Third CityJam concert of the season set for Thursday night

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Don’t back down from heading to downtown Seymour on Thursday night.

Those Damn Torpedoes, a Tom Petty tribute band, will play from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on the pavilion at Crossroads Community Park in the 100 block of East Tipton Street.

It will be the third show of the Seymour CityJam Summer Concert Series and only the second one at the new downtown park.

The concert is free, but food and drinks will be available for purchase starting at 6 p.m.

The sixth season of Seymour CityJam is sponsored by Seymour Main Street, Seymour Crossing, The Tribune, JCB and Schneck Medical Center.

Those Damn Torpedoes last played in Seymour in 2017 during Bustock, an annual music festival organized by Radio 96.3 WJAA.

Two members, Tim Halcomb of New Albany and Bob Ramsey of Louisville, Kentucky, are part of a Fleetwood Mac tribute band that closed Seymour CityJam in September 2016. That group was called Rumours — A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac but now is known as Back 2 Mac.

Halcomb plays bass guitar and sings background vocals and Ramsey mans the keyboard for both groups.

The other members are Bob Willis of North Vernon, the lead vocalist who portrays Tom Petty; John Byrne of Indianapolis, lead guitarist; and Aaron Montgomery of Fisherville, Kentucky, drums.

“We do it maybe four or five times a year strictly for fun, and all of these players play in multiple projects, so we don’t look at it as a job or as really even an income,” Halcomb said. “It’s just fun. We love these songs. Tom passing away (Oct. 2) even made it more important to me to keep the songs alive because he was such a strong writer. Those songs are not going to go away on the radio.”

Halcomb, a Dupont native, said Those Damn Torpedoes formed about seven years ago.

“The Fleetwood Mac show started as being one night only for fun, and then it evolved into something bigger,” he said. “I just one night thought because Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks did four or five duets over the years, ‘Man, that would be a nice combination.’”

He then called Willis.

“I was on the road with him years ago with a band that traveled all over, and he also just kind of reminded me of Tom Petty,” Halcomb said.

Willis hadn’t been in a band for several years, and he agreed to join Halcomb.

“I just called up some other guys that I played with on various projects that I thought would be good fits,” Halcomb said of adding the other three band members.

With Petty having a lot of hits over the years, Halcomb said it’s tough to get all of the songs into one show. They try to include three staples: “American Girl,” “Free Fallin’” and “Mary Jane’s Last Dance.”

The group doesn’t usually have a set list, so if someone shouts out a request, Halcomb said they just might play it.

“Just come out and sing along,” he said.

Since they have played in Seymour and North Vernon in recent years, the band has developed some regular followers.

“I’ve had people from Seymour travel to Louisville to see shows,” Halcomb said. “It’s nice to see friends you know. It’s just fun to see familiar faces and also play for people that have never heard you because that’s always fun. Hopefully, they tell somebody else, and then next time, it is just a little more familiar.”

Those Damn Torpedoes was asked to be a part of Bustock after Eric DiBlasi Jr., who works for WJAA, saw the group perform in Madison in 2016.

DiBlasi is now a member of the Seymour CityJam committee.

“WJAA liked them so much we had them at Bustock 2017,” he said. “Very talented group of musicians, and who doesn’t enjoy Tom Petty’s music?”

Having the concert at the new park is a bonus, he said.

“CityJam has always been a fun event in downtown Seymour, but having it at Crossroads Community Park takes it to a whole new level,” DiBlasi said. “It’s a very nice venue that enhances the quality of life in Seymour. It’s nice to have grass under your feet when watching a show, more relaxed setting. The first show drew an amazing crowd. This is great entertainment for free, and the best part is it’s close to home.”

Seymour CityJam will close Sept. 20 with The Louisville Crashers for the second year in a row.

If you go

What: Seymour CityJam featuring Those Damn Torpedoes

When: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday

Where: Crossroads Community Park in the 100 block of East Tipton Street in downtown Seymour

Cost: The show is free, but food and drinks will be available for purchase starting at 6 p.m.

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