Billy Joel Concerts
-
This was the set as best as I can remember it! My Life Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) Everybody Loves You Now (Unknown instrumental) Where's The Orchestra Allentown The Downeaster Alexa New York State Of Mind The Great Wall Of China Vienna Zanzibar Uptown Girl Big Girls Don't Cry (Partial) Don't Ask Me Why She's Always A Woman Blonde Over Blue Scenes From An Italian Restaurant The River Of Dreams Piano Man We Didn't Start The Fire It's Still Rock And Roll To Me You May Be Right Only The Good Die Young
-
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it Chris! Was that enough hits for ya? ...was the instrumental by chance, Root Beer Rag?
-
WixRocks!:
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it Chris! Was that enough hits for ya? ...was the instrumental by chance, Root Beer Rag?
Plenty of hits in there! Loved it. Enjoyed the off the cuff Franki Valli cover! This was the instrumental
I believe Uptown Girl was in it's original key too which was a real treat! Looks like I got the set slightly wrong... My Life Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) Everybody Loves You Now Where's The Orchestra Allentown The Downeaster Alexa Air (Dublineswue) New York State Of Mind The Great Wall Of China Zanzibar Vienna Uptown Girl Big Girls Don't Cry (Partial) Don't Ask Me Why She's Always A Woman Blonde Over Blue Scenes From An Italian Restaurant The River Of Dreams Respect (Partial) Piano Man We Didn't Start The Fire It's Still Rock And Roll To Me You May Be Right Only The Good Die Young -
cfergoid:
I believe Uptown Girl was in its original key too which was a real treat!
according to this recording of 'uptown girl' from the concert -
Billy was close, doing it half note lower (in E♭major instead of the original Emajor), which is great, since most of the live shows since 2000 have had him doing so many songs whole notes and sometimes note + 1/2 lower, as you would know from following him also. for example in this same show in Dublin, he did 'my life' in C#major instead of the original Dmajor , 'new york state of mind' in A#major instead of Cmajor and 'she's always a woman to me' in Dmajor instead of D#major. 'we didn't start the fire' was in the original Gmajor though. -
Thanks, I thought it was in the original key when I was at the show! His voice was great throughout!
-
no problem apparently his band tunes down (well at least the bassist and guitarist) to play the same things but with the tuned-down strings so for 'uptown girl' for example, the bassist could give the 'illusion' that he is playing an open E note on the bass for the opening of the song, and that being the lowest note throughout, while it is really an open D# being served up but yes, Billy is in great form even with 1/2 or 1 note step downs
-
cfergoid:
Wow...what a musician!! His band are incredible!!
Was at the Hammersmith Apollo last night to see Billy and it was terrific, plus i was in the 5th row which was a bonus too. The setlist was similar to yours Chris bar 2 differing songs. Billy Joel Set List - Hammersmith Apollo, London, November 5, 2013 My Life Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) Everybody Loves You Now Where's The Orchestra Allentown Pressure New York State Of Mind She's Right On Time Vienna The Downeaster 'Alexa' She's Always A Woman Don't Ask Me Why Uptown Girl Blonde Over Blue Scenes From An Italian Restaurant The River Of Dreams Piano Man We Didn't Start The Fire It's Still Rock And Roll To Me You May Be Right Only The Good Die Young
-
Glad you had as good a time as I did! I see you guys didn't get Zanzibar, I must admit I would have missed that one...it was amazing! If I could add one Billy Joel song that he didn't play into the set it would probably be Seen the Lights Go Down on Broadway...was a bit disappointed he didn't play that. I would have dumped Where's the Orchestra! Aren't his band just something else? The harmonies were jaw droppingly good!
-
cfergoid:
Glad you had as good a time as I did! I see you guys didn't get Zanzibar, I must admit I would have missed that one...it was amazing! If I could add one Billy Joel song that he didn't play into the set it would probably be Seen the Lights Go Down on Broadway...was a bit disappointed he didn't play that. I would have dumped Where's the Orchestra! Aren't his band just something else? The harmonies were jaw droppingly good!
