Saturday marked an epic double bill at Raymond James Stadium when The Piano Man and former Police frontman fronted their own show – their inaugural co-headlining gig this year! This one-night-only gig marked only their inaugural of a series this year for these iconic artists.
Sting started off the night by performing “Message in a Bottle,” followed by inviting Reggae icon Shaggy for a duet performance of Joel’s deep cut “Big Man on Mulberry Street.” Below is their performance!
What to Expect
On Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium, fans got a rare treat – Sting and Billy Joel started their co-headlining tour together for just one show only! It was an unforgettable show!
At the opening set, he donned a black cowboy hat and true rocker-style leather pants before singing the Police song, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” Later he introduced Piano Man onto stage; together they performed this wonderful duet of this song together.
Sting then went on to perform some of his greatest hits, including “Message in a Bottle” and “Spirits in the Material World.” Reggae icon Shaggy joined Sting for their duet performance of “Englishman in New York.” Sting finished up his show by performing crowd favorite Roxanne. This singer is no stranger to performing large stadium shows; currently performing monthly Madison Square Garden residencies along with shows with Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart this year.
The Setlist
These two iconic rock musicians launched the inaugural of their co-headlining shows at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium with an unforgettable duet performance.
Sting joined Joel midway through his set to perform The Police hit “Big Man on Mulberry Street,” according to fan-shot footage of their performance. Their chemistry was undeniable and they seemed to enjoy performing together.
Sting, who recently celebrated his 74th birthday, performed several covers from his extensive catalogue – songs by The Rolling Stones, Elton John and Led Zeppelin among them – during his set at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday evening. To help with singing “Englishman in New York”, reggae icon Shaggy joined him towards the end of his set.
Fans will be eager to see whether these performers can maintain this energy when they return home for more concerts with Stevie Nicks in April and September.
The Guests
Sting will join Joel on stage during the second set for a collaboration, just as he did at Tampa show and other times in their previous performances together. They’re scheduled to work together again at San Diego Petco Park and Allegiant Stadium.
Sting is no stranger to pianist James Pianist’s repertoire and added some jazzy flourishes to some of their classic tracks. Wearing attire reminiscent of Frank Sinatra for “Big Man on Mulberry Street”, Sting displayed some jazzy flair for some classic songs from this concert.
Joel released his new song, “Turn the Lights Back On,” this month; fans are asking forgiveness through its powerful and emotive melody. Both artists demonstrated undeniable chemistry during this duet, making their fans excited about their upcoming tour together. Stay informed – sign up for PEOPLE’s daily newsletter today for free stories featuring celebrity gossip, human interest pieces, and much more!
The Final Words
Joel played one last piano note as his show ended at Raymond James Stadium, and the crowd responded in kind with cheers of approval. This was only Joel’s inaugural show of 2024; there are still many to come including new single releases, his Madison Square Garden residency that ends this year and co-headlining dates with Sting.
Unexpected touches added a surprising element: an unexpected excerpt from “Babyface” made a memorable opening to “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song).” Meanwhile, Joel and his band performed a lively rendition of “We Didn’t Start the Fire”. During “Movin Out,” clips of Brooklyn Bridge flashed across a screen; later during his triumphant “New York State of Mind”, Joel waved triumphantly as images of Lady Liberty appeared.