Who Is Not Petty?
Not Petty is a mostly acoustic Tom Petty Tribute act. They put a “Wildflowers” spin on Petty’s immense catalog of songs. Nothing is off limits. Not Petty covers his solo projects, recordings with the Heartbreakers, and other tunes from the Petty universe. Don’t let the acoustic-driven set up fool you though. Not Petty exudes the energy and stage presence required to properly pay tribute to a true American rock star. Even wildflowers rock around in a strong breeze from time to time!
Where Is Not Petty?
Not Petty’s goal in arranging Petty’s songs for two acoustic guitars is to shine a light on the sly brilliance and deceptive simplicity at the heart of every Tom Petty song. By presenting the music this way, Not Petty creates an intimate experience that is often lost with a full, rockin’ band. Not Petty’s “Wildflowers” approach allows the songs to go somewhere they feel free. Tom Petty left a legacy of iconic music that is worth exploring from every angle. He wrote many of his songs on an acoustic guitar. These songs fit right into the Not Petty approach. It doesn’t take much to work up a good rendition of “Learning to Fly” or “Walls” for two acoustics, two voices, and a harmonica. Other songs, however, require a bit more nurturing and love to come into bloom acoustically.
A Little Space to Fill
Without the Heartbreakers driving the beat and adding sonic layers to the songs there’s a little space to fill. Not Petty finds a way to get to the point. The duo delivers some of Petty’s most raucous and rockin’ songs in a way that pleases and surprises even the biggest Tom Petty fans. Tom Petty songs are built to last. Not Petty explores the rock solid foundation of each song and brings it front and center. Some might say that stripping down songs like “Refugee” or “You Wreck Me” for two guitars is Not Petty. They’re damn right!
Not Petty is…
California Jeff is a well-worn performer with hundreds of shows under his belt. A folk singer by trade, his heart is in grunge, punk, and rock n’ roll. He sings with passion and plays with intensity. Jeff’s favorite Petty song to play right now is “It’s Good to Be King”.
Jenny, of Lenny & Molly fame, holds down the fort and keeps the duo centered. She balances Jeff’s occasionally over-the-top energy with a steady and focused presence that keeps them rooted, like wildflowers. Jen’s favorite Petty song to play right now is “Feel a Whole Lot Better”.
Not Petty Setlists
Not Petty setlists change from show to show. They play some songs at every show (so far), but rotate the order and bring in new tunes to keep their show fresh. Not Petty posts setlists on Facebook within a day or two of each show. They’ll be on the website soon too! Sometimes sets are based off of specific Tom Petty shows. Other times, the focus is on a particular album, or albums. For example, the 10/30/21 set below was a nod to the release date anniversaries of Wildflowers (11/1/94) and Damn the Torpedoes (10/19/79). Unfortunately, a longer-than-expected costume contest cut into the 2nd set. The plan was to play the Damn the Torpedoes album in full. Maybe later? We’ll see!
10/31/21 Setlist
Set 1: Wildflowers> You Don’t Know How it Feels> Time to Move On> You Wreck Me> It’s Good to be King> Mary Jane’s Last Dance> Learning to Fly> Breakdown/You Got Lucky/Breakdown> Into the Great Wide Open> Yer So Bad> Free Fallin’/Don’t Come Around Here No More(tease)/Free Fallin’
Set 2: Refugee> Here Comes My Girl> Even the Losers> Shadow of a Doubt (Complex Kid)> I Won’t Back Down> The Waiting> American Girl
Why Not Petty?
Not Petty’s goal in arranging Petty’s songs for two acoustic guitars is to shine a light on the sly brilliance and deceptive simplicity at the heart of every Tom Petty song. By presenting the music this way, Not Petty creates an intimate experience that is often lost with a full, rockin’ band. Not Petty’s “Wildflowers” approach allows the songs to go somewhere they feel free. Tom Petty left a legacy of iconic music that is worth exploring from every angle. He wrote many of his songs on an acoustic guitar. These songs fit right into the Not Petty approach. It doesn’t take much to work up a good rendition of “Learning to Fly” or “Walls” for two acoustics, two voices, and a harmonica. Other songs, however, require a bit more nurturing and love to come into bloom acoustically.
A Little Space to Fill
Without the Heartbreakers driving the beat and adding sonic layers to the songs there’s a little space to fill. Not Petty finds a way to get to the point. The duo delivers some of Petty’s most raucous and rockin’ songs in a way that pleases and surprises even the biggest Tom Petty fans. Tom Petty songs are built to last. Not Petty explores the rock solid foundation of each song and brings it front and center. Some might say that stripping down songs like “Refugee” or “You Wreck Me” for two guitars is Not Petty. They’re damn right!
Not Petty is…
California Jeff is a well-worn performer with hundreds of shows under his belt. A folk singer by trade, his heart is in grunge, punk, and rock n’ roll. He sings with passion and plays with intensity. Jeff’s favorite Petty song to play right now is “It’s Good to Be King”.
Jenny, of Lenny & Molly fame, holds down the fort and keeps the duo centered. She balances Jeff’s occasionally over-the-top energy with a steady and focused presence that keeps them rooted, like wildflowers. Jen’s favorite Petty song to play right now is “Feel a Whole Lot Better”.
Not Petty Setlists
Not Petty setlists change from show to show. They play some songs at every show (so far), but rotate the order and bring in new tunes to keep their show fresh. Not Petty posts setlists on Facebook within a day or two of each show. They’ll be on the website soon too! Sometimes sets are based off of specific Tom Petty shows. Other times, the focus is on a particular album, or albums. For example, the 10/30/21 set below was a nod to the release date anniversaries of Wildflowers (11/1/94) and Damn the Torpedoes (10/19/79). Unfortunately, a longer-than-expected costume contest cut into the 2nd set. The plan was to play the Damn the Torpedoes album in full. Maybe later? We’ll see!
10/31/21 Setlist
Set 1: Wildflowers> You Don’t Know How it Feels> Time to Move On> You Wreck Me> It’s Good to be King> Mary Jane’s Last Dance> Learning to Fly> Breakdown/You Got Lucky/Breakdown> Into the Great Wide Open> Yer So Bad> Free Fallin’/Don’t Come Around Here No More(tease)/Free Fallin’
Set 2: Refugee> Here Comes My Girl> Even the Losers> Shadow of a Doubt (Complex Kid)> I Won’t Back Down> The Waiting> American Girl