Tom Petty

London Royal Albert Hall
London
20th June 2012

Stellar Performance at the Albert Hall

by wendavey on 6th March 2013 14:14

Thirteen years have passed since Tom Petty last took to the stage in the UK with the Heartbreakers and that was a brief visit for a one-off show at the Shepherd's Bush Empire. At Wednesday's second Royal Albert Hall show, 61 year old Petty demonstrated exactly why he remains one of the top live draws in the States with a dynamic set of material delivered with a passion and zest more associated with artists a fraction of his age. The songs performed encompassed his whole career, including his spell as one of the Travelling Wilburys, his take on a Fleetwood Mac classic, and a guest appearance from one of the English artists that had originally influenced him.

The songs performed encompassed Petty's whole career and represented the very best of American rock from opener 'Listen To Her Heart' to an ecstatically received set closing 'American Girl' some two hours and ten minutes later. 'Handle With Care, was dedicated to the other Wilburys "wherever they may be travelling" and was notable for Thurston's contribution that eerily channelled Roy Orbison's original vocals. Petty put down his guitar to stalk manically around the stage with maracas during a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'Oh Well', and fun though this undoubtedly was for Petty, he has such a classy back catalogue of his own songs that I may not be alone in saying I would have preferred to hear something like 'Into The Great Wide Open' instead of a cover but that is a minor quibble.

The set closed with a double whammy of 'Refugee' and 'Running Down A Dream' which illicited one of the loudest audience responses I can recall hearing at the Albert Hall. A raucous encore pairing of 'Last Dance With Mary Jane' and 'American Girl' then rounded off the evening in superb fashion. It had been an epic performance from a prodigiously talented group of musicians led by an iconic singer and songwriter. Gigs this good deserve to be savoured and long may it live in my memory. Next time Tom, don't leave it so long and make sure you come back real soon.