The Ledge - Petty article-mentions Stevie "may" be at Saratoga

08/11/2006
Petty seems ready to disembark from the tour bus
THOMAS DIMOPOULOS , The Saratogian

It's called the Highway Companion Tour and it is going across the country one last time.

When Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers roll up to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Sunday, it will mark the band's third appearance in Saratoga in the past five years. This time around however, it seems Petty will be saying goodbye.

There have been many records sold -- 50 million and counting -- as well as 15 hit singles, 16 Grammy nominations, and a star engraved with Petty's name on the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard.

For Tom Petty, whose achievements have already been canonized with an induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, what else is there?

There are other signs, as well, that this celebrated 30th anniversary tour could be the last one, not the least of which are in Petty's own words, telling a reporter for Rolling Stone that after this tour, he's thinking it's time to 'put an end to big national touring.'

Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich is following him around the country, documenting the tour with his movie camera for the musical archives, and there are some major names sharing the stage with Petty this summer, from Pearl Jam to John Meyer to The Strokes.

Saratoga is getting the Allman Brothers and Derek Trucks, a young and capable guitarist who would be the star of the future road show 'The Allmans: The Next Generation.'

Stevie Nicks, of Fleetwood Mac fame, has been another performer appearing as a 'surprise guest' on a handful of dates on Petty's summer tour. The bewitching singer may also be part of the Saratoga package, although fans are decidedly mixed about seeing her. Some are happily welcoming the addition. Others, like one poster on a Petty-friendly message board, indicated that if Nicks' appearance takes time away from Tom's set, 'then by all means throw her ass under the bus.'

Sunday's show will feature many snippets from the Tom Petty hit parade, songs that have boomed over car radios since Gerald Ford was in The White House. For some, these are the songs they heard on the way to school in their parents'cars, the songs they heard in the backseat while they were making out, the songs that were played at their wedding. Now, some of them will be bringing their own children along to hear the songs of their generation, even if it is setting themselves up to be chided by the younger ones to lines like: 'My old man was born to rock, he's still trying to beat the clock...'

Petty, who will turn 56 shortly after the tour ends in October, continues to release new material. Two weeks ago, 'Highway Companion' was issued and is his third solo album without The Heartbreakers. This one is more solo than ever. Petty is the singer, the songwriter and player of guitars, pianos and drums on the 12-song CD. The lyrics feature classic Petty-isms. 'They raised that horse to be a jumper/ He was owned by a Midwest bible thumper,' he sings on the tune 'Ankle Deep.'

Two of the new songs -- the modern mono-chord Dylanesque 'Saving Grace' and the solemnly sparse 'Square One,' have made their way onto the band's set list during this tour, while other tracks on the new release may shed some light on what's on Petty's mind lately.

'You're flirting with time, baby, flirting with time, but maybe, time baby, is catching up with you,' he sings on one inspiring image of waving farewell, riding the highway into great wide open, one last time before disappearing over the horizon.

'I'm all worn out from long goodbyes,' sings Petty on the new album, 'Goodbye, Golden Rose, goodbye.'

Scene & Heard is published Fridays in the Life section. Reach Thomas Dimopoulos at [email protected].

©The Saratogian 2006