The place: AmSouth Amphitheater
Time: 8PM
Date: 8/16/03
This was my third Tom Petty concert. I don’t think it was necessarily a tour connected with an album promotion. “The Last DJ” had been out for quite sometime. Maybe it’s just one of those usual tours.
Bo Diddly opened. He sat in a chair with his guitar which was box shaped. It’s unfortunate that a guitar great like Bo has been reduced to sitting in a chair for his concerts. Health reasons I think.
Bo was joined on stage by part of Tom Petty’s band. Bo explained the reason for his band not being there. Probably something having to do with the blackout in NYC.
Run Down:
1. Bo Diddly
2. I’m a Man
3. You Are The One
4. Rough Rider
5. Bo Diddly
On the last song Bo got up out of his chair and banged on the drums some. Many of the songs were the epic variety which last several minutes. None of them were terribly earth shattering. However it was good to see such a well respected and innovative guitar player on stage.
Tom Petty started his show at about 9:15ish. The stage light setup was shaped like a pumpkin with different rows of lights around it.
A playlist:
1. American Girl
2. You Don’t Know How It Feels
3. Love is a Long Road
4. Free Fallin
5. I Won’t Back Down
6. Last Dance with Mary Jane
7. Last DJ
8. Handle with Care (Traveling Wilburys cover)
9. Can’t Explain
10. Little Red Rooster
11. Belinda (new song)
12. Learning to Fly
13.Can You Help Me Cry
14. Refugee
15. Running Down a Dream
Encore
16. You Wreck Me
17. Baby Please Don’t Go
The best song of the night was Learning to Fly. Nice soft acoustic variety. No drums. Just acoustic guitar. Tom had the crowd sing along with him at the very end. Make you feel like you’re a part of things.
During the first part of the show, right after “I Won’t Back Down,” I began to think that Tom and the Heartbreakers had played all their good songs at the beginning and wouldn’t have any big hits for the end. “Free Fallin” is usually saved for the encore. However this time it was the 4th song.
“Belinda” was described as a new song which they haven’t had time to record yet. I’d expect it in the next album. Nice song. Determined. Nearer toward the end of the song, the piano and guitar got faster and louder which made for a good song.
The song “Handle with Care” was a salute to the Traveling Wilburys, which Tom was a member of. George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan and Jeff Lynne were also part of it. They put out a couple of records then moved on. When introducing the song Tom said it was for all those Wilburys who were still traveling.
“Baby Please Don’t Go” was the last song of the evening. Just like the way he did Gloria a few years ago, he did some dialogue with this song too. Mentioned something about him being a bum who watches Sally Jesse Raphel alot (even though her talk show is canceled).
Scott Thurston played harmonica on “You Don’t Know How It Feels” and sang on “Handle with Care.”
It was a good concert. Not the best Petty show. I wish he had played some more well known songs like “Breakdown” and “Wildflowers.”