Tuesday, July 15, 2008

It's Good To Be King

Friday night I attended the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers show with Steve Winwood at the Verizon Amphitheater in Charlotte. While we missed Steve Winwood, as tailgating beers in the parking lot won out over the $11 tall boys inside, we could still hear the original "purveyor of the High Life" from outside. Since I've never been that big of a fan of Steve's, catching him here and there a few times, but never really making an effort to actually go see him, I wasn't that concerned with missing him...besides, duty called in the parking lot. After downing a couple of cold ones, and squeezing a handful of Red Bulls from the young ladies diving the Red Bull Mini around the lot, we headed on in to catch what was sure to be an awesome show from America's greatest rock band. ...and yes, I just said that. Write it down, take it to the bank.

Sir Thomas and the Breakers, of course, did not disappoint. Do they ever? I've seen Tom a handful of times, and I have certainly never been disappointed...well, at least with the show. Ticket pricing, the crowd, and the length of show are a different story.

I'll start with the ticket pricing. Tom Petty is fairly priced. Actually, I would be inclined to pay a little more than the $29.50 that I paid for my ticket. Hell, I'd go as far as $35, maybe even $40. But, when good ol' Ticketmaster gets involved, and rears it's head, a $30 tickets balloons into the small festival price of $52 and change...for one ticket. Ridiculous if you ask me. The fees amounted to over 75% of the face value of the ticket...I figure I should get 75% more show, or at least a beer or two included in the cost. Not the case. Instead I got:
  • a(n) (in)convenience fee for me bending over so easily
  • a facility charge for the location of the financial molestation and moral degradation of me (and 30,000 others at the sold out TP show)
  • a TicketFast fee, which, luckily, the act and breach of my character and standards of paying an exorbitant amount was all over in just about the relatively short amount of time;(it sure was FAST!)
  • a processing fee for my realization of what had just happened, and the guilt and shame that I will forever live with here on out.


I never thought that I would agree with Eddie Vedder so much...


I have always loved crowds. I like the feeling, the atmosphere, the electricity and the feeling of brotherhood and community that they exude. I went to Bonnaroo and loved it for God's sake. However, as I get older, and (un)fortunately more and more sober at shows (as I am learning that I actually like to remember them now), the crowd seems to get in my way at big shows. I love clubs,small venues and theatres. I like Bonnaroo, but that is a different scenario. For some reason, I felt like the old guy at the club that keeps getting ran over and made fun of for being a "square" when he was trying to enjoy himself out in the crowd. So then I would move over and feel like the nerd on the wall at the dance. I guess I was just the most sober person there, and with the drive back to our friend's afterwards, someone had to be. It felt like a big frat party with all the kids falling all over themselves, and more importantly me. It's no fun, unless it's me doing the falling, dammit.

Ok, the length of the show was two hours. That is great. My only complaint is that Sir Thomas isn't still playing nearly four days later. I could listen to the Heartbreakers all day and all night; all week even. They are the tightest band in the land, hands down. Want to argue? Argue. What'd ya got? Respond below.


Setlist:

You Wreck Me
Listen To Her Heart
I Won't Back Down
Even The Losers
Free Fallin'
Mary Jane's Last Dance
Cabin Down Below
End Of The Line (Traveling Wilburys)
Breakdown (with a "Give It To Me" freestyle verse or two)
Saving Grace (jammed out!)
A Face In The Crowd
Honey Bee
You Don't Know How It Feels
Learning To Fly
Don't Come Around Here No More
Refugee

encore:

Runnin' Down A Dream
Mystic Eyes
American Girl


Tom never disappoints, and I hope he never will. I'm just glad he's out there still doing it, and doing it better than ever. Better than anyone today. Yes, I said it, again. What you got?

Thanks to KC for the "Look arrow" graphic.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Glad you had a good time at the show!

Tom Petty greatest rock band ever though? I got one for ya!

Soundgarden > Tom Petty

Yeah, I said it!