Joel joined Sting for a duet performance of “Big Man on Mulberry Street,” captured in fan footage.
Although they had played the songs numerous times before, the pair made them sound fresh and vital – to much applause from the crowd! Fans will want to witness it again soon.
1. The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Joel delivered a stunning set, unfazed by an unusually wet opening set at Petco Park on Saturday night, which included unseasonable rainfall that threatened to dampen his performance. Rather, the piano master kept up a stellar show.
As Sting explored his wide-ranging catalog from solo work and The Police, he made each song sound fresh and vital. His ability to blend reggae, funk and jazz styles seamlessly into fan favorites like “Roxanne” and “Englishman in New York” is astounding and illustrates just how durable Sting’s songs remain today.
2. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Sting opened his show with a 16-song set that consisted of both his solo catalog and The Police discography. To keep audiences satisfied, Sting featured popular tunes like “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” which outperformed its predecessor on UK charts in November 1981.
Although he did not reunite with Joel for “Englishman in New York”, Shaggy joined him onstage as part of an encore performance to finish it off, singing side-by-side and sounding great according to fan footage of their performance.
3. We Didn’t Start the Fire
Sting’s high notes may have been somewhat subdued this time around, yet his wail remains powerful and memorable. Alongside Patrick Stump he presented an updated rendition of an iconic tune which proved immensely popular with the crowd.
FOB’s update to Billy Joel’s original song was written chronologically; in FOB’s update, events and figures that are prominent are mentioned quickly – from L.A. riots to Eyjafjallajokull volcano’s eruption that shut down air travel in 2023.
4. The Entertainer
Joel brought Sting out onstage during his opening set and they sang an intimate duet rendition of “Message in a Bottle,” according to fan videos.
Sting has always been a captivating performer, his bass skills being exceptional and his energy making every song sound new and fresh.
He attracted a large audience and was welcomed with cheers by a packed room despite light drizzle – even that couldn’t dampen their enthusiasm!
5. Piano Man
Sting gave fans familiar fan favorites like “King of Pain,” “Fields of Gold” and “Message in the Bottle” new life with his performance at Carnegie Hall last night, adding new layers of intensity, most notably with “Desert Rose,” which had an Arabic-influenced melody which resonated deeply in an age where war seems all too real in the Middle East.
Piano Man explores the universal theme of seeking acceptance for one’s musical expression – something every musician experiences and understands intimately.
6. We’ll Be Together
Joel has long been considered the go-to nostalgia act, yet with this latest set he managed to offer something truly fresh: joy for Petco Park crowd. Joel’s songs seemed tailor-made to bring smiles of happiness and appreciation from attendees alike.
Sting’s 16-song opening set was an exercise in timing, balance, songwriting and stagecraft – as well as featuring his 44/876 collaborator Shaggy for “Englishman in New York” while Joel returned for duet on his “Big Man on Mulberry Street.”
7. Let’s Stay Together
Joel and Sting collaborated for an unforgettable performance of this soul classic at Petco Park on December 8, 2016. While both had performed it numerous times before, their unique dynamic gave the song new life. It felt as if each rendition were completely new!
RSD of Bristol offers up an exciting dub version of Al Green’s timeless classic. Piano runs and synth stabs create the backdrop for Morgan’s delectably soulful vocals in this timeless love song anthem.
8. The Stranger
Joel had endured years of divorce, litigation, record company misdeeds, band discord and celebrity scandal. It seemed his career had reached rock bottom.
At Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, he invited Sting onstage to perform “Big Man on Mulberry Street,” which hadn’t been performed live there since 1993.
Fans captured their performance of “Hit Me Up, Baby!” via YouTube and witnessed an exciting and powerful performance by both artists that left their audience laughing out loud.