Thursday January 31, 2008- 8:21 PM MST
Greetings from Super Bowl XLII in Arizona! Your intrepid reporter is writing to you from the upper level of University of Phoenix Stadium, looking down on Tom and The Heartbreakers' dress rehearsal.
It's been an exciting week for the band here in the greater Phoenix area as they get ready to perform on Sunday to over 75,000 fans in this stadium and one of the largest television audiences in history. Rehearsals had been going strong in LA for a while now but the band arrived in Phoenix on Monday night to begin working on their set.
On Tuesday and Wednesday the band rehearsed in a huge tent built in a parking lot adjacent to the stadium. The special stage Tom and The Heartbreakers will perform on was set up in the tent, and with world-renowned show director Don Mischer calling the shots everything began to come together.
Today's dress rehearsal is the first time the show has been staged on the field in the stadium with all the exciting production elements finally complete. Watching the band finally take the field is exhilarating, and there's no doubt that we're in for an incredible performance from Tom and The Heartbreakers on Sunday night.
Earlier today before the dress rehearsal Tom and The Heartbreakers dropped by the Super Bowl Media Center in downtown Phoenix for their press conference.
The room was packed with journalists and photographers from all over the world and Tom had some fun answers for all of their questions.
When asked if he had any predictions for the game, Tom said that he didn't want to make any predictions and that his main focus was "entertaining the people."
Nonetheless, Tom did joke that listening to his music "never kept anyone from winning" when asked what he thought of Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick's comment this week that he would have Tom's records in heavy rotation in his Super Bowl office.
When a reporter asked if Tom was supporting any presidential candidate this year Tom wondered aloud with his usual good humor and with a smile why anyone would want to take "a guitar player's advice" on such an important matter.
Next a reporter said he knew someone in a Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers cover band and asked what Tom thought of TPHB cover bands. Tom said they're OK with him "as long as they're not better than us."
After the press conference Tom sat down with Kenny Mayne from ESPN for a one on one interview, leaning over the backs of chairs chatting, right in front of one another. It was a great moment watching Tom and one of great stars of SportsCenter kicking it together, talking football and music.
From there Tom proceeded down to the main media room where hundreds of radio stations are broadcasting live all over the world. In the center of the room was a set where the NFL Network is also broadcasting live all week. Tom sat down for an interview with Rich Eisen and football stars Marshall Faulk and Terrell Davis. Before you knew it, in the middle of their conversation live on TV, who dropped by? Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Peyton Manning!
Peyton sat down and immediately told Tom what a huge fan he is and also
rattled off the names of his favorite Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
songs.. When Peyton asked Tom if he would be sticking to the hits on Sunday or trying out some new stuff, Tom deftly pointed out that a stadium full of people is no place to be trying out new stuff.
Check out below for some pictures from this classic interview.
Well, that's about it for now from University of Phoenix Stadium. Rehearsal is continuing on the field below and we can't wait for everyone to see the show on Sunday. It is fantastic.