“We’re all on TV tonight!” Billy Joel (Piano Man)  quipped from behind his baby grand piano to the sold-out seats at Madison Square Garden. Clad in a sharp leather jacket and blue jeans, the 78 year-old artist took the stage- breaking his own record for most consecutive performances at the famed venue. The concert, which was filmed by CBS on March 28th, marked Joel’s 100th performance at Madison Square Garden. Initially aired on April 14th, viewers of the performance were outraged when the broadcast abruptly ended in the middle of the singer’s biggest hit, the iconic “Piano Man.” The network promptly apologized for the mistake, citing a miscalculation of airtime as the issue. On Friday, April 19, CBS rebroadcast the show without error. Following his opening numbers of “Miami 2017” and “My Life,” Joel welcomed fellow Long Island native, comedian Jerry Seinfeld on stage. 

“…[T]here’s three things that make Billy the musical genius that he is: the voice, the music [and] the writing,”  Seinfeld said, taking center stage. “But there’s another thing about Billy that makes him so unique and so special is that he captured how we all feel living in this particular part of the world…he’s like the companion that we’ve gone through our whole lives with. His music is like our best friend. I don’t even think he can understand how much his music means to us, being from where we are; so tonight, we are going to commemorate the hundredth consecutive sellout at Madison Square Garden with a banner. Congratulations, Billy.” The comedian perfectly encapsulated the emotions of everyone who has followed Joel’s career, emphasizing his music’s ability to touch the hearts of many. He stood beside the star as a large blue banner was being raised into the heights of Madison Square Garden bearing “Billy Joel: Most Lifetime Performances of Any Artist” next to a 100 in big white letters. Later on, Sting joined the seasoned performer on the stage. Together they sang Joel’s “Big Man on Mulberry Street,” and “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” from Sting’s band The Police. Along with these two unique additions to the lineup, Joel also included songs of his that he does not typically perform. These included a song dedicated to his oldest daughter, Alexa Ray Joel (“The Downeaster Alexa”), and “Half A Mile Away.” The unique set list had viewers and concertgoers on their feet, singing along to every word and cheering for every trill of each key on Joel’s beloved Steinway. 

The atmosphere was bubbling with love and respect for the 74-year-old rockstar. Joel beamed with pride the entire broadcast, showing off his masterful vocals and pianist abilities. A lifetime of dedication and passion was carried throughout the venue by his agelessly rich voice and captivated the audience. Joel kept everyone entertained with dance moves, his clever sense of humor, and his contagious energy. Despite being the least-watched Sunday Primetime on CBS, the concert still raked in 5.7 million views when it was re-broadcast, a testament to the love America holds for the insanely talented musician.

Image by WTKR News 3 via YouTube