In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Tom Petty Estate unveils the release of Live at the Paradise Rock Club, 1978. A total of just 3,000 copies pressed on 180g pink and green split dye color vinyl will be available; purchase here. This bootleg-style recording captures the punk rock energy and raw talent of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the very beginning of their explosion into stardom.
This recording takes fans back to the Heartbreakers’ earliest days as the band marks its 50th anniversary, a celebration that will extend throughout the coming year. Recorded live on two-track during a wild stop in Boston on the “You’re Gonna Get It!” tour and broadcast by WBCN-FM, the Paradise Rock Club show captures that electricity in real time, the sound of a band the world was just beginning to discover.
“This glimpse of the past shows the power of the band and the acceptance of the band by the city leading to a great fan base there that only grew as we moved on to play both the Old Garden and also Fenway in the ensuing years,” said Alan “Bugs” Weidel, the Heartbreakers’ longtime equipment manager and Petty’s trusted right-hand man. “The band developed a love of Boston and the fans there that made it a memorable place we were always excited to visit. So listen and imagine yourself in that small venue, discovering one of the all-time great bands.”
The Tom Petty Estate is releasing the fan-favorite concert officially for the first time, featuring audio restoration by longtime engineer Ryan Ulyate. The LP features nine performances, including five classic cover versions, with hits such as “Breakdown,” “Don’t Bring Me Down,” “Too Much Ain’t Enough” and more. Each copy includes artwork based on an original Shelter Records acetate found in Tom’s personal archives.
On Record Store Day, fans were able to purchase a splatter version of the vinyl, retailed exclusively at indie record stores. The direct-to-fan pressing features an exclusive split dye color treatment, making this edition a distinct collector’s item available only through official channels.
Tom Petty was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, earning multiple Grammy Awards over a career that sold more than 85 million records worldwide. He died in 2017 following his 40th anniversary tour, leaving behind a deep archive that continues to surface through ongoing releases from the Tom Petty Estate.
VINYL TRACKLIST
A1: Anything That’s Rock ‘N’ Roll
A2: Don’t Bring Me Down
A3: Band Intros
A4: You’re Gonna Get It
A6: Too Much Ain’t Enough
B1: Shout
B2: I Fought The Law
B3: (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
B4: I’m A King Bee
