| BILLY JOEL PROVES HE'S ALL ABOUT SOUL (SHS Courier, 1999) On Nov. 12, the crowd at Gund Arena was in the mood for some melodies, and Billy Joel had everyone feeling alright. Taking the stage fashionably late at 8:25, Joel opened with a rousing version of "You May Be Right." What followed was two hours of 19 songs including back-to-back hits, rarities and comic relief from the man who has been known as everything from "The Entertainer" to "The Stranger." After the first song, Liberty DeVitto, Joel's long-time friend and drummer, stole the microphone from Joel to congratulate him on his upcoming induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The crowd erupted into a standing ovation and Joel humbly accepted the honor. In addition to DeVitto, Joel brought with him a strong band including Crystal Taliefero on percussion and saxophone, Tommy Byrnes on guitar, David Santos on the saxophone, Dave Rosenthal on keyboards and Michael Mellet on backing vocals. The original concert was scheduled for Sept. 30, but Joel canceled due to asthmatic complications he developed while touring in Europe with Elton John on their "Face to Face" tour. But his voice is as strong as ever now. "This is a song I wrote for my second ex-wife," Joel joked before going into an amazing rendition of "An Innocent Man." It was evident that Joel's voice has recovered, as he hit every high note and falsetto, and the crowd roared in approval with emphatic applause and cheering. When "I Go To Extremes" began with Joel's signature howl, the crowd leapt to its feet. Ever the showman, Joel pulled out all the tricks of the trade, pounding the piano with fevered abandon, kicking the bench a la Jerry Lee Lewis and ending with a foot atop the piano. Joel kept his cool when technical difficulties prevented him from playing "Sometimes a Fantasy." "I never liked that song anyway!" he said. He then bounded down stage with an electric guitar and invited the audience to sing along to "We Didn't Start The Fire," a 50-year lesson about the highs and lows of the 20th century from a man who once aspired to be a history teacher. For "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me," Joel crept out from behind the piano and sang while twirling the microphone, dropping it only to catch it with his foot and kicking it back up just in time for him to sing. But one time, Joel's timing was off and the mic hit the floor with a loud "thud." The band played on, and Joel shouted, "I meant to do that!" Another high point of the concert included the tender ballad Joel rarely plays in concert, "Summer, Highland Falls" from the Turnstiles album. The epic "Goodnight Saigon" followed by "Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)" inspired many to ignite their lighters to pay homage to these great songs. During the long break in the gospel-inspired "River of Dreams," Joel teased the audience with pseudo starts until he finally launched into the chorus. "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" was classic as always, with lights of red, white and green to enhance the famed story of Brenda and Eddie and their misguided young love. The crowd coaxed Joel and the band into playing three encore sets, including the songs "Keeping The Faith," "Big Shot" and "Only The Good Die Young." But this wasn't enough to appease the audience. Through a sea of little flames, deafening cheers and hands numb from clapping, Joel emerged once again with harmonica in hand, sat down at the grand piano and played what the audience had been waiting for�"Piano Man." The crowd reacted with such enthusiasm that it blossomed into a massive sing-along. Joel was dressed simply in a dark gray suit. No costume changes, no make-up, no gimmicks and no moshing. Just pure rock 'n' roll from a regular guy from Long Island that had to learn how to box so he could attend piano lessons without getting beat up. Utterly apparent at the show, Joel's lyrics rival Bob Dylan's story-telling talent, and his melodies can stand up with the best tunesmiths of the twentieth century. However, last year Joel announced that he's leaving pop music behind for his other love - classical composition. Just as Joel sings in his 1980 hit, his fans share the same notion. �It�s the next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways it�s still rock and roll to me.� |
| "If you said goodbye to me tonight, there would still be music left to write..." ~ Billy Joel |
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