Originally published November 9, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified November 9, 2007 at 1:38 PM
Concert review
Billy Joel: Piano man connects with heart and soul
After 10 years on the road with Elton John, on a lucrative "two-fer" superstar tour that emphasized the hits, Billy Joel is back to being a pure "Piano Man."
Seattle Times music critic
After 10 years on the road with Elton John, on a lucrative "two-fer" superstar tour that emphasized the hits, Billy Joel is back to being a pure "Piano Man," playing and singing what he wants, how he wants. At 58, he's an artist comfortable in his own skin, performing songs that mean something to him, backed by a versatile, top-notch, seven-piece band.
At his sold-out concert Thursday night at the Key, he featured blue-collar, working-class anthems like "The Downeaster 'Alexa,'" about Nantucket Island fishermen, and "Allentown," a stark portrait of unemployed American steelworkers; lively excursions into exotic rhythms, like the horn-driven "Zanzibar" and the intense instrumental, "Root Beer Rag"; and rich, atmospheric ballads like "New York State of Mind" and "Always A Woman." He rocked with "The River of Dreams," "You May Be Right," "Keeping the Faith" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me."
He showed that his voice is better than ever by hitting the dramatic high notes in "Innocent Man," as well as the many moods of the epic "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," one of the encore songs.
His piano playing was powerful and precise, and more impressive than ever, especially in a bravura performance of "The Entertainer," as well as the stomping "Big Shot" and the romping "Only the Good Die Young." And, of course, he had to close with his signature "Piano Man," although the most moving moment came when the audience sang a verse a cappella, which seemed to sum up what he means to them, and vice versa.
Joel played a big grand piano that was on a turntable, except when it disappeared below the stage when he sang standing at the mic, sometimes playing guitar. For "Piano Man," he strapped on a neck brace to also play harmonica.
As Joel has done in almost every show he's ever played here, going back to the old Fresh Aire tavern on Broadway in 1972 (he remarked about playing "on old Broadway" here a long time ago), he played a tribute to hometown hero Jimi Hendrix. He and the band didn't fool around with "Purple Haze," giving it an all-out, full-blown, guitar-driven treatment. They also had fun with another classic cover, AC/DC's "Highway to Hell," with a raw lead vocal by a hefty roadie identified only as "Chainsaw."
A keyboard-cam showed Joel's fast fingering close-up throughout the show, on several giant video screens that captured not only the stage action but also the happy, dancing crowd.
Patrick MacDonald: 206-464-2312 or pmacdonald@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company
NEW - 12:04 PM
Elton John & Billy Joel reschedule Seattle concerts
Supergroup Them Crooked Vultures land at the Paramount
A wild and crazy list of best comedy albums ever
Miles of music: trumpeter's collection covers 70 CDs
Them Crooked Vultures set list, Nov. 21

Real Salt Lake wins MLS Cup
Real Salt Lake defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy with penalty kicks after 120 minutes of play at Qwest Field in Seattle.
general classifieds
Garage & estate salesFurniture & home furnishings
Sporting goods
just listed
8 Drawer Dresser with Attached Mirror - $200
8 seat pecon formal dining table and china hutch - $1500
A American Table, Chairs and Bench - $275
More listings
POST A FREE LISTING
shopping
Give yourself a treat and visit Watson Kennedy's Holiday Open Houses
More minding the store
events for Monday, Nov. 23
- Seattle Premium Outlets Thanksgiving Weekend ...
- Handbag-a-Palooza at Clover House
- Contractors equipment and vehicle auction
- Holiday Sale at Pink Ginger
editors' picks
- West Seattle shopping
- Vintage, consignment and used clothing
- Garden furnishings
- Local jewelry designers
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Tugboat sinks at Seattle waterfront pier
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Woman stabbed by stranger in North Seattle
- Snow piles up on Cascade slopes
- Denny Triangle gains skyline, but tenants slow to come
- Illegal workers quietly let go
316 - Climate change speeds up since 1997 Kyoto accord
196 - Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
170 - Metro won't cut bus service after all
129 - Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle
93 - Tattoos at Mill Creek Church pierce skin, soul
78 - Jerry Brewer: Seahawks can't lean on the Hutch Crutch now
69 - New Husky recruit: Enes Kanter
68 - UW, WSU once again meet to see who's worse
63 - Ranking the Pac
53
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Architects, chefs find 'kid' within to build Gingerbread Village
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Taste | The Great Pie Bake-off pits friends and fruit




