Tom Petty, movies, tips

REJOICING OVER PETTY:
Good news for concert fans: The best double bill in ages -- Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and Steve Winwood – is coming to the TD Banknorth Garden on June 13. Petty will be riding high from his Super Bowl halftime-show appearance, but it’s just good to see him back out there. There were reports that he might hang up his performing shoes after his vintage 2006 tour.
Petty’s long history in Boston dates from opening for Al Kooper at the now-defunct Jazz Workshop on Boylston St. back in the ‘70s. He has since made Boston one of his biggest markets, so don’t be surprised if he adds a second Garden show. The only bummer is that June 13 is the same day that R.E.M. plays the Tweeter Center in Mansfield. That will force some tough decisions.

MOVIE ROUNDUP: Gag on a spoon – I just went to see “27 Dresses’’ and there’s not enough syrup in the world to compete with this film. OK, I was the only guy in the theater, since this is quintessentially a “chick flick.’’ But I was persuaded to go because it was done by the same scriptwriter who did the excellent “Devil Wears Prada’’ with Meryl Streep. But “27 Dresses’’ is a long way from that. It’s named for the 27 bridesmaid dresses that a wedding planner has in her closet – the inevitable plot twist, of course, is that she’ll finally get married; it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that – but along the way there are so many contrived high jinks that I was checking my watch about one hour in. When the highlight is the lead characters singing a besotted version of Elton John’s “Bennie & the Jets’’ in a bar, then that says something. Actually, that was a fun moment. Just wish there were more.
And, hey, what happened to the movie “The Honeydripper’’? I see that it’s already left the theaters after a too-brief run. I enjoyed it. Danny Glover plays the owner of a late ‘40s juke joint in Alabama and struggles to stay solvent. Stacy Keach plays a sheriff who frowningly watches his every move, and the direction is done by John Sayles of “Return of the Secacus Seven’’ fame. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a highly watchable film that is both entertaining and instructive. And North Shore resident Mason Daring helps write a bunch of the music, including the song “The Music Keeps Rolling,’’ featuring Boston’s own Barrence Whitfield. Other local musicians who are on the soundtrack include Jerry Portnoy and Duke Levine. Check it out when it comes to DVD.

CRITIC’S TIPS

Lenny Kravitz – at the Orpheum on Thursday, Jan. 31. Lenny brings his latest love revolution with him. Hippie idealism still lives. And Lenny rocks, regardless.

No Static – at Ryles on Thursday, Jan. 31. This Steely Dan tribute act is locally based and ready to please the connoisseurs.

Mika – at the Orpheum Theatre on Friday, Feb. 1. The new British sensation, who was supported early on by WBOS, makes a long-awaited appearance in town.

Richard Thompson – at the Berklee Performance Center on Friday, Feb. 1. The longtime British folk-rock great never fails to startle with his virtuosity.

TAB – at T.T. the Bear’s on Friday, Feb. 1. This free-wheeling hard-rock band features two sons of Aerosmith’s Joe Perry. Joe was there the last time to see them perform, so he might show up again, but he didn’t play last time. He just watched and enjoyed.

Ryan Montbleau – at the Paradise on Friday, Feb. 1. The acclaimed new pop-rocker, who bears some stylistic similarity to Dave Matthews, steps into a Paradise showcase.

Les Sampou – at the Cushing Center in Norwell on Saturday, Feb. 2. Underrated folk-rocker Sampou performs at the Cushing Center in Norwell to benefit teenage students at her Norwell Voice Studio.

Rhett Miller – at the Paradise on Saturday, Feb. 2. The cult-legend singer is known best for his work with seminal alt-country band the Old 97’s. He has released a couple of solo albums that are mighty fine, too.

Charmaine Neville – at Johnny D’s on Saturday, Feb. 2. Charmaine should be a star. She’s the daughter of Neville Brothers sax man Charles Neville and has mostly performed in her home base of New Orleans. It’s party time when she unleashes her jazz-mambo flavors.

Shaun & Suzy’s Mardi Gras Ball – at T.T. the Bear’s on Saturday, Feb. 2. The 15th annual bash by these local stalwarts should once again be a winner.