Billy Joel’s Residency: A Legacy in Music
The Power of Unconventional Wisdom
Billy Joel’s music has been a staple of popular culture for decades, and his recent residency at Madison Square Garden is a testament to his enduring legacy. According to John Mayer, who guested on Joel’s song "This Is the Time" in 2015, Joel’s success can be attributed to his willingness to stay true to himself and make unconventional decisions. "Most people try to make big rooms big," Mayer said. "He turned the Garden into a club," creating a "purest direct connection between the music and the audience. That’s the ultimate."
The Birth of the Residency
The idea for Joel’s residency was born during a dinner in Turks and Caicos, where he was joined by his agent, Arfa, and Jay Marciano, then the president of Madison Square Garden (now the head of AEG). Joel’s local draw had proven to be immense, and his performance at the 12-12-12 benefit for Hurricane Sandy relief was the night’s buzziest moment. The question on everyone’s mind was whether he would be interested in becoming a Garden franchise like the Knicks.
Joel’s Surprising Reaction
"I didn’t really know what the whole thing encompassed," Joel admitted. "I thought OK, a residency. So we’ll play, you know, like a couple of gigs in a row." (The scale of the setup became clear during the news conference to announce it.) "I never imagined playing this late in life, anywhere," he said. "I thought you had to go the retirement home in rock ‘n’ roll."
Thriving in the Golden Years
Instead, a crop of major acts over 75 are thriving on the road, including Joel’s recent tour mates Stevie Nicks, the Rolling Stones, Eagles, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, and Bob Dylan. Joel’s unvarnished stage show has drawn a multigenerational audience that sings along to every word. "It turns out," said Mayer, who’s been playing with septuagenarian members of Dead & Company, "a good song is not debatable through the years."
A Bigger-than-Ever Act
Arfa, Joel’s agent, has been working with him for nearly five decades and has seen him evolve into a stadium artist. "What’s really happened in the last 10 years is Billy has evolved into a stadium artist," Arfa said. "When you accomplish that kind of feat when you’re younger, that’s one kind of a feeling. It’s a different euphoria when you’re older."
The Challenges of Aging
The time elapsed between age 65 and 75 has brought new challenges. "The way you hear is different. The way you sing is different," Joel said. He uses more falsetto – he called it "throwing junk pitches," like knuckle balls instead of fastballs. "I’m not crying," he announced onstage in May, explaining a teary eye. "A lot of weird [expletive] happens when you’re 75."
Conclusion
Billy Joel’s residency at Madison Square Garden is a testament to his enduring legacy and his ability to thrive in the golden years of his career. With his unvarnished stage show and a multigenerational audience singing along to every word, it’s clear that Joel’s music has stood the test of time. As Mayer said, "a good song is not debatable through the years."
