Billy Joel Bids Goodbye To The Madison Square Garden On The 150th Show; Accompanied By His Daughters

Reflecting on a historic run

I look back on the past decade with awe, marveling at how we managed to sustain this incredible journey. It’s hard to believe we didn’t know then that we would last this long. This experience has undeniably been the most extraordinary endeavor of my life.

The musician reflected on some notable concerts from his five-decade long musical journey. Among these memorable experiences were: playing as the first group in Yankee Stadium, being the last band to perform at Shea Stadium, performing in Berlin on the historic night the Berlin Wall fell, being the first American band to give a full concert in the Soviet Union, and being the first band to play in Cuba after Castro took power. We played in front of a crowd of half a million people in Rome’s Colosseum, and the food was an added bonus. However, this particular performance stands out as the best among them all.

Joel gave a lengthy performance of around an hour and a half, playing popular numbers such as “New York State of Mind,” “Uptown Girl,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” “Only the Good Die Young,” and “Piano Man.”

During his performance, Joel appeared joyful and amused himself with age-related quips. Additionally, he displayed strong emotions and dedicated the 1986 ballad “This Is The Time” to his wife Alexis Roderick, shouting out to his band in the process.

Despite this, it was Joel’s daughters, Della Rose (8) and Remy Anne (6), who drew the most attention as they came up on stage wearing matching outfits to give him a warm embrace during his award presentation.

An emotional goodbye

As a lifestyle expert looking back on things, I must share with you an exciting piece of news. Eight months have passed since legendary artist Joel made the announcement about wrapping up his residency at Madison Square Garden. In his statement, he shared that his team suggested they could keep selling tickets, but neither of us ever imagined it would last for ten years and a grand total of 150 shows! Can you believe it? What an incredible musical journey it has been.

In December 1978, the musician held his first live performance at the venue and declared it the peak of his career. He expressed his gratitude towards his fans for their unwavering support. “This is difficult for me to conclude,” he shared. “After performing 150 times in my lifetime, I cannot express enough appreciation for this incredible experience.”

I have had the privilege of following Joel’s music career for decades, and I must admit, his dedication to his craft has consistently left me in awe. The fact that he set a new record in 2006 by performing for an astonishing 104 nights straight is nothing short of remarkable. This feat, which still holds the title as the most extended performance run in history, speaks volumes about Joel’s unwavering commitment to entertaining his fans.

After the last notes were played and the curtain dropped, Billy Joel left an indelible mark in the annals of Madison Square Garden. To him, this wasn’t just any stage, but rather a place he fondly referred to as his home.