Many Floridians don’t quite understand how spoiled rotten we are when it comes to Billy Joel. The Rock and Roll Hall Of Famer has stopped in Florida twice a year since 2014. Once for a normal tour show, and once for New Year’s out in Sunrise. So the announcement in October that his first non-MSG show of 2018 would be in Tampa was no surprise.
Just like every Billy show, the sold out crowd was warned to make their way to their seats around 8:20 when the ending credits music from The Natural began to play. Three minutes in, the lights went down, the Generation X crowd went ballistic, and the Piano Man and his band silently came out to begin.
A single blue light shined on Billy as he played the first minute of Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway), which opens with one of the most complex piano riffs of all time.
“This is our last gig in Florida for the year!” Billy pointed out, following an electrifying version of 1982’s Pressure. This may foreshadow that he won’t play in Sunrise on NYE this year, and may return to New York to celebrate.
After poking fun at the people who had seats behind the stage, (“The piano here is set up sideways so, you’re actually better off than the people up here.”) Billy threw out some “fielder’s choices.” Normally, one a deep cut, one a hit. Vienna winning against Just The Way You Are, (“It WAS a hit single!”) and Everybody Loves You Now over Turn Around and Got To Begin Again, all songs from his obscure 1971 debut Cold Spring Harbor. And, needless to say, just like every time, Zanzibar gave the boot to Stiletto.
Some classic riffs opened some songs throughout the night. Ode To Joy (and Billy accepting a banquet of flowers from an audience member, mocking an stereotypical actress) opening My Life and Paul Simon’s Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard for Don’t Ask Me Why just to name a few.
With all the retirement tours coming up, Billy sure had us worried for a few minutes. He told a story about how he was in Italy once, and Frank Sinatra was scheduled to play on the other side of the country. It was an immensely big deal in Italy, but apparently he cancelled because “Frank don’t like bein’ 70.” Billy’s going to be 69 this year. 69. His former touring mate Elton John will be saying goodbye to touring for the next three years, as well as his old friend Paul Simon.
After a promised ride through The River Of Dreams (“We’re gonna do that later!”) Billy’s guitarist Mike DelGuidice took the mic, and belted out an opera classic Nessun dorma. Doing so, he proved that you’d be surprised what some backing members can do.
After the story of Brenda and Eddie in the crowd-pleasing Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, Piano Man began. I think that’s what everybody came to hear. There weren’t many people who came for deep cuts and all that. They wanted hits, especially Piano Man, which had every baby boomer, Gen X-er, and millennial standing and howling out the words. There WAS one deep cut, though. 1973’s Stop In Nevada, off of Piano Man.
After two and a half minutes offstage, Billy returned for an encore of six songs. Shredding (whatever) a guitar during We Didn’t Start The Fire, swaying his hips like Elvis during Uptown Girl, and throwing around the microphone during It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me, no one wanted the night to end. He returned to the piano for his last three songs – – 1978’s Big Shot, Only The Good Die Young, which began with a minute long interlude of Led Zeppelin’s Fool In The Rain, and You May Be Right, which included Zeppelin’s Rock And Roll to close the song, and ultimately close the show.
All that was missing from that ending was Billy’s trademark closing piece of advice: “Don’t take any shit from anybody,” which he tells his crowd at almost every show.
Last time he was here, it wasn’t a totally different show. However, that was when Billy paid tribute to the then-recently fallen David Bowie, and Glenn Frey of the Eagles.
But right or wrong, if you’ve never seen Billy, do yourself a favor and get a ticket next time he’s in your town, nosebleed or not. Remember, if you buy a seat all the way back, you have a shot at getting in the front row.
Josh Bradley Live 