Dylan Glows But Petty Shines

BY BEN HOROWITZ Star-Ledger Staff

When Bob Dylan toured with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as his backing band in 1986 and 1987, it was pretty much a match made in heaven. The Heartbreakers succeeded gloriously in fleshing out the ominous, angry style of such landmark '60s Dylan albums as "Blonde on Blonde" and "Highway 61 Revisited."

But performing separately on Saturday at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, the differences between the two Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famers in 2003 became abundantly and sometimes painfully clear.

Dylan, who played first (the order was to be reversed for a second show last night), was his predictably unpredictable self. Playing keyboard with his side to the audience for virtually the entire 90-minute set, Dylan's scratchy voice sounded even more shot than usual and was often out of synch with his band. Yet between Dylan's growl and the band's deft, blues-rocking playing, some songs hit the target and served as a reminder of how powerful a Dylan performance can be.

Petty and the Heartbreakers, by contrast, were consistently excellent, exceeding their own high standards. Petty's two virtuoso players, lead guitarist Mike Campbell and pianist Benmont Tench, stretched out with beautiful if concise solo work during a flawless, tight, 2-hour set of mighty, chiming rock.

The two bands came together for two songs. During Dylan's encores, Petty and Campbell joined Dylan's band on "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" and "All Along the Watchtower." Playing electric guitars, Petty and Mike Campbell created a fierce, exciting jam with Dylan's guitarists, Freddie Koella and Larry Campbell. Petty joined in the singing late on both songs.

The two PNC shows, set up after the northeast version of the Bonnaroo festival was canceled, are the only Dylan/Petty pairings scheduled for 2003.

The audience, which filled the seats and packed the lawn area on Saturday, appeared to be divided roughly equally between Dylan fans and Petty fans, but the response to the two bands was quite different. Fans mostly sat during Dylan's set, and applauded enthusiastically. When Petty played, most of the fans were on their feet most of the time, and they applauded and cheered wildly.

Dylan's first two songs served as a guide to how uneven his set would be. Opening with a spirited version of the bluesy rocker, "Silvio," Dylan's voice sounded only slightly craggy and the song hit the spot. But the weakness in Dylan's voice was all too clear on the next song, "If You See Her, Say Hello," one of the prettiest and most emotionally vulnerable ballads in the entire Dylan catalogue. Sounding like he was badly in need of clearing his throat as he spewed out the words aimlessly, Dylan demolished his masterpiece.

But Dylan hit pay dirt on one of his strangest songs, "Joey," an affectionate tribute to slain mobster Joe Gallo. He and the band sounded positively inspired performing the song as a tight, hard-hitting power ballad.

Dylan's keyboard playing was, for the most part, undistinguished, and was frequently indistinguishable. Yet his barrelhouse style made a major contribution on two songs: "Watching the River Flow" was an infectious, rollicking delight, and "Can't Wait," from the 1997 album, "Time Out of Mind," sounded especially grim and death-like.

When the band ended its set with "Honest With Me" and "Summer Days," two rousing blues-rockers from Dylan's latest album of new material, 2001's "Love and Theft," Dylan briefly left his piano during a guitar break for a happy, rocking little dance at the front of the stage. Despite his many shortcomings as a performer, Dylan's sets still have their moments.

It was clear from the start of Petty's set that there would be many, many moments. Opening with a stratospheric rendition of "American Girl," a song that Petty normally performs as an encore, it was obvious he and the Heartbreakers would need no warm-up time.

The band played tight, on-the-money versions of several hits and then went on to unanticipated heights. The band performed a warm, flowing "Handle With Care," a song that Petty recorded with Dylan and others in the supergroup the Traveling Wilburys. Although Dylan didn't join the group for this song, a touching arrangement featured Petty singing the lead part that the late George Harrison did in the original and steel guitarist Scott Thurston singing the second lead that the late Roy Orbison did in the original.

Petty introduced a new song, "Melinda," a haunting ballad that featured a lovely, classical-influenced piano solo by Tench.

Then it was time for a show-stopping cover of "I'm Crying," a 1964 song by the Animals. With their dramatic harmonies, Campbell's blaring, psychedelic guitar attack and Tench's pumping keyboard, Petty and the Heartbreakers extended the song and gave it a bold new life. It was a demonstration that the Heartbreakers' skill, imagination and soul in performing straight-ahead rock 'n 'roll puts them in a class with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and few others.