Billy Joel stuns in MCG blockbuster in front of 76,300 fans
Melbourne’s love-in with Billy Joel has continued with hometown celebrities lining up to meet the Piano Man backstage at the MCG.
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Melbourne’s love-in with Billy Joel has continued with hometown celebrities lining up to meet the Piano Man backstage at the MCG.
Minogue and Pearce were spotted in the crowd with Noiseworks frontman Jon Stevens, but the former Neighbours stars were treated to VIP treatment in the sell-out tour’s inner sanctum.
Mushroom Group boss Matt Gudinski, his mother Sue, and sister Kate, were also backstage with Billy.
Joel, who is touring with his family, including wife Alexis Roderick, and their young daughters Della Rose and Remy Anne, is having a ball in Melbourne.
“Welcome to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. We are your house band for the night. We love being here. It’s great to be back,” he said at the MCG on Saturday night.
“We actually like being here because you guys speak a similar language to Americans. It’s almost English.”
Elsewhere, Joel has posted prolifically to his Instagram account, including fans pictures from the concert, and video of a tramload of punters, en route to the show, singing his 1972 hit Piano Man.
BILLY WOWS MCG ON EPIC NIGHT
It was a New York state of mind – and attitude – in the heart of Melbourne.
“I’m not doing that showbiz bullshit,” superstar Billy Joel said at the MCG on Saturday night.
“We are happy to be here. We love being here.”
But, before his two hour plus show of classics, hits and favourites, Joel had good news and bad news for the sell out crowd.
“The bad news is I haven’t put out anything new since 1993, so basically you’re gonna hear the same shit you heard last time,” Joel said, laughing.
“The good news is I haven’t put out anything new since 1993, so basically you’re gonna hear the same shit you heard last time.”
Of course, Joel has the ultimate luxury of a monumental music catalogue that stretches back 50 years, with hits including A Matter Of Trust, My Life, Just The Way You Are, We Didn’t Start The Fire, She’s Always A Woman, Pressure, Allentown, Only The Good Die Young, The River Of Dreams and, of course, his signature song, Piano Man.
And to the joy, elation and cheers of 76,300 punters at the MCG, Billy Joel and his band – Tommy Byrnes and Michael Delguidice (guitars), Carl Fischer and Mark Rivera (horns), Crystal Taliefero (percussion), Dave Rosenthal (keyboards) and Chuck Burgi (drums) — played them all.
Joel was in great spirits, and attempted a version of the Rolling Stones’ Start Me Up, complete with moves like Jagger, to prove he’s “not Mick Jagger.”
He also said An Innocent Man was his farewell to songs with high notes, before launching into that very song, and knocking it out of the park.
There were so many highlights, from the stadium-size singalong to Piano Man, to the knockout out punch of encores Uptown Girl, performed with Tina Arena, It Still Rock and Roll, and Big Shot, and finale, You May Be Right.
Joel also shared the spotlight with his players. Delguidice, took lead vocal on Puccini’s Nessun dorma, and Led Zeppelin’s Rock and Roll, and nailed both. Taliefero injected sassy soul into River Of Dreams with a powerful read on Tina Turner’s River Deep Mountain High.
Joel’s 1977 opus The Stranger provided standout moments, including the beautiful Vienna, Just The Way You Are, She’s Always A Woman, and the rocking stomp of Movin’ Out (Anthony Song).
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, also from The Stranger, was truly epic; a sprawling 7-minute journey of delectable storytelling, rock, pop and jazz.
Joel knew all too well which parts of his career hit the mark. When a roar erupted at the mention of his 1974’s Streetlife Serenade, Joel responded: “Don’t bulls--- me, you didn’t buy that album.”
The historic concert, and Joel’s only Australian show, was staged by Visit Victoria and Frontier Touring, as part of the statewide music program, Always Live.
Earlier in the day, Joel did a sound check at the stadium with a young child at his side reflecting the spirit of his shows these days.
In 2022, Joel tours at his own tempo, rarely leaving the US, or New York for that matter.
