The Art of Appreciation: Pat Finnerty and Friends Pay Homage to Tom Petty on his 75th Birthday

There was no shortage of star power as the Philadelphia Tom Petty Appreciation Band took to the stage at a packed Union Transfer to toast what would have been the late songsmith’s 75th birthday. Anchored by dueling Pats — Pat Finnerty, the guitar-slinging YouTube sensation and live-band karaoke impresario, and Pat Berkery, a thunderous drummer and talent-wrangler extraordinaire — the remarkably tight house band welcomed more than a dozen of Philadelphia’s finest (and beyond) as lead vocalists throughout the night. 

“This ain’t no tribute show—there’s no vest tonight, no top hat…” Finnerty remarked a few songs in, adding, “though maybe there should be,” as he revealed the Bic-smooth scalp beneath his baseball cap. At several points throughout the evening, he also offered the pocket cash of his bandmates to fans down front who seemed to be particularly enjoying the show.

Finnerty’s witty quips and asides augmented a masterfully curated, career-spanning set of Petty tunes. Deep cuts (Toby Leaman’s “Nightwatchman” and Perry Shall’s “Shadow of a Doubt”) held their own alongside ever-present anthems (Sadie Dupuis’ “You Don’t Know How It Feels” and Eric Bazilian’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream”), with no shortage of magic moments in between. The emotional pinnacle of the night was Eliza Hardy Jones’ choral arrangement of “Walls,” featuring Eliza Becker, Todd Starlin, and Josh Newman.

Two of the night’s strongest standouts came from renowned out-of-towners. The first set packed a masterful couplet of jangly power-pop gems from Guided by Voices’ Doug Gillard, while the second set featured glorified rock goddess Vicki Peterson of the Bangles, the only performer with one degree of separation from the night’s honoree. She deftly delivered “Change of Heart” and “I Need to Know” before leading “honorary Bangles” Ali Wadsworth, Lily Cope, and Kim Whitehill through their Petty collaboration, “Waiting for Tonight.”

The show’s proceeds benefited Conor Barwin’s Make the World Better Foundation. Barwin took the stage at the top of the second set to turn the tables of appreciation toward the band itself for their outstanding support. MTWB has worked closely with the Philadelphia music community since its inception, hosting annual benefit concerts that raise funds for its work supporting underserved youth in Philly’s neighborhoods.