The Scene: About a year ago, Elton John was performing in front of a sold out crowd at the Pepsi Center. But this past Wednesday evening, it was yet another piano man who stole the show, and the hearts of every Denverite lucky enough to be there. Yes, Billy Joel was in town. The New-York bred musician brought people of all ages together, all of whom could be heard cheering and swooning like preteens at a Taylor Swift concert. The scene was pleasant and the arena was filled with people who were giddy to see the wonderful Entertainer.
Billy Joel: Mr. Joel was welcomed on stage by a loud round of applause from his fans. He gracefully nodded and waved, then took a seat at his piano—a familiar position for him. He opened with “The Natural,” a Randy Newman cover but busted right into the wonderfully produced single, “Big Shot.” This was quickly followed by the 1978 Joel classic, “My Life.” After he finished up this fantastic performance, he joked around by name-checking his friend and fellow entertainer, Elton John. He revealed that he would be paying homage to “the other guy” by queuing up the first few notes of “Your Song.” Cue the 18,000 person singalong! The rest of the night was filled with hit after hit as Joel serenaded us with songs like “Vienna”, a few bars of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and “The Longest Time.” Fan favorite “The Entertainer” was dedicated to the GOP’s current goofball, Donald Trump. The crowd erupted in laughter. Billy definitely has a witty side to him and an impeccable delivery. Watch out, Stephen Colbert.
Joel and his band made sure to incorporate covers into his act. Hits like Joe Walsh’s “Rocky Mountain Way” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” were guaranteed crowd pleasers and proved Billy’s rock-n-roll roots. That Joel was, and still is, a true master of the piano, his unbelievably talented cast of musicians truly stole the show at times. There were about eight musicians on that stage, many being multi-instrumentalists and vocalists. My personal favorite was saxophonist, Mark Rivera. I’d see him solo any day. Following Rivera, I would say “Chainsaw” was a great addition to the groups take on “Highway to Hell.” The guitar technician and roadie came out on stage with great force and it literally sounded like Brian Johnson had just come out on stage—it was mind-blowing.
The 27-song set wrapped-up with a take on “River Of Dreams” (that included an ode to Colorado in the form of a “Rocky Mountain High” tease) followed by “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” and “Piano Man.” As he thanked the audience, Joel exited the stage with his band. After just a couple minutes of hearty applause, they returned to the stage for four more songs including “Uptown Girl,” “It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me,” “You May be Right,” and “Only the Good Die Young.” It was truly a night to remember, filled with classics and goosebumps galore. If you haven’t seen Billy Joel in concert, put it on your bucket list! Until next time, Billy.
Energy: A+
Musicianship: A+
Sound: A
Stage Presence: A+
Set/Light Show: A-
Overall: A+
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