If he does, it’s a family affair.
Joel, 73, is in Melbourne with his young family, including wife Alexis Roderick, and their children Della Rose, 7, and Remy Anne, 5.
In fact, his daughters joined their proud father briefly on stage for a loving hug.
The concert coup at the MCG was also a commanding closer for Always Live, which launched in March with Foo Fighters, and featured Nick Cave, Dua Lipa and Crowded House, alongside 150 artists at 90 events across the state over the past two months.
The capacity crowd at the MCG included pop princess Kylie Minogue, music guru Molly Meldrum, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and footy legend Wayne Carey.
Victoria’s mood for a melody has been a massive boost for the state economy, and cemented Melbourne as the nation’s live music capital.
As for the headline act, The Piano Man had us feeling all right, outta sight, all night, and then some.
45 minutes until @billyjoel . Packed @MCG . I know so many people down from Sydney. Must be a massive boost to our economy. pic.twitter.com/crzANLbxZE
— Paul Bentley 😷 (@paulbentleymelb) December 10, 2022
MCG filling very quickly for @billyjoel.@tinaarena looking and sounding incredible as always! 😠pic.twitter.com/0sBVeVTaXQ
— Nic Caruso-Wishart (@ncarusowishart) December 10, 2022
BRAND NEW @tinaarena track called 'House' - debuted live at @billyjoel concert @MCG#Melbourne # pic.twitter.com/rRU8FbvKlt
— Lauren Saylor (@LozLoz1988) December 10, 2022
Joel played a show in Auckland, New Zealand, last weekend, and the set was packed with monumental music from a 50 year catalogue.
“It’s a mix of a few things,” Joel told the Herald Sun about choosing his set list. “You’ve got to do songs that people know. You can’t just do all your obscure album tracks because a lot of people may not know them.
“You’ve got to have a good amount of hits, but you’ve also got to do songs you like to do. It can’t just be what everybody else wants. It should be a good amount of what the band wants to play. There’s got to be some challenges once in a while, or else it becomes rote. You don’t want it to be too automatic. You’ve got to keep everybody on their toes.”
In Auckland, Joel’s concert included A Matter Of Trust, My Life, Just The Way You Are, She’s Always A Woman, Pressure, Allentown, Only The Good Die Young, The River Of Dreams and, of course, his signature song, Piano Man.
Clearly, Joel, 73, feels at home with massive scale performances.
He plays a monthly residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden, and performs regular stadium shows in neighbouring states.
“We’ve played in a lot of stadiums over the last 20 years. I’m used to it.” he said. “At first, it was strange playing outdoors in these gigantic places. I think we’ve got a handle on it at this point.”
Always Live chief executive Steve Smith said Billy Joel was always on the radar of the music program’s creator, late Mushroom Group boss Michael Gudinski.
“The first day MG briefed us, we knew Billy was going to be a part of it,” Mr Smith told the Herald Sun. “It’s tremendous to see it actually happening.”
Forty two per cent of the 71,500 people who attended Joel’s show on Saturday are from interstate, meaning a big boost for the local economy in ticket sales, and hotel, cafe, bar and restaurant patronage.
“It’s just extraordinary,” Mr Smith said.
The Victorian Government has committed more funding to Always Live in 2023.
“That support means we are able to go forward with confidence,” Mr Smith said.
“We’ve set the bar pretty high in 2022; we’ll have to come up with something very special in 2023.”
Meanwhile, Joel has made good on a promise to show Australia’s wildlife wonders to his young family.— Down Under.
Joel, his wife Alexis Roderick, and their daughters, Della Rose, 7, and Remy Anne, 5, have got up close and personal with koalas, snakes, emus and goannas.
His girls are also adore the Australian cartoon hit Bluey, and Joel said the beloved TV show influenced his decision to play a one-off show on the other side of the world.
“I’ve always wanted to take (Della Rose and Remy Anne) to Australia,” Joel told the Herald Sun in June.
“It’s a chance to show them something they may never see again. I figured, it’s for the kids.”
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