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Ben,
What song was playing when you were smoking and got kicked out? If it was later in the show, I'd like to get to know you better.
That was some righteous skunk!!
I'm sure Petty appreciated your efforts.
I got kicked out for smoking weed. Got a free ticket though so wasn't too mad, also wasn't too mad cuz I was high as balls.
I think Thurston is great at what he does (which is just about everything) but the backing vocals on "Don't Come Around Here No More" and "Free Fall'in" could have used a little more heat which Howie provided.
I don't know what's so incendiary about trying to elicit a nuanced conversation about the fact that there were a few black people letting in a sea of white people into the Sprint Center. Did that happen and is that just a little bit interesting? Yes. Does it matter and should anyone feel guilty about it? No.
But no, let's just call each other racists and reverse racists on and on and on.
Good review. I was also in attendance. Such a good show. Positive atmosphere.
Anonymous beat me to the Ron Blair thing.
While I agree that Howie was better at backup, I really dug the job Scott Thurston, Blair and Benmont did. If you have ever heard Scott sing Roy Orbison's part on The Traveling Wilbury's song 'Handle With Care', you would know this man has some skills. Nothing was lacking in this department last night IMHO.
It is sad that not many African American people are into Rock and Roll these days (so it seems). After all, they invented the damn thing!
I believe the first paragraph was written to elicit inflamatory and divisive responses. This response intends to placate the reviewer, Mr. Hudnall and cover points not yet written by previous respondents:
*Non-white folks weren't there because Petty & the Truckers are racisist.
*The NAACP is in town and these guys must be exposed.
*Petty's drummer (who is black) must obviously be an uncle Tom.
*Non-white folks hate Tom Petty & the Truckers because they're southerners and probably in the KKK.
*Dave you forgot to mention that most of the scalpers who are non-white were also not in attendence.
*People who attend these concerts are guilty of racism. If they claim not to be racists they are guilty by association. Or they are members of the media simply reporting on important news like concert demographics.
*There is possibly a secret kabal of Petty loyalists who simply won't sell Petty tickets to Non-white folks and his multitudes of Non-white fans.
*Prior to the release of the song "Don't Come around here no more" Non-white folks were a prominent demographic at Petty concerts. However, said song is has obvious subliminal undertones - or was that "Born to Rebel".
*Petty used to be huge on the non-white radio stations until aforementioned songs were released.
Dave, the statement "Speaking as a white person, it was hard not to feel a little bit racist just by virtue of being in the building." is puzzling to me but I hope it got the resposes you were looking for.
Yes race relations have a long strained history in the south as they do from LA to KC to Chicago to Detroit to NYC (geographically speaking, northern or western cities). Next time the the Strokes or White Stripes or Van Halen are in town please update us on the crowd demo and tie it back to the Watts or Detroit riots or the zoot suit riots etc etc.
I suggest you avoid southern rock concerts and country shows to avoid feeling like a racist.
Other than that, I enjoyed your review.
Scott - great pictures
When Wildflowers came out I was in high school, and TP&HB did Saturday Night Live. You Don't Know How it Feels and Honey Bee were the two songs. I VHS'd it and watched Honey Bee until the tape broke.
And look at me now, man. LOOK AT ME NOW KEEPIN IT REAL & LOWDOWN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
I would like to personally thank the party in FLR1 row 10 seats 1-2, and the family in FLR1 row 11 seats 1-3. You guys are all class acts and I really appreciated your company and behaviour last night.
I would like to tell the foul-mouthed diminutive bimbo in FLR1 row 11 seat 5 that you are too short and fat to sit on the floor at the Sprint center. You have unrealistic expectations of the mental capacity of Sprint center security staff or what they can do for you. I sincerely hope I never cross paths with you again, and I am so disappointed that I did not get the chance to tell you personally what a miserable little bitch you really are. C'mon...you were in seat 5 and exited across the entire section to the opposite side after the show?....
I would like to tell the lady in FLR1 row 10 seat 5 that you should purchase two seats for such events in the future. Had last night's show been an airline flight, you would have been left on the tarmac for only purchasing a single seat. I'm also concerned for your health in this heat.
I would like to tell the jarhead wannabe Sprint security staffers which roamed FLR1 outer aisle to take some remedial courses in physics, geometry, and basic human relations. You should also invest in some mouthwash or breathmints if you intend to invade others' personal space declaring "don't put your hands on me". You're nothing but of bunch of mush-brain pussies.
And I agree: the first paragraph of this review is pointless race-baiting. If I wanted to feel racially benevolent, I would have walked four blocks west and purchased one of the savvy crack whores in town for the NAACP conference.
On the Bass Player/Harmony Vocal stuff: Howie Epstien did pass away and was replaced by Ron Blair - The Original HB bass player. However, the high harmony backing vocal stuff has been covered by Scott Thurston since Howie died.
Hi asdf,
To answer your question, I don't feel racist at salad bars, although I am unsure why anybody would feel racist at a salad bar. And in response to your earlier post, I have no problem with "white folks digging Petty." I am a white person who digs Tom Petty.
I was sent to review a show. When you review a show, you mention the crowd. The thing that struck me most about the crowd was that it was almost 100 percent comprised of white people. Since it is currently the year 2010, I noted that in the review.
Leading the review with that observation was maybe a bit misleading, because the music and the bands are the real story. But it provided a smooth transition into introducing the Drive By Truckers, and so that's how I wrote it.
Noted re: Ron Blair, thank you.
Whitey: eh, fuck off.
That has to be the dumbest 1st paragraph in the history of the written word. Also, you didn't go to see a 'southern rock' show, you went to a Rock show, moron. Southern rock was a genre that died several decades ago.
People pay you to be this clueless?
The "new guy" on bass is actually Ron Blair, the ORIGINAL Heartbreakers' bassist who returned to the band after Howie Epstein's death. But yes, Howie was a better singer.
He should put his jist in the piece. The fact that it feels racist to be in a place where there's lots of white people is completely absurd. How does he feel at salad bars?
"They can afford arena shows is what his jist is."
Ok, but what does this have to do with Tom Petty? Save that crap for your blog that no one reads!
WTF does the race of the audience have to do with the show? David Hudnall, you are a moron for starting your article this way.
I don't think it was that off actually. Everytime I see party pics of Sprint rock shows (via the Star) the crowd looks mostly white. They can afford arena shows is what his jist is.
Good call, Abe. I'm no teabagger but it is silly to act like there is something wrong in white people enjoying particular genres of music. There's nothing wrong with black folks turning up to see Frankie Beverly, and there's nothing wrong with white folks digging Petty.
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