When thinking of musical legends, most people think along the lines of Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones or The Beatles. But Friday night another legend from the long list of “greats” came to town: Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers.
Though most fans were beer wielding, concert tee shirt wearing men in their 40’s, the crowd that trickled in through the night became more diverse as people of all ages came to The American Airlines Center on September 26 to see and listen to the 63-year-old legend.
Recipient of the Billboard Century Award, a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Petty’s musicianship is a pinnacle in rock history. His performance was palpable, gifted and honest. It’s refreshing to watch someone like Petty onstage. He reminds you of the roots of it all. His humble presence and love for his fans is genuine and undeniable.
The set was simple and elegant. Petty’s performance wasn’t eccentric or noisy, but he had a spark that made his audience laugh and sing with him. The crew, band and stagehands all worked like a well-oiled machine. Nothing was overdone, flashy or obnoxious. The stage was simple, yet captivated the audience.
The tour was to promote the band’s latest album, Hypnotic Eye (released July 29). They played many songs off the new record. With purchase of a ticket to the event, guests receive a free digital copy of the album. It wasn’t that music off Hypnotic Eye was dull, but it didn’t have the same momentum as his older, and much more well known songs did. The audience seemed more pleased with the classics, but just as entertained with his more recent tracks.
When Petty played well-known hits like “Free Fallin’” and “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”, it was mesmerizing. People were shouting lyrics and laughing at each other’s silly dance moves. Listening to these classics from the early 90’s was a leap back in time. The audience was just overjoyed. Petty and his band brought the entire audience together through their enticing performance and musical abilities.
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers give off an air of greatness when performing, and did a stellar job on putting on a humble, entertaining and gratifying show. Their musicianship, performance style and sheer love for the music made this show one to remember.
