The world has modified in numerous methods since Billy Joel kicked off his month-to-month Madison Sq. Backyard residency in January 2014. Donald Trump was a mere NBC actuality present host on the time, Jeb Bush had good motive to suppose he was the way forward for the Republican celebration, and few individuals exterior the world of virology had heard the time period “coronavirus.”
However regardless of all of the adjustments we’ve lived via, it was a certainty that (barring sickness or world pandemic), Billy Joel would play a spectacular present at Madison Sq. Backyard each single month. It was a spot anybody may go to neglect about life for some time, and spend a night with Brenda, Eddie, Mama Leone, Sergeant O’Leary, Paul the “actual property novelist,” and Davy from the Navy.
Joel mentioned initially he’d play “so long as there was demand,” however after 104 sold-out gigs and ten years, it was clear the demand was infinite. And after 150 lifetime exhibits at MSG, it felt like time to convey the endeavor to a detailed. That’s why Joel followers from all throughout America gathered at Madison Sq. Backyard to say goodbye on Thursday night time, and why tickets have been promoting for upwards of $10,000 a pop on the secondary market.
The air was thick with anticipation when the lights dimmed, the acquainted sound of “The Pure (The Finish Title)” started, and everybody scurried down the aisles to their seats. (George Conway and ex-wife Kellyanne Conway walked collectively down the middle aisle close to the stage, proving that Joel’s music can unite anybody.) And after beginning off the night in normal style with “Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)” and “Strain,” Joel confronted the gang to and tried to place the residency into some type of perspective.
“Let me point out a few issues that we’ve carried out,” he mentioned. “We have been the primary group to play at Yankee Stadium [in 1990]. We have been the final band to play at Shea Stadium [in 2008]. We performed Berlin the night time that the Berlin Wall got here down [in 1990, so not quite]. We have been the primary American full-fledged efficiency within the Soviet Union [in 1987]. And we have been the primary band to play after Castro got here to energy, and we performed Cuba [1979]. We performed in entrance of the Coliseum in Rome for a half million individuals [in 2006]. And the meals was nice. However out of all of them, that is the very best. There’s no place like this.”
He proved that by following it up with three songs in a row you’re unlikely to listen to a lot on traditional rock radio (“The Entertainer,” “Zanzibar,” and “Vienna”), and watching the gang sing alongside to each single phrase. On the conclusion of “Vienna,” Jimmy Fallon burst onto the stage to current Joel with a banner commemorating his record-breaking 150 exhibits at MSG. “Congratulations,” Fallon mentioned. “I really like you. NY city loves you. The world loves you. You’ve given us all nice reminiscences of being right here. We’re truly getting to look at you reside a reminiscence. You’re by no means going to neglect this night time right here.”
After Fallon left, Joel’s two youngest daughters, Della and Remy, got here out in matching attire to affix him for “My Life.” Six-year-old Remy sat nervously on the piano, whereas eight-year-old Della confidently clapped and danced alongside to the music. Joel beamed the entire time, whilst he tried in useless to get her to clap on the beat. (“On the 2 and the 4, honey.”) A bit later within the night time, he broke out his 1986 deep minimize “This Is The Time” on the request of his spouse, Alexis Roderick. As he sang the romantic ballad, the screens flashed backstage pictures of his spouse and children taken all through the previous decade, showcasing how the world has been a second dwelling to them this whole time.
They’ve had numerous shock friends go to them through the years, and Joel followers spent the previous few weeks attempting to guess who may present up on the grand finale. May his previous touring accomplice Elton John come to lastly make peace? Would Paul McCartney cease by to repeat the top of Final Play at Shea? Would it not be bodily potential for Bruce Springsteen to hop on a supersonic jet after taking part in London’s Wembley Stadium earlier within the day and make the final encore?
Not many individuals guessed it could be Axl Rose, regardless that he performed with Joel in Los Angeles and Minneapolis again in 2017. However as quickly as “This Is The Time” ended, Joel launched the Weapons N’ Roses frontman to the gang. He got here out in sun shades, and a black sequined sport coat straight out of Neil Diamond’s closet. He led the band via blazing renditions of “Stay and Let Die” and “Freeway to Hell,” clearly loving each second of it.
The ultimate part of the night time was acquainted to anybody that’s seen Joel over the previous couple of many years, however there was a particular pleasure in listening to mega-hits like “Solely The Good Die Younger,” “We Didn’t Begin The Fireplace,” and “It’s Nonetheless Rock and Roll to Me” with the information that we would not expertise them on this venue ever once more. The present wrapped up with the sound of breaking glass and “You Could Be Proper.” Axl Rose got here again out for this, singing lead on a fast interlude of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll.” And for a quick minute, it was someway 1971, 1980, 2024, and all years in between mashed into one. With out even which means to, Joel and Rose packed six many years of enviornment rock into six minutes. It was an ideal technique to finish the residency.
To be clear, Joel isn’t retiring. He heads to Cardiff, England, subsequent month to play a stadium present with opening act Chris Isaak. And all through the remainder of the 12 months he’ll be headlining stadiums all throughout North America with both Rod Stewart or Sting. He’s by no means been extra fashionable as a reside attraction regardless that he turned 75 just a few years again. (If you happen to shut your eyes, he nonetheless sounds about 45. The facility of his singing voice is an absolute miracle.) At some point he could even return to Madison Sq. Backyard. And if he appears like sticking round after that for one more decade or so, no one will thoughts.