semperfiona | Billy Joel

Last fall, I started seeing them around town. Posters advertising a Billy Joel appearance in St. Louis. I was desolate, because I didn't think we had the money to buy tickets. You don't want to know what they cost. *cough* $85 each *cough*. But my loves came through. We got tickets as an anniversary present.

Ever since, I've been anticipating the concert. And paranoid that we'd forget about it until we'd missed the date. (We're not so much for the scheduling, to say the least.) Or that we'd lose the tickets. (

ohari anticipated that possible problem and bought electronic ones. Print 'em whenever you want.)

It was Wednesday night. We did not miss it. (Buttercup does not get eaten by the eels at this time.)

Our seats were about halfway up the first level, and a couple sections back from the stage. When we arrived, about an hour early, and settled into our seats with our snackage and T-shirts, the stage was utterly devoid of any piano. We spent some time trying to figure out where the Piano Man was hiding his instrument, and how it would be brought out. Eventual consensus was that it must be under the stage.

And so it was. Only a few minutes late (does any concert ever start on time), a large square opened in the surface of the stage and a piano was elevated out--facing the other direction--and Billy Joel's flying fingers started into the intro of "Angry Young Man".

Many of the songs in the early part of the show were almost as old as I am. "This is on my album Cold Spring Harbor that came out in 1971. I played it when I opened for Harry Chapin at the Kiel Opera House." Everybody Loves You Now. The Entertainer.

Between songs, he chatted to the audience, commenting to the various sections on the relative shittiness of their seats. But as it turned out, the piano was on a turntable, and everyone got to see his face for at least a few songs.

Only song I didn't recognize: "Zanzibar".
Most audience participation: "Piano Man" (natch), on the last encore
Played by audience acclamation: "Captain Jack" (from a choice of "Summer, Highland Falls", "Vienna", and "Captain Jack")
Silliest moment: "We have our very own American Idol moment for you. He's been on my road crew for 25 years, and now he's going to sing for you. If he sucks, just boo him off the stage. He'll be doing a religious song, a sacred song...Give a hand for CHAINSAW!"...who proceeded to sing "Highway to Hell" with lead guitar by Billy Joel
Most virtuoso moment: "In honor of another St. Louis native, Scott Joplin, I'd like to play the little-known "Root Beer Rag"
Number of St. Louis Cardinal hats thrown on stage by the audience, worn for a song by Billy Joel, and tossed back to the audience: 2

Cold Spring Harbor	1971	No
Piano Man	April, 1973	Yes
Streetlife Serenade	October, 1974	No
Turnstiles	May, 1976	Yes
The Stranger	September, 1977	Think so
52nd Street	October, 1978	No
Glass Houses	March, 1980	No
Songs in the Attic	September, 1981	Yes
The Nylon Curtain	September, 1982	No
An Innocent Man	August, 1983	Think so
Greatest Hits - Volume I & Volume II	July, 1985	Yes
The Bridge	July, 1986	Think not
КОНЦЕРТ	October, 1987	Yes
Storm Front	October, 1989	Yes
River of Dreams	August 10, 1993	Yes
Greatest Hits Volume III	August 19, 1997	No
2000 Years: The Millennium Concert	May 2, 2000	No
Fantasies & Delusions (classical album)	September 28, 2001	No
The Essential Billy Joel	October 2, 2001	No
12 Gardens Live	June, 2006	No