I’m in a Lengthy Island frame of mind.
Two of that space’s most outstanding natives shared the Madison Sq. Backyard highlight Thursday when Billy Joel welcomed Jerry Seinfeld to the stage in the course of the one hundredth live performance of his month-to-month residency on the iconic venue.
“I’m from Lengthy Island, like Billy is from Lengthy Island,” Seinfeld instructed the gang of the suburban New York upbringing shared by the comic and Piano Man. “He captured how all of us really feel dwelling on this specific a part of the world. Lengthy Island. New York. He’s just like the companion that we’ve gone via our complete lives with. His music is our greatest good friend for our complete life.”
That is why, as soon as a month for a lot of the final decade, the common crowd has shuffled in to see Joel carry out the identical hits below the identical roof. Every of these 100 exhibits has been a promote out — as have each different Joel live performance on the Backyard since his first on Dec. 14, 1978 for a complete of 146 and counting.
“100 sellouts in a row. Congratulations, Billy,” Seinfeld stated whereas presenting a banner to commemorate the milestone. “Most lifetime performances by any artist. You possibly can die now.”
Thursday’s live performance differed from all of the others as a result of it is going to change into the primary of Joel’s profession to be broadcast on community tv — with CBS airing “The one hundredth: Billy Joel at Madison Sq. Backyard – The Biggest Area Run of All Time” on April 14.
“We’re all on TV tonight,” Joel, carrying a leather-based blazer over a black shirt, instructed the gang. “So, hope you dressed for it.”
The cameras had been rolling to seize one of many remaining exhibits within the residency after Joel introduced final yr that the run, which started in January 2014, would finish in July.
Lighting grew to become one thing of a theme, from the added spotlights within the stands, to the musically synchronized light-up wristbands offered to the 20,000 followers in attendance, to the set record itself. Joel opened the present with “Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)” and later carried out the most recent track in his intensive catalog with “Flip the Lights Again On” — which he launched in February as his first single in 17 years.
He then introduced out his solely musical visitor of the night, Sting, for duets on Joel’s “Massive Man on Mulberry Avenue” and The Police basic “Each Little Factor She Does is Magic.”
Joel has commonly invited A-list performers to make shock appearances in the course of the residency, despite the fact that he is aware of that it’s he they’ve been coming to see to neglect about life for some time. For Joel’s one hundredth profession present on the Backyard in 2018, Bruce Springsteen made a cameo to carry out his hits “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” and “Born to Run.”
Olivia Rodrigo in 2022 carried out her track “Deja Vu” – which references Joel within the lyrics – after which partnered with him on “Uptown Woman.” Paul Simon and Miley Cyrus joined Joel in 2017 for an unlikely collaboration on “You Could Be Proper.” Brian Johnson, the lead singer of AC/DC, shook the Backyard with Joel throughout a 2014 efficiency of “You Shook Me All Evening Lengthy.”
Different company have included John Mellencamp, Tony Bennett, Patty Smyth, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, Foreigner’s Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, John Fogerty, Elvis Costello, Bryan Adams, John Mayer and others.
There have been on-stage movie star appearances by Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Bacon, Mark Messier, Jon Stewart and Kevin James, and performances by Joel’s three daughters Alexa Rae, Della Rose and Remy Anne.
For the one hundredth present of a historic residency that has performed out in his personal yard, Joel invited a neighbor. Seinfeld not solely grew up in the identical county as Joel, he at the moment lives in his former home, having bought the Piano Man’s East Hampton mansion almost 25 years in the past.
“And I need to thanks for getting my home,” Joel instructed Seinfeld as he left the stage. “That was a pleasant factor to do.”
