Billy Joel & Sting put on an unforgettable co-headlining concert Saturday night at Petco Park. Both rock legends traded sets while fans enthusiastically responded.
Joel decided to stay on stage to duet on “Every Breath You Take”, with Andy staying close by as well. Video footage has since gone viral online of their unexpected collaboration.
1. The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Joel’s audience went wild when they witnessed images of the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty flash on screen during “New York State of Mind.”
Two musicians joined forces on this song, originally recorded by Solomon Linda in South Africa with lyrics written in Zulu and later covered by doo wop group the Tokens with English lyrics for a number-one hit in America.
2. You May Be Right
On Saturday night at Petco Park, Piano Man and Sting performed to an enthusiastic sellout crowd despite some raindrops falling.
Joel does not employ the techniques of Captain Beefheart in subverting rock conventions to produce something artier; his strengths lie with plainspoken language and melodies; however, on this track, he misunderstands the freewheeling nature of rock & roll music.
3. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Some fans might have dreamed of seeing Sting join Joel onstage for “Englishman in New York”, but that didn’t happen.
This 1981 single from Ghost in the Machine by this duo featured on their second album was an instant classic, topping charts in Britain, Ireland, Canada and Australia; additionally reaching No.3 in America.
4. Every Breath You Take
Sting, wearing an authentic Sinatra suit and fedora, returned during Joel’s set to sing “Big Man on Mulberry Street,” trading verses with Joel himself.
This atmospheric thriller takes on an old-fashioned B movie aesthetic with its rainy setting, predictable third act twist, lagging car chases and brutal violence; yet Stein never allows his film to slip into eyeroll territory.
5. The Impossible Dream
Piano Man Joel delighted the crowd with songs that resonated across generations, featuring Sting.
Rain did nothing to dampen fans’ excitement as they danced and sang along to such tracks as “Only the Good Die Young,” “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant,” and “Piano Man.” Both artists will collaborate again this July at Arlington, Texas and Chicago venues before Joel completes his Madison Square Garden residency.
6. The Sign of the Times
Sting took to the piano for an impressive rendition of The Police’s “Message in a Bottle.” Later, wearing an extravagant fedora like Frank Sinatra he joined Joel onstage for a duet performance of “Big Man on Mulberry Street.”
An enthusiastic crowd clapped their hands along to every note Joel played, yet many likely wanted an encore performance of his 1973 hit “Piano Man.” A fair request.
7. It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me
Sting’s 16-song opening set was an impressive triumph of pace and vocal power. From a heartfelt duet with Joel on “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” to classic hits such as “Only the Good Die Young” and “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”, audiences sang along and danced along.
Joel made his 1980 hit a hit by mocking how the press hyped new wave music as simply being an updated form of older styles – it’s quite humorous!
8. The Entertainer
Joel became one of the most beloved artists of the ’70s with his unique blend of Beatlesque hooks, Tin Pan Alley melodies and Broadway show tunes – making him a beloved musician throughout New York and beyond. This year marks Joel’s final residency at Madison Square Garden before embarking on a tour with Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac in 2024.
Sting is an experienced performer, although his voice no longer commands as much attention as before.
9. The Sign of the Times
Bego presents an outstanding biography on Joel, but unfortunately does not interview the musician directly; however, many former bandmates provided interviews for this piece.
After Sting completed his set, Joel remained on stage to perform their opening song together – it was an instantaneous crowd pleaser that set the mood and spirit of the night! They were both perfectly in sync and high on energy.
10. The Entertainer
Petco Park was filled to capacity even despite the rainy night in San Diego, yet everyone left smiling as The Piano Man demonstrated his generosity by providing seed money and musical scholarships to several East Coast colleges.
Sting’s set included many of his greatest hits, though some high parts were performed by an under-21 backing singer for an added freshness to each track. This arrangement gave each song its own individual edge.