100 Concerts / Concert #19

Headline Act: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Touring Album: Full Moon Fever

Opening Act: The Replacements

Date: July 5, 1989

Venue: Miami Arena, Miami, FL
Ticket price: $18.75

I had a diploma with a new-car smell, a B.S. in TV & Radio Production.  But I was not qualified for many jobs when I graduated from the University of Florida in the spring of 1989.  Diploma included, the only possession that mattered when I left Gainesville was my audio resumé, a box of cassette tapes with clips from my gig as overnight DJ on Rock 104, WRUF-FM. See my previous entry about The Cars for more on that experience.

WSHE, my first job. I was no Venus Flytrap.

After much persistence, I landed my first post-college job in the summer of '89. Using a stage name, Dave Andrews, I convinced a Program Director to hire me as an overnight DJ (12 to 6am) on South Florida's legendary rock station, WSHE-FM, "She's Only Rock n Roll". Though my two DJ experiences were quite different, one of the common threads was the strong presence of Tom Petty's music. 

Petty and the Heartbreakers' album "Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)" was released in May, 1987, right as I began my college radio career.  I played several cuts off that album over several months, most notably "Jammin' Me" (co-written by Bob Dylan by the way). 

The Traveling Wilburys: Lucky, Otis, Charlie, Nelson, & Lefty

Tom's distinct voice and strong catalog of songs were carving deep grooves in my consciousness. I was beginning to feel like an honorary Heartbreaker, thanks to his host of FM staples: "Refugee", "Don't Do Me Like That", "Stop Dragging My Heart Around", "American Girl", "Breakdown", "Here Comes My Girl", and so many more. Petty's role as the youngest member of the Traveling Wilburys ("Handle With Care") added to his stature. Playing and singing alongside legends like Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne certainly doesn't hurt a man's reputation.

I got a fever! And the only prescription is...

Riding a wave of great momentum, Petty collaborated with Lynne (the genius behind the Electric Light Orchestra) as his producer on "Full Moon Fever".  Petty's first solo record dropped in May, 1989, the same month I graduated college. As I hit the South Florida airwaves, "Free Fallin'" and "Runnin' Down A Dream" were played in heavy rotation.  As a DJ, I enjoyed playing a (very) minor role in the popularity of this album. It was the tipping point that launched Petty into the commercial peak of his career.

I was eagerly anticipating my first Petty show in July, 1989.  A longtime performer with moderate pop success, Petty began the "Strange Behavior" tour as a bona fide member of rock royalty.  He had arrived and he had gotten there the right way. Tom built his legacy through solid songwriting, acerbic lyrics, a bluesy, Dylanesque nasal delivery, a Byrds-inspired affection for catchy hooks, and a take-no-shit attitude.

Look! A record store! I miss them so much.

Even with a string of MTV hit videos ("Don't Come Around Here No More" et al.) Petty's commercial success did not indicate a sell-out of style or credibility. Instead, it was simply the right time and right place that allowed a classic rock-inspired artist to cut through the '80s noise (hair metal and bubble gum) to deliver solid rock songs that would endure.

Opening their tour in Miami, Petty & The 'Breakers delivered an excellent performance. Check out this cool link from "Rolling Stone" which details the days leading up to the launch of the tour. Timing is everything, we were not lucky enough to catch Tom with his guest and musical hero Roger McGuinn (The Byrds) when he joined the band for their second show in Tampa.  But my first Petty show was still quite a memorable experience. 

As a musician and performer, Petty seemed humble and comfortable in his new mantle as one of rock's leading voices. It was Tom, after all, who once sang, "Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes."

Unofficial setlist: I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better, American Girl, Listen To Her Heart, Free Fallin', The Waiting, Breakdown, I Won't Back Down, Don't Come Around Here No More, Even The Losers, Southern Accents, Yer So Bad, You Got Lucky, Rebels, I Need To Know, Refugee, Runnin' Down A Dream, (Encore) Don't Bring Me Down, Jammin' Me, How Many More Days