They say that the fourth time’s the charm, but if Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs Tampa show gets axed again, fans of Tom Petty’s right-hand man are going to be more heartbroken than ever.
Late last week, it was announced that in the wake of Knobs drummer Matt Laug having to take on a tour in Italy for the next few months, original Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers drummer Stan Lynch—who hasn’t played with Mike since Tom Petty gave him the boot in the ‘90s—would take his place behind the kit for a run of shows including this one in Ybor City.
Perhaps the Tampa show—and both homecoming Gainesville shows—getting canceled for a third time earlier this year was the best thing that ever happened for local Tom Petty fans. Lynch’s appearance could have happened in Tampa with or without Laug, anyway. After all, it’s not that long of a drive from his home in St. Augustine.