Billy Joel is a fan of Chicago. “We love playing here,” he said a couple of songs into his set at Wrigley Field last Thursday. And indeed he does, having played Wrigley three times in the last six years. And it’s no wonder: Chicago loves Billy. The feelings are mutual.
As a child of the ’80s, I grew up listening to a lot of Billy Joel. He is certainly a big part of the musical fabric of my youth. But it wasn’t until Thursday night that I remembered just how much. Nearly every song conjured up some sort of long-lost memory—not just for me, but seemingly for the thousands of audience members in Wrigley’s historic stands. The fact that Billy hasn’t released a new album in over 20 years almost reinforced the nostalgia of the evening.
The mood of the evening was jovial with Billy leading the way. He provided good stage banter, with jokes and stories in between a songs. More than once he gave the audience setlist choices, having them cheer for which of two songs they’d rather hear him play. But most impressive to me was his voice. He can really still sing his ass off.
The highlight of the night for many came during his encoré when comedian Amy Schumer and actress Jennifer Lawrence took to the stage—and then to the top of Billy’s piano—to dance to “Uptown Girl.” The videos have gone viral, with almost every outlet forgetting to mention anything else about the show. And while I don’t believe they stole the show, they certainly added a level of fun and excitement to it.
Overall, it was a memorable night at Wrigley. Here’s hoping Billy finds his way back to the Windy City again soon.
SETLIST:
Prologue 1915 – 1923 (Theme from The Natural)
Big Shot
My Life
This Is the Time
The Entertainer
All for Leyna
The Downeaster Alexa
The Longest Time
Allentown
Goodnight Saigon
The Ballad of Billy the Kid
Just the Way You Are
Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
The Stranger
Keeping the Faith
Sometimes a Fantasy
Don’t Ask Me Why
She’s Always a Woman
We Didn’t Start the Fire
The River of Dreams
(“Take Me Out To The Ballgame” Interlude)
Scenes From an Italian Restaurant
Piano Man
Encore:
Uptown Girl
(Featuring Jennifer Lawrence & Amy Schumer)
It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me
You May Be Right
(Led Zeppelin bridge)
Only the Good Die Young
