Concert #50 - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers at the Universal Amphitheater (July 30, 1989)

My second encounter with TP, also at the Universal Amphitheater, two years after the first one. They had been touring with Bob Dylan, which gave Tom a huge credibility boost in my eyes.

This time I sat closer to the stage, on the main floor, which they call "orchestra". Just like the first time, I was impressed by the quality of the band. Since then, Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench remained some of my favorite "unsung" musicians and it was a thrill to see them perform, many years later, on separate occasions, in the intimate confines of McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica.

The opening act was an old favorite of mine, Dion DiMucci, better known as Dion. His "Ruby Baby" was one of the earliest songs I remember listening to as a young kid. On stage, he wore a beret, just like the one in the picture. Sadly, I can't remember any of the songs he played that night and the Internet wasn't helpful either.