Billy Joel
Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
May 9, 2007
On his 58th birthday, wearing a sport coat and jeans and bald shiny head, Billy Joel took the stage at the acoustic marvel known as Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN, ready to rock the sold-out crowd of 19,000 for two and half hours and put his U.S. tour to bed before heading to the U.K.
But just as the first notes of “Angry Young Man” were tickled on his center stage piano, the house lights came up and the already drunken 30-40 year old, “Happy B-day Billy” sign-holding, probably spent too much for their tickets crowd sang the first song of the evening.
A visually shaken Joel took in the praise and then launched straight into “AYM” and a reserved first half of the show behind a grand piano. As he kicked off the next song with a shout out to various areas in the arena (Duluth, Rochester and Wayzata), we were highly impressed with his pronunciation of Eau Claire, even if he was reading off a piece of paper taped to his piano.
Apart from a few shout outs to Bob Dylan (”Lay Lady Lay” and “Like a Rolling Stone”), Joel played the majority of his Top 10 hits from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, often citing the album and year for each. “All My Life,” his first new pop song in 14 years, didn’t make the setlist.
The second half of the show featured a more relaxed, surprisingly spry and ornery Joel as he danced, strutted and improvised some microphone aerobatics. Yes, in case you were wondering, Billy Joel’s piano talents are shockingly incredible at 58, his voice is still butter rich, and his personality still makes the hoochie college girls swoon.
Joel’s backing band was made up of professional multi-instrumentalists – mostly from New York (obviously). Of note were the multiple sax trio solos and a last stop of the tour special — Chainsaw the guitar roadie getting his big break singing AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” while Joel strutted the catwalk with his guitar.
As we think back on the show, we’re struck by the sheer amount of solid songwriting rooted in 1) influenced yet influential melodies, 2) 16 bar guitar solos with a purpose and 3) highly positive lyrical messaging.
In the age of sampling, American Idol and payola, it’s so refreshing to enjoy an evening of music that encourages one to have a drink (note: a drink [or two]), throw your arms around your neighbor and sing along to a strong, catchy melody sung by a stellar songwriter.
We fear the new generation of singer/songwriters will never measure up, but we hope they prove us wrong.
Setlist: May 9, 2007, Saint Paul, MN
- Angry Young Man
- My Life
- Everybody Loves You Now
- Lay Lady Lay
- The Entertainer
- Ballad of Billy the Kid
- Allentown
- Zanzibar
- New York State of Mind
- Root Beer Rag
- Movin’ Out
- Stand By Me
- Innocent Man
- Don’t Ask Me Why
- She’s Always a Woman
- Keeping the Faith
- River of Dreams
- Highway to Hell (feat. Chainsaw, the roadie)
- We Didn’t Start the Fire
- Big Shot
- It’s Still Rock n Roll To Me
- You May Be Right
ENCORE #1
- Scenes from Italian Restaurant
ENCORE #2
- Only the Good Die Young
ENCORE #3
- Like a Rolling Stone
- Piano Man
