Billy Joel, 75, surprises commuters as he hops on a train to Cardiff for his first ever gig in the Welsh capital
As I read through this heartwarming article, it filled me with a sense of nostalgia and admiration for Billy Joel, a musician who has not only left an indelible mark on music but also on family values. His performances at Madison Square Garden have been nothing short of legendary, spanning over a decade and culminating in a record-breaking 150th lifetime performance.
As a diehard fan, I leaped at the opportunity to join Billy Joel on his historic journey to Cardiff, the Welsh capital, marking his first-ever performance there. In typical humble fashion, he boarded a train, making it clear that even a music legend like him is as grounded as we fans dream him to be.
On Friday, during the London Paddington to Cardiff train ride, the 75-year-old American musician-composer, dressed casually, took a friendly photo with an employee from Great Western Railway.
On X, previously recognized as Twitter, Great Western Railway expressed their delight: “We had a blast bringing ‘Piano Man’ Billy Joel uptown to Cardiff today for his one European show. Wales, get ready to rock!”
On special occasions, Great Western Railway allows fans the unique opportunity to journey alongside the main character of the show.
A representative from Great Western Railway informed the BBC: “Upon arriving at Cardiff, the fans disembarked the train, but discovered the main attraction was already ahead of them.”
The sold-out Principality Stadium concert is the artist’s only performance in Europe this year.
Over 70,000 spectators flocked to the stadium come Friday night, resulting in the complete shutdown of the city center’s roads.
Furthermore, the crowd was not left unsatisfied, as the Pianist graciously invited his inaugural audience in the Musical Realm to participate along with him.
In my decades-long career, I’ve graced numerous stages across the globe, but today marks a unique and long-awaited moment for me – performing in the captivating landscape of Wales for the very first time after 55 years!
It seems that the Welsh are known for their love of singing, so if you fancy joining in, don’t worry about bothering the person nearby. Go ahead and sing your heart out; let’s make this a joyful occasion together!
Billy, renowned as one of the top-selling musicians in American music charts, is particularly recognized for hits such as Piano Man, Uptown Girl, and We Didn’t Start the Fire.
His upcoming concert at the Principality Stadium is part of a series of events held recently by well-known personalities such as Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Pink, and the Foo Fighters.
Just as certain stars choose to perform in a city’s heart before making their grand entrance, Billy infused his act with a touch of Welsh charm. He shared with the audience the catchy refrain of “Green Green Grass of Home,” a song famously sung by Tom Jones.
He joked to the audience: ‘I didn’t write that one, but I wish I did.’
During his Tom Jones tribute, the audience enthusiastically participated in a lively call-and-response rendition of “What’s New Pussycat?” later on in the night.
Billy confessed: ‘I don’t know the words’ before laughing and saying ‘I know the pussycat bit.’
After that, the audience joined in a lively rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, followed by Billy showcasing his popular song, The Longest Time.
The singer also welcomed his daughters Della Rose, eight, and Remy Anne, six, onto the stage.
With a sweet voice, Della called to the audience, urging them, “Let’s go, Cardiff,” while Remy perched on his father’s piano.
In the month of July, Billy concluded his decade-long tenure at Madison Square Garden in New York City with an unforgettable show.
The show signified both the conclusion of Joel’s decade-long tenure as resident artist at the World’s Most Renowned Arena and a milestone, being his 150th career performance there, breaking the record for any artist at that historic location.
In the end, it became a heartwarming family event for the singer. His friends, including Jimmy Fallon, invited his daughters onto the stage to assist in revealing a tribute banner honoring him for breaking new ground with his remarkable television show.
As I found myself seated behind the piano, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of pride and joy. My daughter, Della, was captivating the audience with her powerful vocals and graceful dance moves. Every note she sang, every move she made, caused a smile to spread across my face, reflecting the deep love and admiration I hold for this incredible talent that is mine to witness.
Remy, his other daughter, watched the show intimately from the edge of her father’s piano bench. Interestingly, she was wearing a matching burgundy minidress with her elder sister, who was also dressed in this vibrant attire.
Billy shares his daughters with his fourth wife Alexis Roderick, 42, whom he married in 2015.
He also has another daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, 36, who he shares with ex-wife Christie Brinkley, 70.
The evening was filled with Joel performing numerous hits such as Pressure, Allentown, Only The Good Die Young, Piano Man, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, and Big Shot, along with several others.
Additionally, he invited Axl Rose, the lead vocalist of Guns N’ Roses, to perform a rendition of the iconic Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney and Wings, along with You May Be Right.
The groundbreaking residency kicked off as early as January 2014, featuring Billy performing one concert each month at Madison Square Garden.
For quite some time now, he has been gracing his stage with renowned artists like Sting, John Mellencamp, Elvis Costello, Tony Bennett, Paul Simon, and John Fogerty, along with more contemporary musicians such as John Mayer, Miley Cyrus, Gavin DeGraw, and Olivia Rodrigo.
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2024-08-10 04:14