Billy Joel and Sting teamed up for their inaugural co-headlining performance at a Tampa concert, taking turns singing one another’s classic songs during each other’s sets.
Sting kicked off his set with the Police hit, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, adding a reggae vibe. Later he joined Joel for their collaboration on Big Man on Mulberry Street crooner song.
1. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
As Joel opened with Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic at Petco Park, his legacy as a pianist became clear. Sting joined Joel for this classic 1981 tune which reached No1 in Canada, Ireland and the Netherlands; No2 in Australia and Belgium; No5 in Norway and No7 in South Africa.
The legendary duo were an excellent pairing musically and visually, playing contemporary interpretations of beloved songs like Shape of My Heart by Juice WRLD and Lucid Dreams from Juice WRLD with Sting’s bass skills, Shane Sager on harmonica providing echos of Stevie Wonder’s iconic Brand New Day bits – even during a brief drizzle! Even when they co-headlined separately this event proved thrilling to audiences everywhere.
2. Big Man on Mulberry Street
Sting, at 75 years old, and piano maestro Billy Joel, 75, kicked off their co-headlining tour together at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa with an all-star show filled with collaboration. Sting would come out during each other’s set to perform classic songs from both artists’ catalogs.
This jazzy song about an ambitious man hoping others think he is successful was inspired by Mulberry Street in Little Italy, where Joel would often stroll to ease his mind.
Joel teased “Roxanne,” yet ended his encore performance with an audience-participation version of “Fields of Gold.” Crystal Taliefero of his band then sang Ike and Tina Turner’s classic song “River Deep, Mountain High,” paying homage to another surprise guest present in the audience.
3. The Longest Time
Joel is a master at creating atmosphere. His songs elicit feelings of contentment, excitement and pleasure – something we witnessed at Petco Park when he sang classics such as “Only the Good Die Young” and “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant.”
Sting is also an expert at setting an atmosphere, yet he exudes less rock star qualities than his co-headlining counterpart. Although his voice may no longer be what it once was, its melodies remain an enjoyable listen.
His harmonies with Billy’s backup singers were spot-on – exactly what an ideal duet should sound like! Their rapport is undeniable. Fans of music enjoyed this unforgettable performance! It truly was a remarkable evening.
4. New York State of Mind
After Joel transported the audience into a New York State of Mind with “Big Man on Mulberry Street,” the British singer — dressed like Frank Sinatra with suit and brimmed hat as seen on fan-shot video clips — joined Joel for an incredible duet performance.
The duo drew inspiration from the song’s lyrics, which provide vivid allegories about urban life. Their show explored its improvised pace, rhythm, aggression, nostalgia that percolate throughout a city‘s collective consciousness.
Sting even recreated Stevie Wonder’s harmonica intro on “Brand New Day,” an iconic track from Billy Joel’s Turnstiles album from 1976. His performance was an audience favourite; they sang along loudly.
5. The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Sting and Joel made an enchanting opening statement with an incredible duet featuring only their voices. They performed an exquisite version of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”, originally recorded by The Weavers as “Wimoweh”, before becoming an international hit after The Tokens added new lyrics in 1961 – this would go on to become a number one hit due to its inclusion in The Lion King movie and subsequent international recognition.
Joel recently embarked on his inaugural series of co-headlining concerts this year and was joined by Sting for some dates, such as their show in Tampa. Joel earned cheers with classic hits from 1973’s Piano Man and New York State of Mind; seamlessly blending influences from reggae and jazz music into fan favorites like Fields of Gold.