On Monday, March 28, Rock guitar legend Mike Campbell and his band, The Dirty Knobs, made good on a show that's been on our calendars for 2+ years. In fact, the quartet graciously gave the sold-out Birchmere a full, industrial-sized set of rock and roll music  that we so desperately needed. 

Campbell is the masterful (yet somehow under-appreciated) guitarist that partnered with Tom Petty (and The Heartbreakers) for more than 40 years – and he isn't done yet. After multiple postponements due to the pandemic
and some health issues, Campbell delivered the goods on an unforgettable night in Alexandria, VA. The show included plenty of new material from External Combustion, the hard-rocking follow-up to the band's 2020 debut album,
Wreckless Abandon. 

Joy permeated the old music room of the Birchmere as The Dirty Knobs (guitarist Jason Sinay, bassist Lance Morrison, and drummer Matt Laug) proved to be the perfect rock unit to pull the best out of Campbell. The music, both new and old, soothed souls as the crowd showed their unwavering love for Tom, who passed in 2017. Campbell honored his best friend with unique and stunning renditions of classics including "Refugee," "Southern Accents" and "American Girl."

It's obvious that Campbell still has the love, the drive to tell stories, play rock and roll music and carry on the massive legacy of great Tom Petty. We should all be thankful for that. What was also clear is that at age 72,  Mike Campbell is still writing his own storied legacy.