Here's an odd story about Tom Petty: Because he's been kicking around the music biz for more than 30 years now, you'd think everyone would have caught his live show by now. Not the case, though.

Count me as one of many who might be seeing Petty and the Heartbreakers perform for the first time tonight in Tampa. And everyone in the small group going with me will be a "Petty virgin" as well.

As usual, I have a theory for this unforgivable oversight. Back in '79, Petty put out his brilliant "Damn the Torpedoes" album. Suddenly T-shirts with "Damn the Torpedoes" scrawled across the front and back became all the rage in school -- and the instant scourge among our well-meaning but sadly misguided teachers, principals and mothers.

"But ma'am, it's not profanity! It's a historic quote by Admiral Farragut from the Battle of Mobile Bay! It's so not-fair! Bogus even!"

Our pleas fell on deaf, unsympathetic ears -- Perry Como fans, I'm guessing -- and our Petty shirts had to be turned inside-out while in school. Ever since that traumatic event, I've had a mental tick about putting myself in a situation where I'm surrounded by Petty concert shirts. (Which, by the way, you can still buy online! God bless the Internet. I'm getting one for my mom for her birthday. And one for my ninth-grade algebra teacher, if I can find her address.)

Tickets for tonight's show are still available if you're in town and want to check him out, along with opening act Steve Winwood (finally an opening act worth arriving in time for). Look for me sitting close to the stage. I'll be the one wearing my concert shirt inside-out ... just in case.