NEW YORK (WABC) — After a historic run at Madison Square Garden, it was announced Thursday that Billy Joel will end his record-breaking residency after 150 shows.
It was also announced that the first of the final 10 shows will take place on October 20, 2023.
The Piano Man has played a show at the Garden every month since 2014 and performed 90 consecutive times.
His residency began almost a decade ago with a promise that it would last “as long as the demand continues.”
“I’m kind of flabbergasted that it lasted as long as it did. My team tells me that we could continue to sell tickets, but ten years, 150 shows – all right already!” Joel said. “I do remember the first time we played Madison Square Garden, it was the pinnacle of my career. I thought, ‘My God, I’m headlining Madison Square Garden.’ Everybody in the world knows when you play The Garden, it’s not just New York. To our audience, I want to thank them for coming to our shows for this long. It’s hard to end, even at 150 lifetime shows. I just want to thank everyone for the wonderful thing that’s happened here.”
WATCH | Flashback: Billy Joel announces MSG residency in 2013
Joel currently holds Madison Square Garden’s only two performance-related records – one for “Most Lifetime Performances By Any Artist,” currently at 136 shows, and one for “Most Consecutive Performances By Any Artist,” currently at 90 shows.
Each performance is different — Joel plays the hits but also dips into his vast catalog of original tunes to remind his fans of songs they might have forgotten.
Almost half a century has passed since his first performance at MSG.
For the star who first came to the Garden as a child from Hicksville, it is the mythical status of the arena and the millions of fans who have seen him and keep coming back.
The music legend said nobody expected his run to last as long as it has — a sentiment that was echoed by Garden CEO James Dolan.
“I don’t see how it could ever possibly happen again, it’s the most amazing accomplishment,” Dolan said.
The impact of Joel’s music was brought home by Mayor Eric Adams who explained his morning routine.
“There’s only one thing that’s more New York than Billy Joel – and that’s a Billy Joel concert at MSG,” Adams said. “For more than 50 years, Billy’s music has defined our city and brought us together. On behalf of 8.5 million New Yorkers, congratulations, Billy, on a historic run of sold-out shows at MSG, and thank you for a lifetime of bringing joy to us all.”
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