If your ideal concert experience depends on flashpots, lasers, and fabulous costumes, turn back now. On the other hand, if you're looking for no-frills, straight-ahead rock & roll played with good humor and passion, you've come to the right place. Filmed in March '99 at San Francisco's legendary Fillmore and seen here in letterbox format with great sound, High Grass Dogs finds Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers in fine form, charging through a series of tunes from the guitarist-singer-songwriter's first album ("Breakdown") to his latest (four tunes from Echo). Petty's core musicians (guitarist Mike Campbell, bassist Howie Epstein, and keyboardist Benmont Tench) have been together for so long that their onstage communication is almost telepathic; the emphasis is always on dynamics and interplay instead of bombast. There may not be any surprises here, with the possible exception of an appearance by Bo Diddley on his own "Mona," but that's a good thing. Indeed, the only mystery may be where Petty came up with that weird title ..........................Songs Include: Intro/California, Jammin' Me, Runnin' Down a Dream, Swingin', Breakdown, Listen to Her Heart, You Don't Know How It Feels, Mary Jane's Last Dance, Mona/Bo Diddley, Lay Down My Old Guitar, Even the Losers, Walls, Angel Dream, Room at the Top, County Farm, You Wreck Me, I Don't Wanna Fight, Free Fallin', Free Girl Now.

Starring:

Benmont Tench, Bo Diddley, Howie Epstein, Mike Campbell, Steve Ferrone, Tom Petty

Genre:

Music