``Somebody's Baby'' performed in a mostly joyless fashion. The dour Browne finally loosened up at the end, with help from his backing quartet and a guesting Thurston, when he threw down rollicking versions of ``Runnin' on Empty'' and ``Doctor My Eyes.''

Petty Keeps Rowdy Crowd On Its Feet
By NICK CARTER of the Journal Sentinel staff

The setting was a stage before about 23,000 people at the Marcus Amphitheater. But rocker Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers made the sold-out show feel like a rousing roadhouse bar gig with a set representing a generous slice of mainstream pop-rock radio of the last 20 years.

With no new album to hawk, Petty stuck with the same format as his last visit to the amphitheater a couple of summers back: a greatest-hits revue that covered nearly all the charting singles.

He opened strong and rollicking with "Runnin' Down a Dream," followed by "I Won't Back Down," with the crowd on its feet and drowning out Petty on the lyrics. Only by the third song, "Breakdown," did the audience's energy simmer down a bit, although many fans remained standing throughout the show.

Petty takes a solid and reasoned approach to the questionable idea of a greatest-hits concert. Unlike Prince's hit parade on Summerfest's opening night, in which he played only snippets of his hits, Petty delivered the old gold in full-length takes, sometimes even pushing familiar hits into extended-jam terrain.

In fact, the most notable difference between this show and the last one had nothing to do with Petty's sound but with his look: Sporting a full Grizzly Adams golden beard, Petty's appearance and onstage demeanor was radically different: no longer boyish but representative of the classic-rock veteran he is (though he's still young at heart; he married a 37-year-old woman named Dana York on June 3 in Las Vegas).

After those well-known opening hits, Petty went into the folksy and slightly obscure ballad "Billy the Kid" before resuming a more upbeat pace with "Mary Jane's Last Dance."

Also familiar to Milwaukee fans were Petty's Heartbreakers, featuring guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench and Milwaukee native Howie Epstein on bass.

The set's few surprises included "Here Comes My Girl" and "Even the Losers," neither standard live material for Petty in recent years.

The band busted out on "It's Good to be King," with Petty trading lengthy solos with Campbell before letting Tench improvise atop a few verses with some cello-sampled keyboard runs.

During an acoustic portion of the show, Petty led the crowd through a mass singalong rendition of "You Don't Know How It Feels." Then came the biggest surprise: a spirited take of "Green Onions" by Booker T. and the MG's, followed by an extended version of Petty's psychedelic pop hit, "Don't Come Around Here No More."

Petty veered back to unplugged mode on "Learning to Fly" before the band re-emerged for "Into the Great Wide Open." "Refugee" also came during the later part of the regular set; deadline prevented a review of the encore.

Opening the show was Jackson Browne, the '70s California singer-songwriter-rocker who, along with the Eagles and other practitioners of the "California sound," helped create the blueprint for the rootsy pop-rock that's considered "country" nowadays. Browne's 45-minute set found him solemnly strumming through all the staples of his catalog - "Running on Empty" and "The Pretender" included - before closing with "Doctor My Eyes."

Tom Petty At Nisson - He Won't Back Down
By Richard Harrington Washington Post Staff Writer

Tom Petty's gray-white beard may be giving him a slightly weathered look these days, but his Saturday show at Nissan Pavilion emphasized undiminished energy and vitality.

This was a no-glitz, just-hits performance under a quintet of ballroom chandeliers and before a stained-glass cathedral backdrop that changed hues over the course of the concert, not unlike a mood ring. Petty and the Heartbreakers -- celebrating 25 years, mostly together -- opened with the hard-driving, propulsive "Runnin' Down a Dream," the insistently defiant "I Won't Back Down" and a sinewy "Breakdown" in which Petty "whooed" the crowd, which whoo-whooed him right back.

That tendentious trio of songs established the night's agenda: With no new album to promote, Petty and his chief cohorts, guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboardist Benmont Tench, served up proven standards and just a single nod to musical influences, a vamping cover of Booker T and the MG's "Green Onions." The recent past was addressed on the Dylanesque swagger of "Billy the Kid," but there was also a dip into the Heartbreakers song bag for seldom-played favorites, in this case, the triumphant "Here Comes My Girl" and caustic "Even the Losers," both from 1979.

Petty paced the show smartly, tossing in acoustic-tinged favorites such as "Into the Great Wide Open" and "Learning to Fly" with the Eastern-flavored kiss-off "Don't Come Around Here No More" (with Campbell conjuring sitar sounds from his guitar to weave into Tench's cellolike keyboard figures). Also strong was the melancholy irony of "It's Good to Be King," given an expansive reading that spurred strong guitar solos from Petty and Campbell.

Sometimes, however, the Heartbreakers lapsed into meandering jam-band noodling, as on "You Don't Know How It Feels" and "Too Much Ain't Enough." The latter part of the show revisited the hard-rocking energy of its kickoff, with urgent renditions of "Refugee" and "You Wreck Me." As for the crowd, an evening of enthusiastic singalongs was rewarded with full-throated encores of "Free Fallin'" and the charming Byrdsian jangle of Petty's breakthrough song, "American Girl."

Since daylight can be as destructive to ballads and sensitive lyrics as it is to vampires, opener Jackson Browne wisely emphasized his more upbeat, rocking tunes. Browne's short, taut set opened with "Boulevard" and, aside from the elegiac "Fountain of Sorrow," favored such energetic character explorations as "The Pretender," a breezy "Somebody's Baby" and such '70s SoCal standards as "Doctor My Eyes" and "Running on Empty," something the eternally youthful Browne seems in no danger of doing anytime soon.