Soundstage presents: Tom Petty and the Heartbreake

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have long held a reputation as one of the tightest bands in Rock 'n' Roll history, and this album shows why they fully deserve their induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. This album shows just what the band sounds like live, and how they can lay down tracks one after the other in a live performance venue that other bands would spend a month in the recording studio to get anywhere near the sound quality and none of the raw energy of a live performance. This is the best TPATH album that I own. DVD, CD, LP or otherwise. The song mix is very eclectic and includes some of their greatest hits, some that should have been and some that are outside the normal TPATH repertoire. It shows just how versatile the band really is. The original bassist, Ron Blair, is back on bass following the death of Howie Epstein a few years ago. Steve Ferrone has taken the place of original drummer Stan Lynch, and he's a good one. Scott Thurston on harmonica, guitar, keyboards and vocals gives more depth to the original lineup that was standard for many years. This performance is a true tour de force and one that no true TPATH fan would ever want to miss. This release is on DVD and is priced around $30. It's a great value for an extended 2-disc set. If you never were a big TPATH fan before, you might be after listening to this album. The only other DVD music album I own that is in the league of this album is Concert for George that was hosted by Eric Clapton a couple of years back and fittingly, TPATH also did a couple of songs on that album as their tributre to George. If you want overblown and glitzy performances, get something by The Rolling Stones. If you want a hardcore musical performance by true artists with nary a backup musician or horn section in sight, try this one.