The Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

June 3, 2013

 

--

 

"Hollywood!"

 

Tom Petty stretched out his arms to embrace the avalanche of adoration that cascaded down onstage from the 1,200 fans jam-packed into the Fonda Theatre last night for the opening night of the Heartbreakers' six-night residency at the old Tinsel Town haunt.

 

Monday night's show continued Tom's stated goal for the New York and Los Angeles residencies: to dig into the band's catalog while at the same time playing a few choice covers as a tip of the hat to their heroes. "I Won't Back Down" gave everyone at the Fonda a chance to sing along to something they know, but the real highlight of the first half of the show was "Billy the Kid," a deep track off 1999's Echo. "Tweeter and the Monkey Man" continues to shift every night, growing looser and looser with each playing to allow Mike Campbell a chance to explore some new sonic territory.

 

"I always wanted to come to Hollywood," Tom said after "Angel Dream." "Growing up in north Florida near Gainesville, I loved all the bands from out here like The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield. Hollywood was like a dream for me. Standing out back of the venue tonight, I could feel all the musicians that we love and respect, some of which who are now gone. So we're gonna do this one for one of those folks who's no longer with us. This one goes out to the ghost of Lowell George."

 

With that, Tom and the guys ripped into the Little Feat classic "Willin'," and the entire Fonda erupted in cheers, especially for the chorus:

 

I've been from Tuscon to Tucumcari 

Tehachapi to Tonapah 

Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made 

Driven the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed 

And if you give me: weed, whites, and wine 

And you show me a sign 

I'll be willin', to be movin'

 

Back at the Fonda tonight! Keep checking back for more from the 2013 Summer Tour!

 

Setlist:

 

Rock & Roll Star

Love Is A Long Road

I Won't Back Down

Fooled Again

Cabin Down Below

Good Enough

Steppin' Stone

Woman In Love

Billy the Kid

Tweeter And The Monkey Man

Rebels

Hard To Find A Friend

Angel Dream

Willin'

Melinda

I Should Have Known It

Refugee

Runnin' Down A Dream



E: You Wreck Me

American Girl