Addendum: Billy Joel at the Garden

I realized after posting the May 15 Sunday Missive that I’d neglected to make note of an incredibly important part of last week’s activities.

I saw Billy Joel in concert at Madison Square Garden.

A friend (hi, Em!) invited me to go with her, and it was, without a doubt, the most fun I’ve ever had at a concert. I’ve been moved by Florence and the Machine and I’ve thrown myself into a frenzy over Styx, but I have never felt the same joy I did on Saturday, when Billy Joel came back out for an encore and launched into “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”

Also, his piano rotated.

We sat behind the stage at MSG, looking down on Billy and the band from above, surrounded by strangers who, I assume, have probably all seen him before, at some point in their lives. Maybe even at the Garden before——he’s played it 125 times, according to him. It was my first time seeing him. My first time seeing a concert at MSG actually, come to think of it.

But the biggest moment of the night——definitely for me and I think for both of us, though I don’t want to speak for Em——was when he launched into a song that supposedly wasn’t on the setlist. “The Downeaster ‘Alexa’” is a song that means a lot to me; the rolling of the music matching the rolling of the ocean, the familiar imagery from growing up on Long Island. So when his introduction mentioned the Blessing of the Fleet (and I exclaimed, “BOATS!” as if Em wasn’t going to get it without me explaining it) and then the music began, I think I lost my mind a little.

I have not been as happy as I was scream-singing the line, “There ain’t no island left for islanders like me,” in a long, long time.

I also made it down the steep steps to our seats with a beer in each hand without falling down. My anxiety told me I couldn’t do it, but the power of Joel helped me through.

That’s all. Go listen to some Billy Joel.