Full Set Audio: Guitarmageddon Honors Tom Petty At High Sierra Music Festival

Each year, the High Sierra Music Festival hosts a series of themed Artist Playshops in the air-conditioned High Sierra Music Hall at the Plumas County Fairgrounds in Quincy, California. The Artist Playshops give attendees the opportunity to catch one-time-only musical collaborations in an intimate and comfortable setting. High Sierra ’18’s schedule of Artist Playshops came to a close with a performance from the Guitarmageddon project, a staple of the festival for nearly 15 years. Guitarmageddon presented a tribute to Tom Petty on Sunday, July 8 filled with memorable takes on the late musician’s best-known material. This week’s Full Show Friday features a crispy soundboard matrix recording of the set taped by Terry Lapointe.

Tea Leaf Green bassist Eric DiBerardino served as musical director for Guitarmageddon’s Tom Petty tribute. DiBerardino was part of a house band that also included guitarists Jeremy Korpas and Simon Kurth, keyboardist Jeff Coleman and drummer Scott Rager. Guitarmageddon’s set began with a version of “Refugee” featuring guitarist/vocalist Pamela Parker and Fairfax musician Tom Finch. Parker stuck around to add to a “Runnin’ Down A Dream” sung by ALO’s Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz with Chris McGrew on drums. Queen Delphine emerged next to lead “Breakdown” before Mescalito’s Martin Bush fronted “The Waiting.”

The set rolled on with a version of “I Won’t Back Down” featuring Fred Torphy (Big Light) on vocals along with Guitarmageddon co-founder Josh Clark of Tea Leaf Green and Scott Pemberton guesting on guitars. Torphy, Clark, Pemberton and Jeremy Schon of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong were among those who contributed to “Don’t Come Around Here No More.” From there, Mark Schuh of Blue Bear School Of Music and guitarist Ben Misterka added to “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” while singer-songwriter James Nash and keyboardist Maxwell Friedman joined in for “You Got Lucky” and Paige Clem sang “Don’t Do Me Like That.”

Guitarmageddon’s set honoring Petty continued with Jeff Miller of New Monsoon singing “You Don’t Know How It Feels.” The stage then filled up with all five members of Fruition adding to “You Wreck Me.” Next, Fruition’s Mimi Naja led the charge on “I Need To Know” before her band mate Jay Cobb Anderson sang the “American Girl” finale.

Listen to soundboard matrix audio of the Guitarmageddon tribute to Tom Petty thanks to Terry Lapointe:

Setlist

Set: Refugee, Runnin’ Down A Dream, Breakdown, The Waiting, I Won’t Back Down, Don’t Come Around Here No More, Mary Jane’s Last Dance, You Got Lucky, Don’t Do Me Like That, You Don’t Know How It Feels, You Wreck Me, I Need To Know, American Girl