Billy Joel - Philips Arena, Atlanta - 03.01.07
Posted by Leah K. Baker on 03.05.2007
The Piano Man takes his act on the road. Again.
Arena-sized concerts aren't usually my cup of tea, but for a dude I grew up listening to, I made an exception and braved the overpriced beer and masses of people to catch him. I settled into my seat, which happened to be right in between the "good" seats and the "bad" seats, and I had an amazing view of the stage, which was completely open. It even had a rotating platform for Billy and his piano so that all the attendees could catch him from every angle as he belted out each note. Speaking of belting out each note, the sound was phenomenal. It was crystal clear, and it's obvious that throughout the years, Joel hasn't lost his ability to sing the way fans listening are used to hearing him.
Joel made jokes about his age and longevity in between songs, and showed that he has only aged in appearance when he jumped up and danced around, complete with the whole microphone stand kick technique. There were tons of lights that emphasized each song, and all you could hear in the background of Joel's performance was a giant sing-along of everyone in the packed out arena. As far as who was there, it varied. There were older folks, sure, but there was also a large slew of individuals who weren't even born when Joel was in his prime.
That may be the reason his set list stuck to the classic songs that fans anticipate hearing. Even though two hours couldn't possibly cover all the greats in his catalog, he still managed to hit favorites like "My Life," "Just the Way You Are," "New York State of Mind," "You May Be Right," "Allentown," and "It's Still Rock and Roll." He even played "We Didn't Start the Fire." Of course, with an entertainer of this caliber, an encore was imperative, and this one had everyone pouring out of the arena with a smile on their face. Joel came back out after the last song and played three songs that included "Only the Good Die Young," "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant," and lastly, "Piano Man."
This show was worth every hard earned cent I managed to collect to attend. I highly suggest it.
The 411: Billy Joel may be past his prime, but you could never tell it from his performance. All the classics are played to a large, possibly sold out, crowd and do not disappoint followers of the Piano Man. The sound is pleasing to the ear, and the visual of Joel bouncing around on stage like a young kid is enough for you to drop your dough on tickets.
