Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Live at the Fillmore (1997)

by Kevin Wierzbicki

Here's a nice treat for fans of the late rocker as the 2-CD set Live at the Fillmore (1997) presents many hits along with a host of cover versions of famous songs that influenced Petty. The set list here is culled from the band's 20-date 1997 residence at the Fillmore in San Francisco, and while Petty often began his shows with "American Girl" here he opens with a cover of Chuck Berry's "Around and Around" before rocking into his own "Jammin' Me." Speaking to the crowd for the first time Petty explains that they're going to do some favorite covers before launching into Little Richard's "Lucille" which the Heartbreakers add some twang to and following that up with the also twangy JJ Cale shuffle "Call Me the Breeze." Other original hits represented on CD-1 include "You Don't Know How it Feels," the aforementioned "American Girl" and "Runnin' Down a Dream" while covers include takes on cuts by the Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry again, Bill Withers and the Kinks. The new at the time blues rocker "The Date I Had with That Ugly Old Homecoming Queen" is also found on CD-1. CD-2 has hits "Mary Jane's Last Dance," "You Wreck Me" and "Free Fallin'" but mostly it is a showcase for favorite covers including "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Louie Louie," "Gloria," "Eight Miles High," "Shakin' All Over," "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillen" where Hooker guests. This live release, the first from the Heartbreakers in 13-years, is also available as a 4-CD box set and with that fans will get many more hits and covers, including multiple songs originally done by the Byrds featuring big Petty influence, Byrds front man Roger McGuinn. No matter what version of Live at the Fillmore (1997) you choose you'll be hearing these phenomenal performers rocking their own catalog and paying homage to the greats who came before them. Order various versions here (ad).

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