Fradam

Billy Joel. It’s near 24 hours later, and I am still reeling from the performance; I know not what I expected, but whatever it was, it certainly was not what I got. The word ‘Entertainer’ is more than simply the title of one of his songs — that is simply what he is. A year shy of 60 had nary an effect on any part of the concert (aside from a few more wrinkles on the face than I imagined, but it happens) - he was not glued to the seat, and carried himself with a verve that would make someone half his age jealous.

What sets Billy Joel apart from others is that in a career spanning decades, he knows exactly how to put a smile on the face of his audience. Experience borne from the time playing as a piano man probably plays a large part in that - and I suspect the crowd at Acer Arena was overall easier to please than those who were sharing a drink called loneliness. He certainly had us forgetting about life for a while!

Thanks to Sammie for the photo!

The lighting technicians looked like they were having the time of their life in the concert - even if some of their work was brought into question. The first thing Billy did at the concert was remind everyone in his New Yorker drawl that everyone was equal in the concert - in that at some point, or in some way, we all had bad seats… but that was okay, since he needed money from the sale of even those nosebleed seats. Even those who shelled out $349 for the front section had cause for alarm since there was a veiled reference to the sheer number of lighting rigs that lay directly above their heads. Hello sword of Damocles!

Here are some random thoughts from the concert:

- Billy is highly skilled with a microphone stand: he could throw, catch and spin it with any combination of limbs. He can also accidentally throw the stand into the audience. Oooops. The $349 tickets never seemed so worthwhile.
 - Just the way you are.. I love that song so much. Mmmm He also explained the back story to the song. I need one of those memory-wiping devices from Men in Black now.
- Jamie and Burnsie standing up for River of Dreams, only to get literally pulled right back into their seats by the lady behind them! How rude. Especially considering she was assaulting Jamie with her knees for the duration of the concert.
- Billy introduced a song as “a song you may have heard in church”. The opening guitar riff immediately identified it - Highway to Hell. That’s right. Most unexpected song, ever. Billy played guitar for it, and one of his guitar roadies of 30 years sang - and to his credit, I thought the guy did a pretty fine job at it too.
- Burnsie knowing all the words to We didn’t start the fire. JFK blown away what else do I have to say! So so impressed.
 - She’s always a woman to me. Just wow. I think even Billy was surprised with the amount of the audience that sang along with him; he drew away from the microphone temporarily just to sway and listen to the sound of it all.
 - Christmas in Fallujah. I’d not heard this before the concert, but learnt it was released last year. If you’ve not heard it, have a listen / look. Quite a powerful song..
- How do you get a lot of Australians to sing a song together? Waltzing Matilda began the second encore - he didn’t sing, but just played and listened.
 - Piano Man - the song of his life and one of my favourites .. just a magical way to finish the concert off; especially wonderful to share it with friends that love it too!

So, I’m still on quite the high (and was for most of the day at work..), and that has been only fuelled further with the news of the Face to Face concerts starting up again. That’s right, Billy Joel and Elton John together once more. Apparently it will be late 2009/2010 till they get Down Under.. but I am so there. If anyone else is keen, please say so!