When a frequent concert goer, like myself, gets asked to pick his all time favorite concert, it’s difficult to choose one. Do I pick my first rock concert? The latest one? Do I pick one that is infamous? Each and every show (hopefully) holds something special. My favorites are always the acts that I am most familiar with. A concert full of songs I already know just becomes a big love-fest-sing-along that is hard to beat. However, in February 1997, I witnessed something special at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. After that night THIS concert became my go-to answer to that age old question.
Residency
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers surprised everyone when they announced a RESIDENCY at the Fillmore. A residency? What the heck does this mean? Tom Petty and the HBs were a band that I always wanted to see but never had the chance. I remember the absolute craziness of buying these tickets. The place only holds 1000 people. Tom Petty is used to playing to 16,000 per night. Suffice to say, these were some hot tickets. I felt lucky to snag two of them. I regret, to this day, that I did not grab tickets for another night. If I remember right, we did not know exactly how many shows they would play during this residency so as the announced shows sold out, additional dates were added. It ended up being a 20 night stay! The tickets were pricey too and being a family man with young kids, I probably didn’t want to spend the money. So short sighted.
The anticipation for this show was unbearable. I could not wrap my head around a band doing THIS! What a gift for their fans! What I realized later, after studying up on this residency, is that the band members were the ones who felt like the experience was a gift. Mike Campbell, the talented Heartbreaker guitarist, called the shows “some of my favorite gigs ever”. Tom, himself, claimed that the band never sounded better than during those shows.
The Personable Tom Petty
When the night finally came, my friend David and I were giddy with excitement. The concert itself was a romp through Tom Petty hits and some unbelievable cover songs. Being the first time I have seen the band, I was not prepared for the downhome humbleness displayed by Petty. His chatter in between the songs was relatable and humorous. The cover songs were meaningful and appropriate. Also the band, The Heartbreakers, were as tight as any band I’ve ever seen. Tom Petty is definitely the leader. From our vantage point, (everyone’s vantage point at the Fillmore), we could see Tom directing the band through a very unusual setlist. They were also very, very fun. Mike Campbell is one hell of a guitar player.
Amazing Covers
The surprise of the next song at a concert is always a fun aspect. Will they play that one song that is YOUR favorite? How about when that next song is a cover of “Time Is On My Side” by the Rolling Stones? Or something unexpected like “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue “ by the Ventures? This is the kind of night it was. Surprises around every corner. Speaking of The Ventures, Mike Campbell is a huge surf music fan. So much so that he assembled the rest of the Heartbreakers in 2000 to record under the pseudonym “The Blue Stingrays”. A full album of surf music! Mike killed it during “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue” that night.
Need a Boost?
The Fillmore is primarily an open floor so patrons stand the whole show. I like to say that you can lean against the back wall at the Fillmore and still have a great close up view of the stage. The place is small. This night was no different. The place was packed but not stuffed. Standing next to me was a woman with her 10 year old son. It was a little strange to see a kid at the concert but both he and mom were rocking out. I felt sorry for the little guy because there was no way he could see the stage, being so short and all. I know how he feels since I’m vertically challenged myself. So I did something I never thought I would do. I asked if he would like me to pick him up and hold him so he could see. Mom said it was ok, so I lifted the kid up high enough so he could get a clear view of Tom and the boys. His face lit up as he scanned the whole situation. All I remember is that the kid got heavy pretty quickly and I had to put him down. I wonder if he still remembers the moment like I do.
The Poster(s)
Artist Jim Phillips was the mastermind behind the posters commemorating the unprecedented residency. See his other work featured here. That’s correct! There were not one but four posters created for the 20-concert run at the Fillmore. Each one followed the same theme but with different color palettes and illustrations. These posters are still among the most sought after for collectors.
Afterlife
This run at the Fillmore by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers has had quite an afterlife. At the time, there was a live broadcast on the radio and on the internet of one of the shows. I was able to rip a copy of that soon after it was created and listened to that copy for years and years. I wanted more from the historical run. Next came the VHS tape, “High Grass Dog” – a video of many of the highlights. THAT was awesome! But we had to wait until 2022 for a proper tribute when “Live at the Fillmore 1997” was released on a 4 CD deluxe box set. The collection contains over 70 songs culled from many of the nights. It has all the special guests (John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddly and others) and the deluxe version has a bunch of little extras. This was the final piece of the puzzle for me. Perhaps there is more video from those nights yet to surface. We can only hope. Thank You Tom Petty and RIP.
