Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers at the o2, Dublin
Review: Claire Kane
Photos: Aled Owen-Thomas
The last time Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers played in Ireland, we were on the brink of an economic boom, The Republic of Ireland football team were something to be admired and Gay Byrne was firmly rooted to his seat on The Late Late Show. After 20 years they returned to a very different Ireland; the less said about the current situation the better.
The crowd waited patiently for the rock legends to appear on stage, quietly enjoying the subdued sound of support act Jonathan Wilson. When finally Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers walked on to The O2’s stage, the audience erupted with excitement. Murmurs and screams of anticipation filled the room as Petty and his band launched into Listen to My Heart. Petty’s signature gritty lilting voice enthralled the crowd and the band was on top form. Fans of the band will be familiar with Mike Campbell’s guitar mastery and he is just as proficient live as he is on record. It was a fitting entrance for the band with one of their most loved songs.
The night was filled with many of the band’s hits in a three-hour set. Classics such as I won’t back down, Something Big, Kings Highway, and recent number Something Good Coming,from 2010 album, ‘Mojo’ were delivered with perfection and well received by the somewhat stunned crowd. There was an air of disbelief among the audience due to the high quality of the performance, which is understandable as many would not have seen Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers perform live before.
Midway through the set they launched into what is arguably one of their best known songs, Free Fallin’ . Inevitably the crowd was blown away by what can only be described as a phenomenal performance of a phenomenal song. Petty’s quiet voice was almost lost to the audience who sang along in unison. It was clear at this stage that although the band are older now they have not lost their touch, Campbell carried on wailing on his guitar, Ron Blair rocked the bass, drummer Steve Ferrone was exceptional, Scott Thurston and Benton Tench maintained the synth and backing vocals among other instruments; they performed to an astonishing standard.
Another remarkable moment in this brilliant performance was a rendition of Learning to fly. This beautiful song was given a warm welcome by the audience who sang the chorus repeatedly while Tom Petty soaked up the atmosphere. Similarly Yer So Bad was received excitedly by the feminine contingent in the O2. The main set ended with the politically inspired Refugee and the classic rock hit Running Down The Dream. It was the perfect finale to the set and it was as if the entire evening was building up to it. The band finished to an uproarious cheer from the fans, they thanked the crowd and bowed out; the audience waited patiently and many of them chant “American Girl”, clearly unsatisfied with the absence of the song from the set.
A single light lit the stage for a while until the band returned and launched into Mary Jane’s Last Dance; once again the audience was singing along delightedly, but there was still something missing. Again, the polite Petty thanked the crowd and expressed his joy at performing in Dublin before playing American Girl, the band’s never-fail feel good song. The Audience was thrilled with the closing song and many danced erratically, caught up in the song. The ineffable Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers certainly lived up to the hype after a 20 year wait. The audience was more varied than most gigs with an age range of about seven to seventy. Young children were astonished by the “Real” rock stairs on stage at their first concert, while older people relieved their youth through the songs. A night that everyone in attendance will fondly remember, even in 20 years time.
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Photo Gallery
Photos: Aled Owen-Thomas
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