Tom Petty covers everyone but himself—and somehow it's his best show.
Taped for a two-part PBS Soundstage, Petty employs the Chicago locale as an entry into the blues and R&B that are at the foundation of rock & roll, and to a lesser extent, his music. This results in a fascinating and exciting show, where the extensive covers are just as interesting as -- and arguably more interesting than -- the few hits he gets around to playing.
Direction
Soundstage keeps it simple—just the band, no nonsense.
Production
Chicago blues club energy in pristine broadcast quality.
Director
Joe Thomas
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This 2003 performance came during Petty's 'problematic commercial period'—he was actively resisting greatest-hits complacency by forcing audiences to sit through deep cuts and blues standards they'd never heard.
The Soundstage series represented PBS's rare attempt at rock credibility, and Petty used the platform to deliver a subtle lecture on rock's Black roots to his predominantly white baby boomer fanbase.
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