Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers stopped in Madison last night in the middle of their 30th Anniversary tour (they’ve been around 30 years already?). They played an outstanding show here at the Dane County Coliseum.

Because of the busy day I had at work yesterday, and the gloomy weather we’ve been having for the past week or so, I really had to drag myself off to the show. However, when Tom and the band walked out on stage and started playing the opening riffs of “Listen to Her Heart,” I was instantly glad I came. Judging by the crowd’s enthusiastic welcome, I wasn’t the only one.

The band’s set list was exceptional. They played songs throughout their entire 30-year body of work. In fact, they only played two songs from Tom’s newest (and excellent) CD Highway Companion. Another nice touch were the cover songs they played (and there were more than I expected). Tom told us they wanted to play some of the songs that inspired the band when they were starting out. Those covers included Muddy Water’s “Mannish Boy” (played as the Yardbirds did), a scorching version of “Oh Well” by Fleetwood Mac, Chuck Berry’s “Too Much Monkey Business”, and even a cover song in the middle of the encore, “Mystic Eyes” from Them. I also enjoyed Tom’s nod to his fellow Traveling Wilburys when they played “Handle Me With Care.”

The Heartbreaker’s do a great job backing Tom Petty. Several songs led the band into free-form jams, and lead guitar/piano showcases, such as “It’s Good To Be King” and “Refugee.” It was great to see the band let loose a bit and play off of each other. They really seemed to be enjoying themselves during those moments. Mike Campbell (the lead guitarist) deserves special mention for his outstanding solo work during the driving “Running Down A Dream” and the last song of the night, “You Wreck Me.”

There has been some talk that this could be the band’s last “full scale” tour. I’ve seen Tom Petty & the Heartbreaker’s three times now, and while all three were good shows, last night’s concert was definitely the best. If it turns out to be the last time I get to see them perform, it was a great “final show.”

Setlist: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, September 12, 2006, Dane County Coliseum

  • Listen To Her Heart
  • Last Dance with Mary Jane
  • I Won’t Back Down
  • Free Fallin’
  • Saving Grace
  • Mannish Boy
  • Oh Well
  • Handle Me With Care
  • It’s Good To Be King
  • Cabin Down Below
  • Too Much Monkey Business
  • Square One
  • Learning To Fly
  • Don’t Come Around Here No More
  • Refugee
  • American Girl

Encore:

  • Running Down A Dream
  • Mystic Eyes
  • You Wreck Me