I’m in a Lengthy Island state of thoughts.
Two of that area’s most outstanding natives shared the Madison Square Back garden spotlight Thursday when Billy Joel welcomed Jerry Seinfeld to the stage for the duration of the 100th concert of his month to month residency at the iconic location.
“I am from Long Island, like Billy is from Long Island,” Seinfeld instructed the crowd of the suburban New York upbringing shared by the comedian and Piano Person. “He captured how we all truly feel dwelling in this particular component of the environment. Lengthy Island. New York. He’s like the companion that we have gone via our full lives with. His tunes is our ideal friend for our complete daily life. I do not feel he even understands how considerably his songs suggests to us, remaining from exactly where we are.”
Joel must understand by now, just after 10 decades and 100 marketed-out concert events even though enjoying the exact hits beneath the identical roof for the duration of his residency.
At the time a month for a great deal of the very last decade, the standard crowd shuffles in to see Joel. Each of those people exhibits has been a market out — as have all of Joel’s other live shows at the Back garden considering the fact that his very first on Dec. 14, 1978 for a whole of 146 and counting.
“100 sellouts in a row. Congratulations, Billy,” Seinfeld mentioned although presenting a banner to commemorate the milestone. “Most life time performances by any artist. You can die now.”
Thursday’s live performance differed from all the other folks since it will turn out to be the very first of Joel’s profession to be broadcast on community tv — with CBS airing “The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Sq. Garden – The Best Arena Operate of All Time” on April 14.
“We’re all on Tv tonight,” Joel, donning a leather-based blazer in excess of a black shirt, instructed the group. “So, hope you dressed for it.”
The cameras were being rolling to seize a single of the last reveals in the residency right after Joel declared previous yr that the operate, which began in January 2014, would end in July.
Lights grew to become one thing of a theme, from the added spotlights in the stands, to the musically synchronized gentle-up wristbands furnished to the 20,000 supporters in attendance, to the set list by itself. Joel opened the demonstrate with “Miami 2017 (Found the Lights Go Out on Broadway)” and afterwards done the newest music in his extensive catalog with “Turn the Lights Again On” — which he launched in February as his very first solitary in 17 several years.
He then brought out his only musical guest of the night, Sting, for duets on Joel’s “Big Male on Mulberry Road” and The Law enforcement basic “Every single Little Thing She Does is Magic.”
Joel has routinely invited A-checklist performers to make shock appearances through the residency, even however he knows that it is he they’ve been coming to see to neglect about lifestyle for a though. For Joel’s 100th job clearly show at the Backyard garden in 2018, Bruce Springsteen produced a cameo to complete his hits “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” and “Born to Run.”
Olivia Rodrigo in 2022 performed her music “Deja Vu” – which references Joel in the lyrics – and then partnered with him on “Uptown Female.” Paul Simon and Miley Cyrus joined Joel in 2017 for an not likely collaboration on “You May Be Correct.” Brian Johnson, the direct singer of AC/DC, shook the Backyard garden with Joel for the duration of a 2014 performance of “You Shook Me All Night Extensive.”
Other visitors have bundled John Mellencamp, Tony Bennett, Patty Smyth, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, Foreigner’s Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, John Fogerty, Elvis Costello, Bryan Adams, John Mayer and some others.
There have been on-stage celeb appearances by Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Bacon, Mark Messier, Jon Stewart and Kevin James, and performances by Joel’s three daughters Alexa Rae, Della Rose and Remy Anne.
For the 100th clearly show of a historic residency that has played out in his possess yard, Joel invited a neighbor. Seinfeld not only grew up in the very same county as Joel, he at this time lives in his former household, having bought the Piano Man’s East Hampton mansion just about 25 decades in the past.
“And I want to thank you for shopping for my residence,” Joel advised Seinfeld as he left the stage. “That was a awesome issue to do.”
