University of Florida - Tower / Seminole Yearbook (Gainesville, FL)

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GAINESVILLE BOY RETURNS On February 10, 1983, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers returned to Gainesville and played to an enthusiastic audience in the O ' Connell Center. Tom Petty is a Gainesville native. He grew up here and went to Gainesville High School. He started his first band with a few guys who went to school with him. Petty and his band used to play at Dub ' s, a popular local night spot. His band went through four name changes before Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 1974. His band also went through a few personnel changes before becoming the group they are today. Petty went to to get his first recording contract. Now that he is famous, he still comes back to Gainesville where it all began. This is the second straight year that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have come to O ' Connell Center to perform to a nearly sold-out audience. The star of the show, 32-year old Tom Petty. Mike Campbell, lead guitarist for Tom Petty. Kinks Kinks Tom Petty 45

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That was the best concert! I know. It was great! Do you realize he sang 19 songs? I didn ' t count, but they were all good. D. Wheeler People braved the cold to buy Tom Petty tickets. I can ' t believe he opened with One Tom Petty entertained the crowd with his guitar Story Town . . . that ' s the first song off his playing. new album. He was so good. Did you notice the stage was set up with the colors that are on his new album cover? Yeah. You know, it was really neat when he looked out at the audience and shone the spotlight on everyone. I wonder if he saw us? I doubt it. Do you know what he meant when he dedicated ' The Waiting is the Hardest Part ' to everyone up in the second level? I guess he meant waiting for tickets . . . I really don ' t know. Can you believe people camped out for his tickets in 40 degree weather? I couldn ' t believe that. I guess they wanted to be in the front row. I think we had great seats for buying them only a week in advance. Really. Isn ' t it wild that Tom Petty is from Gainesville and even used to play at Dub ' s? Some of his songs are about like ' American Girl ' . It is about a girl who committed suicide by jumping off Beaty Towers. That ' s creepy. I thought ' Breakdown ' was the best song he did. The lighting were fantastic. And he had two encores. I only wish he had communicated with the audience more. All I remember him telling us ' Let ' s get crazy ' and ' It ' s pretty damn good to be back here ' . 44 Tom Petty Kinks People waited all night for tickets. D. Wheeler

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FLORIDA PLAYERS BRING NG (all photos courtesy of Florida Players) Dr. A.F.C. Whelberg Dr. A.F.C. Whelberg Picnic 15-18, 22-25 Dr. A.F.C. Whelberg Picnic, the popular drama by William Inge was the first Florida Players of the Fall, 1982 season. The story of a girl and the man she is supposed to marry and the boy she wants to marry is the main theme of Picnic. The climax takes place at an annual picnic that a woman puts on for the neighborhood Cast Helen Potts Melanie B. Bonar Hal Carter Kevin Rainsberger Millie Owens Margie Llinas Bomber Gutzel Sid Cherry Madge Owens Barbara Kearnes Flo Owens Sara Gotcher Rosemary Sydney Suzanne Marlowe Alan Seymore Michael Stevens Irma Kronkite Elizabeth Speckman Christine Schowenwalder Susan Jaffee Geoff Elliott, Margie Llinas, and Melanie Bonar are in the spotlight as the rest of the cast looks on. Michael Stevens and Barbara Kearnes (as Alan and Millie Owens) discuss the plans for the future. Kevin Laurtisen and Suzanne Marlowe leave town while Barbara Kearns, Melanie Bonar, Sara Gotcher, and Michael Stevens have mixed emotions. 46 Plays