I don't normally mark anniversaries around here, of the living or the dead, but two years ago today Tom Petty closed his umbrella for the last time. He was one of the few acts who I always wanted to catch live but for one reason or another the planets never aligned; though looking at his concert archive Petty's appearances on this side of the Atlantic were pretty few and far between. His first gig in England, June 1977, was opening for fellow American Nils Lofgren at Manchester Free Trade Hall. His last, July 2017, saw him headlining London's Hyde Park. A career arc, if ever there was one, bookended by two shows almost exactly 40 years apart.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - I Need to Know (1978)
I was lucky enough to see Petty in 87, 92 and 99 with a pal who's a particularly massive fan. I didn't go to Hyde Park in 2017, but, I'm really pleased to say, my pal made the trip.
ReplyDeleteGlen Campbell was on the same list. As are these three (still living at the time of writing this!): Dion DiMucci, Neil Sedaka and Neil Diamond. Diamond, I know has 'retired' due to poor health.
DeleteMy biggest regret... https://unthoughtofthoughsomehow.blogspot.com/2013/12/roy-orbison.html
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