This year, piano man and Englishman John Williams will reunite to co-headline stadium shows, beginning Saturday night at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.
Sting’s 83-minute opening set was an absolute triumph, his voice holding up in spite of unseasonably chilly Southern California temperatures.
He even altered one verse of “New York State of Mind” to include references to both The Times and Daily News.
1. The Lion Sleeps Tonight
As Petco Park was filled with the sound of “Every Breath You Take”, it was clear that the crowd felt the force behind Joel and Sting’s co-headlining duo. With plenty of buzz surrounding this tour, both performers are giving audiences a memorable show.
Joel opened up the night with an electric rendition of “Piano Man,” before inviting co-headliner Sting out for an unexpected duet performance. Dressed like Sinatra himself, Sting joined Joel onstage for an enjoyable rendition of “Big Man on Mulberry Street”.
Billy will continue co-headlining shows throughout 2018, including performances in San Diego, St. Louis, San Antonio and Las Vegas. Billy will also perform solo dates as well as stadium concerts with Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart this year.
2. Turn the Lights Back On
Billy Joel and Sting have collaborated this year as co-headliner tour, but the Piano Man also has additional stadium shows on his schedule.
Both singers have been making guest appearances at one another’s sets, such as when Joel invited Sting out for a duet on “Big Man on Mulberry Street.” Additionally, they shared the stage during one of their joint concerts back in February.
At the concert, Sting sang his new single, “Englishman in New York.” Later he returned for a duet performance of The Police classic, “Message in a Bottle,” making this performance extra-special for their fans who had followed both singers for decades.
3. Big Man on Mulberry Street
Sting hosted his inaugural co-headlining shows with Billy Joel at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, inviting Joel back onstage for an encore performance of their classic 1981 track together, adding Billy on second verse and singing chorus together according to fan videos posted on YouTube.
Sting’s set featured both solo hits and Police songs, as well as guest vocalist Shaggy from reggae fusion icon group the Wailers to perform “Englishman in New York”. Their musical partnership proved one of the night’s highlights. Additionally, two additional concerts will take place this summer: one each in San Diego, St Louis and San Antonio plus shows with Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart.
4. Only the Good Die Young
Billy Joel’s catalog boasts many standout songs: familiar classics that remain fresh today, long-forgotten tracks that deserve rediscovery, familiar hits that have aged poorly over time and occasional complete duds – and that’s just his albums!
Sting and Joel kicked off their joint co-headlining shows on Saturday at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium with an 18-song set that covered both his solo catalog and The Police discography, before rejoining Joel midway through his set to duet on Big Man on Mulberry Street.
Sting has changed over time, yet his voice still holds up well. He used his pace wisely and seamlessly incorporated influences from reggae, jazz and world music in his performance for an audience who seemed enthused by it; it proved an impressive start to their tour together.
5. We Didn’t Start the Fire
Sting’s 16-song opening set was flawless from its inception (including an engaging duet with Joel on “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”) through to completion, thanks to ideal weather conditions that ensured no rain fell during taping for an upcoming CBS special.
Billy Joel’s original tune, “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” provides a comprehensive list of events his generation cannot be held responsible for; from epic film releases and presidential assassinations to musical moments and even moon landing. This diverse list makes an impactful point: history will never blame us!
Fall Out Boy has recently unveiled an updated version of Billy Joel’s song that catalogs global events and cultural artifacts since 1949. Their list doesn’t follow in chronological order – for instance, their opening verse mentions Captain Planet from 1990, Arab Spring from 2011 and L.A. Riots in 1992 before touching upon deepfakes as well as Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano that brought European air travel to a standstill in 2010.