Known as "North America's Oldest City," St. John's is located on the rugged and beautiful eastern edge of Newfoundland and was purportedly named for the feast day of John the Baptist, which was the day Italian explorer John Cabot sailed into the harbor in June 1497.
Claimed as England's first overseas colony under Queen Elizabeth I in 1583, St. John's was temporarily captured by the Dutch (1665) and French (1689, 1707), but was re-claimed each time by the British and re-fortified. Brits used St. John's during the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and the US Army Air Corps established an air base here during World War II for pilots flying into Europe.
Though this was their maiden voyage to the island, the Heartbreakers took Newfoundland by storm Saturday night for the first of two performances at the Mile One Centre in St. John's. Undeterred by blustery cold weather and snow flurries earlier in the day, fans packed the arena for an inspiring opening set from the Blind Boys of Alabama, who were a last minute-addition to the bill after Jimmy Cliff was forced to cancel due to a scheduling conflict.
Taking the stage shortly after 9 pm with fans stomping and chanting "Petty!", Tom and the band launched straight-away into a rollicking "Listen to Her Heart" that got the crowd up and moving right off the bat. Ironically, with so many legendary originals to choose fro, it was the band's covers of some of their own musical influences that stood out. "I'm A Man" - the B-side to Bo Diddley's eponymously named first single released in 1955 - re-appeared in the setlist for the first time on this leg, as dark and wicked as ever. "Traveling Light," off J.J. Cale's fantastic 1976 album Troubador, also re-surfaced, this time a little looser with more improvisation.
Night two here in St. John's is just a few hours away, and then it's off to Ireland! Stay tuned for more photos and videos from Canada and the last leg in the U.S.!
SET LIST
Listen to Her Heart
You Wreck Me
I Won't Back Down
Here Comes My Girl
Handle with Care
Lover's Touch
I'm A Man
Something Big
Saving Grace
Free Fallin'
Traveling Light
Something Good Coming
Learning to Fly
Yer So Bad
I Shoulda Known It
Good Enough
Refugee
Runnin' Down A Dream
ENCORE:
Mary Jane
American Girl