Sting and Billy Joel kicked off their co-headlining tour with an appearance in Tampa, Florida. Below are fan-shot clips from their performance at that venue.
Piano Man had been moderately successful, yet it marked Joel’s entry into a string of number-one albums that would surpass its modest success. Storm Front arrived two years later as an instant classic.
1. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Onstage during their debut co-headlining concert at Raymond James Stadium Saturday night, Sting and Billy Joel clearly made an ideal combination. Both musicians complemented one another perfectly. Although Piano Man only recently released his first new music in 17 years and will soon conclude his record-setting 150-show residency at Madison Square Garden, his voice and stage presence sounded vibrant and revitalized. He demonstrated the versatility and durability of his songwriting by adapting classics such as “Roxanne,” “Message in a Bottle” and “So Lonely.” Stewart Copeland’s distinctive meaty beats and extravagant flourishes were still noticeable, though for the most part were kept under control with only occasional flashes of rhythmic attack being unleashed from time to time.
Midway through Joel’s set, Sting made an unexpected and welcome appearance clad in the same outfit from his opening number to join in a duet performance of one of The Police’s signature tracks “Big Man on Mulberry Street.” It perfectly fit with the energy and theme of this nighttime concert event.
2. Big Man on Mulberry Street
Joel remains an influential force despite not releasing new pop music for 17 years, wrapping up his 10-year residency at Madison Square Garden and co-headlining shows with Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart this year.
He’s got an old school style that can’t be denied, with an impressive voice to match. Additionally, he’s an adept at reinvigorating classic hits, as evidenced by his dynamic reworking of “Heavy Cloud No Rain.”
Kei from Salem, OR wrote the song. Her jazz influence and assertive melody make this an impressive new entry into Sting’s canon.
3. Turn the Lights Back On
Billy Joel finally returned with a brand-new single after 17 years – and it features A.I.! The 74-year-old piano man is transformed into various incarnations in a time-travel visual directed by Warren Fu and Freddy Wexler, using Deep Voodoo’s generative AI technology for transformations.
Joel continues to prove himself an essential force in pop music with this soft piano ballad written by Joel, Wexler and British songwriter Arthur Bacon that features lyrics of regret reminiscent of an apology, along with pleas for mercy from Joel himself and Wexler and Bacon respectively.
This year Joel will spend the summer performing at baseball stadiums alongside Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart as well as continuing to hold down his Madison Square Garden residency. Watch Joel return to the spotlight in this video for Turn the Lights Back On; for tour dates click here – we hope to see you there!
4. The Lion Sleeps Tonight
As Joel and Sting continue their tour this spring and summer, their collaboration reveals more about New Yorkers than a stadium full of Mets or Yankees fans ever could. Billy Joel lyrics can provide insight into who he is as an individual, such as his identity within New York City and what it means to be American.
Rian Malan’s comprehensive RS expose is one of the most captivating pop music histories ever told; detailing its complicated origins as “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. Yet its intricate background entails more than simply music or money alone: cultural transference and miscommunication all play their parts.
Joel had not performed anything new in Tampa since 1993, yet was quick to invite Sting back onstage for “Big Man on Mulberry Street,” with reggae-fusion icon Shaggy helping out on high parts. The crowd responded well; what made the performance memorable, though, was Joel’s clever couplet: “Heavy clouds, no rain / Every morning I pray it might rain today / It finally did come.