---

MANSFIELD - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performance at the Tweeter Center Wednesday night seemed to be part celebration and part send-off.

Celebration, because this year marks the band’s 30th anniversary, a testament to their unusual staying power in a day and age where marketing plans often overshadow musical prowess.

And sendoff because Petty has hinted that this summer’s cross-country jaunt, dubbed the Highway Companion Tour, could be the group’s last major tour, ever.

Whatever the case, Wednesday night’s set featured two hours of unapologetically straight-laced rock ‘n roll, including a string of radio hits, lesser-known samplings of some of Petty’s solo work, and a Fleetwood Mac connection — a special appearance by longtime friend, sometimes musical partner and Mac member Stevie Nicks.

Petty and Co. blasted off with 1978’s "Listen To Her Heart" and never looked back, offering up everything from 1979’s "Refugee" to 1994’s melodically droning "You Don’t Know How It Feels," to "Saving Grace," a new cut off Petty’s forthcoming album, uncoincidentally called "Highway Companion." Though the album release is just around the corner, it was refreshing to see Petty NOT inundate the audience with truckloads of unfamiliar material in the name of promotion.

A mid-set appearance by Nicks featured a performance of their 1981 duet "Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around," a rocked-out rendition of "I Need To Know" with Nicks on lead vocals, and later, a beautiful version of the pair’s lesser-known duet, also from 1981, "Insider."

Nicks then stayed onstage and performed backup vocal duty on an acoustic "Learning To Fly" and a nicely zoned-out "Don’t Come Around Here No More," among other songs.

No Petty set would be complete without "Free Fallin,’" but it was nice to see the band end with a little song off their 1976 self-titled debut album called "American Girl."

If this is how Petty and the Heartbreakers are going out, they’re doing it with a bang.

Lauren Carter can be reached at 508-236-0339 or lcarter@thesunchronicle.com