Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers 40th Anniversary Tour; Boston, MA
Now for someone who has been to fourteen concerts in the course of the past six years, seeing legends like Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and more, as well as seeing Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers in 2014, and Mudcrutch in 2016, the butterflies seize to go away. There's no better adrenaline rush than running across a busy city with all of the money you've made off of your summer job in hopes that the ticket booth has some floor seating in your price range. The relief after finally holding those tickets in your hand and safety that comes from finding your seats only fourteen rows away from one of the worlds biggest names; it never get's old- for me at least.
Below you'll find my review on the two nights that I lost all self control, all of my money, and a bit of my nervous system and ear drums to see Tom Petty and The Heartbreaker's back to back.
Concert Review;
It was as if the heavens opened up and the lord himself sat still to listen in on what was going on at the TD Garden in Boston, MA
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| Tom Petty and Mike Campbell TD Garden Click here for the original source. |
The night kicked off by Boston's own Peter Wolf who performed with the incredible Midnight Travelers. Starting the night at 7:00 and playing for a full hour and a half, from classic hits from Wolf's former band, the J. Geil's Band, with songs like "Give it to Me", "Cry One More Time", and of course reviving the 1975 hit, recorded at the TD Garden, "Must of got Lost". Never missing a note with his animated dance moves and high energy, Wolf and the Midnight Travelers crooned through other hand raising songs like "Growin' Pain", "Wastin' Time", "Lights Out", and more. Within the hour and a half performance Wolf managed to fit in thirteen tracks each one better than the next. While Peter Wolf and the Midnight Travelers were on stage, I had forgotten I came here to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I highly recommend if you're in the area, purchase tickets to his next tour. Click here for Peter Wolf's upcoming tour dates and here for a little Peter Wolf review I wrote (March 2018).
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| Tom Petty TD Garden Source; Live Nation |
After seeing Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers before and experienced the greatest night of my life back in 2014 when they played Fenway Park, I never thought that another concert could top that experience, but then 20 July 2017 ( and again the next night) my thoughts were challenged as TPATH celebrated with their 40th Anniversary tour, illuminating the venue with their God-like presence.
With the soft harmonics and harmonies provided by the easily loveable Webb Sister's, whom joined the boys on tour. To the steady hands, strokes and harmonic pitches of the multi-instrumentalist Scott Thurston. Strong bass vibes of the reserved yet mighty Ron Blair The jungle pounding, heart stopping beats delivered by the "New guy" Steve Ferrone. Chilling and hair raising vibrations of the varying amount of keys set in front of the blessed hands of Benmont Tench. Shrill, flawless guitar licks and riffs while staying calm, cool and collected served by the swoon worthy Mike Campbell. All tied together with the electric force of the man himself with his distinctive sound, Tom Petty as the group kicked off with "Rockin' Around (With You)" from their first album released in 1976, playing a full set for a solid two-hours, having the audience beg for more!
The air conditioning unit had no match compared to the hundreds of bodies jumping around, head bashing, and waving the "I Love You" and "Rock On" signs with their hands, as the body heat warmed the crowd and the smell of marijuana engulfed the venue - most notable present during the second and third songs, "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and "You Don't Know How It Feels".
The night went on with a seventeen track set-list not including the two encores songs.
- Rockin' Around (With You)
- Mary Jane's Last Dance
- You Don't Know How It Feels (Tom Petty solo)
- Forgotten Man
You Got Lucky
Lauren (Left) and I (Right) - I Won't Back Down (Tom Petty solo)
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Free Fallin' (Tom Petty solo)
- Walls
- Don't Come Around Here No More
- It's Good to Be King (Tom Petty solo)
- Crawling Back to You (Tom Petty solo)
- Wildflowers (Tom Petty solo)
- Learning to Fly
- Yer So Bad (Tom Petty solo)
I Should Have Known It
- Refugee
- Runnin' Down a Dream (Tom Petty solo)
- You Wreck Me (Tom Petty solo)
- American Girl
***** On the second night TPATH replaced "You Got Lucky" with "Into The Great Wide Open" and "Walls" with "Swingin'".
It's hard to find The Heartbreakers out of tune and Tom Petty annoyed with being in front of an adoring audience, which makes every single TPATH concert amazing, but with Boston the feel is always different. Forty years ago, when it all started Boston was one of the first cities that started spinning their records. Boston was one of the top ten concerts that they played. Boston was only an hour away from where Benmont Tench went to school (In Exeter, New Hampshire). Benmont Tench even mentioned in a Boston Globe post interviewed and written by Lauren Daley with;
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| Benmont Tench TD Garden Source; Music Savage |
" Whether we play Fenway or Great Woods or the Garden, Boston is a big deal. Boston is always a big deal. You guys share our musical DNA. So Boston really feels like a home city. You guys listened from day one. It means a lot. "
