Last night saw Billy Joel and Sting co-headline their inaugural co-headlining shows at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, popping in during each artist’s set and performing some of their most classic songs.
Sting opened his performance with The Police’s hit “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” while Joel joined for piano man ‘Big Man on Mulberry Street’.
The Police’s ‘Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic’
Sting’s guitar playing may often get credit, but his bass work remains his most integral contribution to one of the greatest new wave power trios ever: The Police. On “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, Sting’s synthesized peeps and beeps provide the perfect complement to Ee-ya-ya-yoing by Stewart Copeland on drums – creating a beautiful juxtaposition.
Sting was joined by several special guests for his summer One Night Only series of shows, including Joel who celebrated his record-setting 100th Madison Square Garden performance that will air on CBS next month. Sting also brought out reggae-fusion icon Shaggy as an unexpected special guest.
‘Big Man on Mulberry Street’
Sting and Joel performed two songs together at their co-headlining show in Tampa, Florida and fans captured it on video.
Joel’s piano ballad chronicling his daily observations at his neighborhood bar remains one of his signature tracks and helped cement him as an exceptional singer and writer.
Sting isn’t singing as powerfully anymore, but his duet with Joel made an effective duet performance at two shows this year–in San Antonio and Las Vegas. You can watch fan-shot video footage below.
‘New York State of Mind’
Joel celebrated his comeback to pop with the release of new music, including his first-ever single in decades – it proved popular at RayJay and served as an appropriate finale before closing out his Madison Square Garden residency this month.
Joel’s extensive catalogue features character studies, narrative-driven portraits, silly love songs and serious political statements – but perhaps Joel found his niche with this 1976 ode to his hometown that resonated as strongly as ever Thursday night – complete with photos of the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty flashing across a screen behind it! Additionally, Richie Cannata’s sax solo was amazing!
‘Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)’
On Saturday night, two of music’s iconic figures, Billy Joel and Sting, took over Petco Park in Downtown San Diego for an incredible show. Both musicians will continue co-headlining this year; further dates are scheduled in Tampa, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Las Vegas.
Recently, Joel revealed his desire to form a supergroup featuring Sting, Don Henley and John Mayer; these co-headlining shows may help bring his dream closer.
‘Uptown Girl’
Brinkley was beaming with delight as she danced along to Joel’s 1983 hit and mouthed along with the audience, posting numerous TikTok videos from this – his 101st performance at Madison Square Garden since 2009.
Song details the experience of an urban working-class man meeting an out-of-his-league upper-class girl he pursues anyway. Joel stated in an interview conducted in 2010 that initially wrote this song about multiple women but ultimately focused on Brinkley as its subject matter.
Westlife covered this song for Comic Relief charity single in 2001. They recorded a music video featuring Claudia Schiffer as Uptown Girl while also portraying employees at a cafe serving high-class customers played by Tim McInnerny, James Wilby, Ioan Gruffudd and Crispin Bonham Carter.
‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’
Solomon Linda wrote and performed it as a tender lullaby for his children in 1939, ending each verse with “in the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight”. By 1961 when The Tokens made it an American number one hit song adaptation with English lyrics, its royalties had generated millions for white publishers and adaptors while only Linda’s family received small fractions.
Joel and Sting collaborated on one of his 1981 tracks for their joint set on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden’s 10th and final residency show – fans shared videos showing them howling along together! This collaboration marked Joel’s 10th and final Madison Square Garden residency show.