On November 25th, Warner will officially release part of a legendary 20-show run at The Fillmore from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. While parts of this run have circulated (some were even broadcast on FM radio), this will be the first time we've heard anything on the up-and-up. The official press release follows:
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TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS: LIVE AT THE FILLMORE (1997)
OUT NOVEMBER 25
THE LEGENDARY 20-SHOW RUN AT SAN FRANCISCO’S
FILLMORE WILL BE RELEASED IN A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE PETTY ESTATE AND MIKE CAMPBELL
UNIQUE COLLECTION FEATURES COVERS, JAMS,
SPECIAL GUESTS AND DISTINCTIVE VERSIONS OF THEIR OWN HITS
THE FIRST LIVE COLLECTION UNVEILED IN OVER A DECADE
September 21, 2022—The long-awaited Live at the Fillmore (1997)—Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ first live album in 13 years—is due November 25 on Warner Records. The album will be available in various formats, see below for details and click HERE to pre-order.
Before starting the 20-show run at the Fillmore, Tom Petty outlined his plans in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle:
“We’re musicians and we want to play. We’ve made so many records in
the past five years, I think the best thing for us to do is just go out
and play and it will lead us to our next place, wherever that may be.”
The shows at the Fillmore ended up being some of the most joyful,
honest, inspirational and prolific experiences of the band’s career,
creating a unique bond between the group and their fans. This album
features more covers than originals, paying tribute to the artists and
songs that shaped Petty’s love of music as he was growing up—before he
became a legendary songwriter and performer in his own right. Highlights
include Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” J.J. Cale’s “Crazy
Mama,” The Rolling Stones’ “Time is On My Side” and more from The Kinks,
Everly Brothers, Bill Withers, The Byrds, Chuck Berry and Booker T.
& the M.G.’s. The collection also features special performances with
The Byrds’ front man Roger McGuinn and blues legend John Lee Hooker.
Other standouts include extended versions of original tracks “Mary
Jane’s Last Dance” and “It’s Good To Be King.”
“Playing the Fillmore in 1997 for a month was one of my favorite
experiences as a musician in my whole life. The band was on fire and we
changed the set list every night. The room and the crowd was
spiritual... AND... we got to play with some amazing guests. I will
always remember those nights with joy and inspiration.”—Mike Campbell
The Fillmore was a laboratory for the band. The captivating sold out
performances were such a hit, the Heartbreakers were even nicknamed the
“Fillmore House Band.” At the final show, Petty noted as he took the
stage:
“We all feel this might be the highpoint of our time together as a
group… It’s going to be hard to get us off this stage tonight.”
The record will be offered in a 3 LP version simulating one of the
concerts and a comprehensive box set featuring 58 songs and 14 humorous
spoken word tracks that highlight Petty’s connection with his band and
his fans from the stage. The shows were taped during the last six nights
of the band’s historic residency. The compilation was meticulously
curated by producers Ryan Ulyate and Mike Campbell and executive producers Benmont Tench, Adria Petty, Annakim Petty and Dana Petty.
Read Joel Selvin’s liner notes HERE.
Tom Petty Radio (channel 31) on SiriusXM premiered the album announcement and new song earlier today, along with exclusive interviews with Heartbreakers Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Steve Ferrone, and Scott Thurston.
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