Billy still has it
Last month I had the honor of attending the Billy Joel concert at St. Paul’s Xcel Center.
I had seen him perform a number of years ago at the old Saint Paul Convention Center. Although, this time he was more mellow and didn’t leap from one piano to another arranged on different platform levels like he did in the olden days. But I’m happy to say Billy Joel still has it.
From the second his lighting crew climbed rope-like ladders to the ceiling’s center, the crowd was jazzed.The concert opened with the audience singing a surprise happy birthday to him. Joel turned to the band and gave them a playful gesture involving the third digit on his hand. Come on. You know what I mean.
Billy didn’t disappoint. Although, when he took his place at the piano, he introduced himself as Billy Joel’s dad. “Billy couldn’t make it tonight,” he said. Yes, he has gained some weight and his hair is scant, but he’s still Billy. And, by gosh, he sure can bang out a tune on the piano.
His fans were going crazy, dancing and singing along to his music that has transcended decades. “Italian Restaurant.” “Angry Young Man.” “Allentown.” Women of all ages stood and mobbed the front of the stage to get a piece of the action.
The show was low-tech. The only thing going on was that his piano rotated in a small circle. But he didn’t need all the flash. “That’s as high tech as we get,” he said. His music and his fabulous band was all that was needed. They exuded high energy. upbeat music. Running around the stage, playing a bunch of different instruments, flugelhorns, saxes, etc. Billy also did a hot imitation of Bob Dylan.
For one of his encores he played “Piano Man.” The lights went out and a plethora of cellphones luminated the arena. The lights waved in time to the music. So much for lighters.
A few days later, I watched a concert Billy Joel performed in Russia in about 1985. That’s when he was married to Christie Brinkley. (Yes, she was at the Russia concert with their daughter.) He played pretty much the same songs that he played last month. His songs have substance to have lasted for so long in an era where a stream of rappers and rockers come and go. This time he donned a pair of sunglasses and did a perfect imitation of Ray Charles. If you closed your eyes and listened, it sounded just like him.
Joel took off his shoes and surfed a mosh pit while singing. He didn’t miss a beat. The Russian audience couldn’t get enough of him.
I’m hoping some day he’ll return to the area. His music just keeps getting better. It’s like that song title, I believe by Peter Allen, “Everything Old is New Again.”
Oh yeh, he did end his last month’s concert with his signature statement “Don’t take any *** from anybody!”