Evansville, Ind. – A capacity crowd welcomed seasoned rockers Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to the stage at Ford Center with deafening cheers on Thursday night as Petty kicked off his 2013 tour in Evansville. And once the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer began to swing through their extensive catalog of hits, the enthusiastic reaction from the multi-generational crowd only got louder. Classic rock band The Smithereens opened the show with a 45-minute set, and when they closed with “A Girl Like You,†the audience was warmed up and on their feet. By the time Petty and company started in on “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,†several minutes into their set, most in the arena were on their feet and lending their voices to the chorus.
“The Ford Center is honored to have Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers open their tour in Evansville, and we’re thrilled to be able to welcome him with a full house,†said Executive Director Scott Schoenike. “Classic rock like this resonates with a lot of people, and we saw a number who attended the Midwest Rock N Roll Express concert last night return to enjoy this show.â€
The Ford Center winds down a very active event season with upcoming shows WWE World Tour Supershow May 18 and Barry Manilow June20.
