Tom Petty #9

When: June 17, 2008
Where: Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
Opening Act: Steve Winwood

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers concert #9 was good, if not a little uneven. Below is the setlist, followed by comments:

YOU WRECK ME
MARY JANE
I WON'T BACK DOWN
EVEN THE LOSERS
FREE FALLIN'
CABIN DOWN BELOW
SWEET WILLIAM
END OF THE LINE
CAN'T FIND MY WAY HOME (w/Steve Winwood)
GIMME SOME LOVIN¹ (w/Steve Winwood)
SAVING GRACE
FACE IN THE CROWD
HONEY BEE
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT FEELS
LEARNING TO FLY
DON'T COME AROUND HERE NO MORE
REFUGEE
RUNNIN' DOWN A DREAM
MYSTIC EYES
AMERICAN GIRL

* Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers didn't go on stage until 9:35pm. Tick tock, tick tock.

* The crowd was so energetic and so into it for the first five songs. Probably the most diehard crowd I can remember. There was even chanting. But after those first five songs, it seemed the band - not the crowd - took themselves out of the intensity. They went into lesser known songs, Cabin Down Below and Sweet William, a song only released in Europe. It really deflated the crowd and it took some time to get that level back.

* Seeing Steve Winwood perform Gimme Some Lovin', one of my favorite songs, with the Heartbreakers was a highlight. That and Even the Losers.

* Ya know what makes Benmont Tench so cool: the man wears a suit and tie when he comes on stage. Love ya Benmont.

* Mike Campbell is continuing his transformation into Adam Duritz. Seriously. He has the white-guy dreds and the big beard. His bad taste in fashion is countered only by his incredible guitar mastery.

Looking forward to Newark tomorrow!

Quote of the Day:
"Tell me why you lay there / revel in your abandon" -Tom Petty, "Refugee"