New York Billy #5

This was, without question, THE GREATEST CONCERT I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!! This tops Tom Petty at the Tweeter Center on July 6, 2001 -- a setlist that included "TIme to Move On" and "The Best of Everything" played acoustic. This tops Ella Fitzgerald in June 1991. Hell, this tops my very first Billy Joel concert when I was sitting in the front row. Looking at tonight's setlist, you'll see why, followed by many, many comments.

Cold Spring Harbor:
* Everybody Loves You Now

Piano Man:
* YOU"RE MY HOME
* Piano Man

Streetlife Serenade:
* The Entertainer

Turnstiles:
* Angry Young Man
* Summer, Highland Falls
* Miami 2017
* New York State of Mind

The Stranger
* Movin' Out
* Scenes From an Italian Restaurant
* Only the Good Die Young

52nd Street:
* Stiletto
* Zanzibar
* Honesty
* Big Shot
* My Life

The Nylon Curtain:
* LAURA
* She's Right on Time
* Allentown
* Goodnight Saigon

Glass Houses:
* All For Leyna
* Sleeping With the Television On
* It's Still Rock & Roll To Me
* You May Be Right

An Innocent Man:
* Keeping the Faith
* An Innocent Man

Greatest Hits Vol. I & II
* The Night is Still Young

The Bridge:
* A Matter of Trust

Storm Front:
* We Didn't Start the Fire
* AND SO IT GOES
* The Downeaster Alexa

The River of Dreams:
* RIver of Dreams

Bonus:
* Highway to Hell (Chainsaw)
* Pop Goes the Weasel

* I don't know where to start. My Wish List is finally complete. I actually teared up (or it may have been excessive sweat) when he started playing "You're My Home". It was the only song I hadn't heard live that I really, really, really wanted to. After that, he immediately went into "Miami 2017". I was dying. Later in the show, he did "Sleeping With the Television On" and "All For Leyna" back-to-back and I was near hysterical.

* There were 2 girls sitting next to me when I took my seat. 5 minutes later, they got selected to be upgraded to the front row, While I felt a twinge of jealously, I was happy for them and knew I had a little more room to dance around.

* The show was being recorded for a live CD entitled 12 Gardens Live. Yay!!!

* After the second song, a banner was raised to the rafters to celebrate Billy's 12 sold out Garden shows. A balloon drop followed.

* Usually during "Goodnight Saigon", crew members who were in the military come up on stage. Tonight, current armed forces were up there. Everyone gave them an extended ovation.

* Billy gave the roadie Chainsaw a motorcycle after "Highway to Hell".

* This was the first time I have ever heard "Laura", "Honesty" or "And So It Goes" live. "And So It Goes" is one of my favorites, so that was a real treat. I hadn't heard "A Matter of Trust" on this tour, so that was great to hear too.

* He played 5 of my 6 all-time favorite songs: "Summer, Highland Falls", "Miami 2017", "All For Leyna", "Sleeping With the Television On" and "Angry Young Man". Tonight was the closest thing to a perfect setlist. Only the additions of "Captain Jack" and "Sometimes a Fantasy" would have made it truly perfect. But this was really ideal. And what added to the ideal-ness: No "I Go To Extremes". No "Don't Ask Me Why". No "Big Man on Mulberry Street".

* The man played for 3 HOURS!! He didn't get off the stage until 11:20pm. By far the longest show I've seen. The crowd was completely into it.

* I was jumping and dancing and singing and yelling the entire time. I was completely soaked and quite thirsty by the end of it. This has been such a great 4 months getting to see Billy all these times. He's a legendary performer and I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to see him perform in his hometown with fellow diehards. I've gotten use to seeing him every few weeks. It's going to be a letdown to not see him at the Garden every once in a while.

* The Tom Petty concerts begin in June. Billy set the bar really high. Should be a fun summer.

Quote of the Day:
"Don't take any shit from anybody." -Billy Joel