We did get Zanzibar but not Downeaster Alexa so it was an error from Billy's website the set. I also was sad he didn't play Miami 2017 ( Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway) as he played it in Manchester. I would have loved Summer Highland Falls too, but with his vast catalogue there will always be songs fans will miss being played. His voice is in much better shape than Paul's too. Just found this mean article about Billy, the journo obviously has a blind spot with him. http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_spectator/2009/01/the_worst_pop_singer_ever.html
-
While I do still agree that Billy's voice is in better shape...keep in mind that Billy is almost 10 years younger than Paul...AND...he drops every single song that he performs at least a half step (sometimes a whole step) on stage.
-
WixRocks!:
While I do still agree that Billy's voice is in better shape...keep in mind that Billy is almost 10 years younger than Paul...AND...he drops every single song that he performs at least a half step (sometimes a whole step) on stage.
That's true and Paul has also toured more to wear his voice out too and recorded a lot more also.
-
You gotta compare Billy's voice to Paul's at Glastonbury 2004 for a fair comparison. How the hell can that journalist say those things!? Ok, his catalogue isn't flawless but bloody hell, the best stuff is incredible!
-
See that Billy's set has altered slightly from when I saw him in 2006, where he didn't play songs such as Blonde over Blue, She's right on time, Where's the Orchestra and Pressure, he played Just the way you are, The Entertainer, An Innocent Man,The Downeaster Alexa and Big Shot to name a few. Seemed to recall it was a fairly small band he had but they were outstanding. For me Scenes from an IR and Piano Man are my fav's from him, songwriting at its highest level imo.
-
That one line from Scenes "You and I, Face to face" I get chills every time!
-
BOYCIE:
WixRocks!:
While I do still agree that Billy's voice is in better shape...keep in mind that Billy is almost 10 years younger than Paul...AND...he drops every single song that he performs at least a half step (sometimes a whole step) on stage.
That's true and Paul has also toured more to wear his voice out too and recorded a lot more also.
Really? It seems like Billy Joel has been perpetually on the road since the '90s.
-
audi:
BOYCIE:
WixRocks!:
While I do still agree that Billy's voice is in better shape...keep in mind that Billy is almost 10 years younger than Paul...AND...he drops every single song that he performs at least a half step (sometimes a whole step) on stage.
That's true and Paul has also toured more to wear his voice out too and recorded a lot more also.
Really? It seems like Billy Joel has been perpetually on the road since the '90s.
Not really at all! After The River of Dreams Tour in '93 he embarked on the first Face2Face tour with Elton John in '94...then spent much of the 90's doing Master Classes with other short and sporadic Face2Face tours in '98 and '01 (those years could be slightly off)...he did several dates in the late 90's leading up to the Millennium concert at MSG...then he disappeared for a little while and got clean in the early 00's...sort of made a "comeback" in 2005-8...another Face2Face in '09 (probably the last considering the bad blood it created in the end) and he's been silent on the touring plane since then!
-
WixRocks!:
cfergoid:
WixRocks!:
cfergoid:
Going to see Billy tomorrow night!
The setlist is pretty excellent! I won't spoil it. But there are some VERY deep cuts. I really hope he tours this show in the states next year.
Can't wait, I have to admit I want the show to be everything we moan about at Paul shows...hits hits hits!
If you haven't listened to it in its entirety, I recommend purchasing "The Nylon Curtain" album...a surprisingly large amount from an album that has been overlooked by most of his career...until now.
Absolutely. Probably my favourite of his albums. The Hammersmith Show was amazing. If anyone is interested, check out my review here - http://musicwritingsportslife.blogspot.co.uk/ What was everyone's highlight?
-
How do you guys like "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Second Wind" or 'Don't Forget Your Second Wind'--two of Billy's that just popped into my mind, they made an impression and haven't been mentioned here. Paul Simon once complained that many of Joel's songs sound "unfinished" to him.
-
SusyLuvsPaul:
How do you guys like "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Second Wind" or 'Don't Forget Your Second Wind'--two of Billy's that just popped into my mind, they made an impression and haven't been mentioned here. Paul Simon once complained that many of Joel's songs sound "unfinished" to him.
I like We Didn't Start The Fire, though it has become very overplayed and overused. I don't really care for the other one.....but I care even less about what Paul Simon has to say.
-
I know...some have said that about some of Macca's songs, the "unfinished" jibe. "Second Wind" has a noble intention behind its theme--to help save teenagers' lives--they have a fairly high suicide rate Also to help save anyone's life who is thinking about killing themselves, but especially teens, they were shown in the video for that song.