Heartbreak: The Tom Petty Show at Leeds City Varieties Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Amy Wormwell
I had the pleasure of attending this tribute show at Leeds City Varieties on the evening of Thursday 5th September.
The venue is tucked away on Swan Street which you access down a little side street off of Briggate. It is a cute little theatre in which you are pretty close to the stage no matter where you are sat. I was at the end of row L in the stalls and had a great view. The seats are padded with a velvet like material which was comfortable and also plenty of leg room for foot tapping or dancing.
Parking nearby at Edward Street car park at a cost, free disabled parking on Edward Street available. The venue is just a 5 minute walk from this car park.
The show kicked off with ‘I Need To Know’ played perfectly by the band. Looking cool in shades and a top hat, ‘Tom Petty’ had the audience’s full attention as he filled the theatre with faultless music.
The sound was immersive and it was a wonderful sight, seeing people old and young singing their hearts out and rocking along with this tribute band. ‘Yer So Bad’ sounded better than the original in my opinion! Singing along was encouraged as the band played ‘Learning To Fly’ and the audience certainly delivered and enjoyed the experience.
A 15 minute interval was preceded by ‘I Won’t Back Down’ which left us on a high, eager for more!
The first half of the show was so good, however we were in for a treat for the second half!
Packed full of upbeat, perfectly performed hits including ‘Honey Bee’, ‘Handle With Care’ and ‘Breakdown’.
One of the main highlights was the Stevie Nicks tribute duet for ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’. Beautiful voice and sang with feeling, Stevie blew me away. Not to mention the most stunning outfit she was rocking!
‘Mary Jane’s Last Dance’ was up there with memorable moments of the show. A back drop of visual effects, a sparkling disco ball and amazing harmonica playing had us all singing “Oh, my, my, oh, hell yes!” The atmosphere was electric!
Pete Wade (AKA Tom Petty) was the perfect front man for the band; full of energy with a great musical talent. His voice was flawless and his skills on the guitar and harmonica were showcased throughout the show. The rest of the band never faltered and displayed their talents continuously.
As part of the encore, we were treated to ‘Runnin’ Down A Dream’ featuring the use of the iconic Flying V guitar.
There was a great mix of rock, country and blues music. Even if you’re not a fan of Tom Petty, you will know a lot of the music and won’t be able to help yourself bopping along to the tunes.
The show started at 7.30pm and finished at 9.45pm so great value for money!
The band offered more of their time after the show in the theatre foyer as they gave the audience chance to meet with them which was a lovely bonus.
Further dates for the Tom Petty Show can be found at https://heartbreakshow.co.uk/shows as they tour the country.
Running Time was 2hrs 15mins including the interval
Age Guidance: All ages – no bad language!
Rating: 5/5
Price of tickets £32 – £29
Leeds City Varieties
Swan Street
Leeds
LS1 6LW
https://leedsheritagetheatres.com/whats-on/heartbreak-tom-petty-2024/
Photo credit Highlights PR