The name of the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute band from South Jersey matches the mission of what the Sewell-based group aspires to achieve during performances.
And according to many of those who’ve seen the band in concert, it’s hitting the mark.
“Ever since we’ve been doing this,” remarked Jimmy Mannix, who assumes the role of Petty in the band, “we’ve had fans come up to us on a regular basis and tell us, ‘I’ve seen all of the other Petty tributes, and you guys got it nailed. You really make me feel like I’m at a Tom Petty concert.'”
Along with Mannix, Pure Petty’s “Heartbreakers” include lead guitarist Frank Sonsini; keyboardist Mike “Doc” Meltzer; drummer Joey Mannix, Jimmy’s brother; and bassist Chuck Darrow – all of them South Jersey residents who are veterans of other local rock bands. Darrow is also an entertainment writer who freelances for The Sun and often focuses on tribute bands.
Pure Petty also features Kathy Mattson, who plays percussion and keyboards, sings background vocals and plays Stevie Nicks to Mannix’s Petty for such classic Petty/Nicks duets as “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” and “Insider,” among other songs.
“Our goal is to sound like the record,” Mattson explained. “To have people close their eyes and think that they’re at a Tom Petty concert.”
She believes that Tom Petty’s multi-generational appeal is evident in the age range of those who attend Pure Petty’s shows.
“We get teenagers, and young people in their 20s and 30s who know the words to the songs,” Mattson enthused. “Everybody likes a Tom Petty song – they have at least one that they like. And that helps with our draw, because everyone wants to go see Tom Petty (who died in 2017).
“We had a 6-year-old at one of our concerts who knew all of the words to the songs we played.”
Formed in 2019, Pure Petty played 51 concerts last year and has performed in six states, including New Jersey. Locally, the next show Pure Petty will perform – with its extensive variety of acoustic and electric guitars in tow – is The Union Firehouse in Mount Holly on Saturday, June 27. It’s a venue the band has played multiple times.
Its co-owner, Harneet Kaur, welcomes Pure Petty’s return to her nightspot.
“Every time they perform here,” she explained, “the venue is full of people of all age groups. They’re an excellent band.”
Tickets to the performance are $15 for general admission pre-sale and $20 at the door. For more information, visit https://unionfh.ticketspice.com/pure-petty. For more information about Pure Petty, including upcoming shows and booking information, visit www.purepettyband.com.
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