Concert Review
Tom Petty w/Steve Winwood
Wed., July 16, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa
Tom Petty could have probably done his current arena tour with a no-name opener but instead opted for Steve Winwood, a rock ’n’ roll veteran with a history-making resume that includes stints in the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic and Blind Faith, plus a successful solo career in the 1980s. Maybe we’d been better off with an up-and-comer, though.
7:35 Update: Winwood finds his faith
Winwood, on organ and lead vocals, takes the stage and promptly leads his band through a tedious jazz-rock workout laced with extended flute runs. The next number is the Spencer Davis Group hit “I’m a Man” but it’s stretched out into another meandering yawn that’s just slightly more vibrant than the opener. Winwood’s backing unit includes two percussionists and a flute/sax player that render each song a fusion-style bore. Things finally improve at 7:50 when Winwood offers a heartfelt reading of the Blind Faith classic “Can’t Find My Way Home,” which benefits from the slow-burning sax playing coursing through the sweet, familiar melody.
This article appears in Jul 16-22, 2008.