Today marks five years since I attended my first rock concert. My uncle managed to snag tickets for the two of us to see Billy Joel live and in the flesh at Tampa’s Amalie Arena, as a Christmas gift.
I still remember that night like it was yesterday. I hollered out every word to almost every song, screeching at the top of my lungs. Going to that show was something I bragged about to my friends at school, but sadly, everybody was either unimpressed, or had never heard of Willy Bowl.
My uncle, the only person I could really get deep into music with for years on end, has sworn to me ever since that show that we’d also go see Bruce Springsteen together. But even before COVID, The Boss hasn’t really been much help with that deal. (*Jamie Hyneman voice* Tour, damn you!) So we compensated with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 2017.
The poster I bought five years ago today still proudly dangles in a frame on my bedroom wall, with other Billy Joel ticket stubs I have obtained in recent years. Unfortunately, I lost the distressed baseball cap weeks after purchasing it, hence why I’ve made it a tradition that I buy a baseball cap in honor of it every time I see Billy live.
Now, I noticed that I have written reviews of almost every show I’ve been to, even in old perspectives. When The Monkees’ Peter Tork died in 2019, I wrote out a review of The Monkees’ 50th Anniversary Tour (which my uncle also attended with me) as if it had happened days ago. So, I’d like to do the same thing now.
Picture this:
The year is 2016. Joe Biden is still Vice President of the United States, Coldplay is about to play Super Bowl 50, and you’re still recovering from an exhilarating Billy Joel concert.
CONCERT REVIEW: Billy Joel lets Tampa’s Amalie Arena take the wheel during sold-out concert
“Good evening, Tampa-St. Pete!” Billy Joel called out to his sold out crowd at Amalie Arena Friday night.
Ever since the Piano Man’s grand return to performing after a brief hiatus, he’s been a regular in Florida, having already hosted two New Year’s Eve shows in Orlando and Sunrise. Friday night’s show at Amalie Arena was packed to the gills with both Florida crackers and NYC snowbirds, as well as some in-betweens. And the energy was so high, there were moments you thought you were actually up north at Madison Square Garden.
When the lights went down to the ending theme to The Natural some 20 minutes after the ticketed 8:00 start time, a single blue light shone on Joel–all decked out in a black, black, and black suit and tie. The floors of the dome brutally vibrated when the C# about 15 seconds into the complex opening of “Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)” was pounded out. Propped up on a life-sized Lazy Susan-style platform at the forefront of his circular stage, Joel didn’t miss a beat, in his vocals or fingers.
I say this with all the love and respect in my heart: Despite his massive following of die-hards and casual fans alike, Joel has evolved into a nostalgia act. He hasn’t promoted any new material since 1993’s River of Dreams, and his touring days with Elton John (who is releasing a new album next month) are most likely over. But a discography as vibrant as his still gives him all the right to present his crowds with “fielder’s choices,” meaning that he’ll throw out two songs, and he’ll perform whichever gets the most applause.
Yes, “Vienna” gave the boot to “This Is The Time.” “The Longest Time,” featuring a “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” warmup, won against its original album’s title track, “An Innocent Man.” An obvious choice of course, but a nice surprise addition nonetheless.
Billy doesn’t do full-fledged tours with back-to-back dates anymore. He plays one show a month, per his residency at Madison Square Garden, and he’ll often fly out to one or two different locations around the world a month. And since his last performance, which was January 7 at Madison Square Garden, the world has lost David Bowie, and Glenn Frey of the Eagles.
For the Starman, Joel and his flawless backing band launched into the chorus of “Rebel, Rebel,” admitting that they just learned it the morning of. As for the Eagle, who died earlier this week, there were two: A heartbreaking piano-and-microphone-only singalong of “Desparado,” and later, a ride through “Take It Easy” during a pause in “The River Of Dreams.”
Bowie and Frey weren’t the only people included in his dedications, though.
Normally, the point to live music is, well, as Joel once put it, “to forget about life for awhile.” But even the 66-year old New Yorker knows that the 2016 election is going to be one for the ages. 1975’s “The Entertainer” was dedicated to Republican nominee Donald Trump, and “New York State Of Mind” to Republican senator Ted Cruz. “These are my values, Ted.” Billy jabbed. Knowing the scarlet conservatism of Florida, part of me wonders how many people will never support Joel again after said “tributes.”
Before blasting into his electrifying, hit-scorched encore, Joel tore the house down all over again with the six-minute strong fan-favorite “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant,” and then capped up the main set with “Piano Man.” Despite every fan in the house howling the final chorus of perhaps his most iconic song back at him, what came next was what many bought the tickets for–“Uptown Girl,” “You May Be Right,” and “Big Shot,” just to name a few. Oh, and the snippet of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock And Roll” was a nice touch, as were Mike DelGuidice’s unyielding vocals on “Whole Lotta Love.”
“Turn off the news once in awhile!” Joel hollered after closer “Only The Good Die Young,” as opposed to his regular “Don’t take any shit from anybody” closing remark.
At the end of the day, it’s probably the best advice we’ll receive for another few years at least.
Josh Bradley Live 