Raymond James Stadium was filled with nostalgia on Saturday as Billy Joel shared the stage with Sting for their co-headlining concert, performing their hits for an enthusiastic crowd who sang along and danced the night away.
Fans were treated to an unforgettable moment when Sting joined Joel for a duet on “Big Man on Mulberry Street.” They will join forces again in San Diego on April 13 and Saint Louis on September 27.
1. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Chris Benedetto asked Sting to perform “Lean on Me”, one of the first songs he wrote while in The Police and an enormous hit in the UK charts in 1981. Sting reworked its demo version with keyboardist Jean Roussel against Andy Summers’ and Stewart Copeland’s wishes, yet still managed to reach commercial success in this way.
Sting also added new energy and vitality to classic hits like “Message in the Bottle” and “Fields of Gold,” giving his set an unexpected length without feeling overwhelming. Joel invited Sting onstage during his set to perform their duet “Big Man on Mulberry Street,” with fan-captured clips at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium showing their stellar duet performance.
2. The Lion Sleeps Tonight
While most charity shows teeter on sanctimony, this one was anything but. Joel kept his set short (five songs shorter than in 2016) yet managed to hit on all cylinders with songs aimed right at touching people’s hearts.
Sting proved himself to be an impressive partner, performing an entrancing duet with Joel on “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” and an uproarious version of “Big Man on Mulberry Street.”
This duo collaborated on an a capella rendition of “Brand New Day.”
3. Only the Good Die Young
The Piano Man showed his Empire State pride during a performance at Raymond James Stadium. Clips from Brooklyn Bridge flashed on screen during “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” while he triumphantly pointed during his “New York State of Mind.”
Former Police frontman Sting also integrated reggae, jazz and world music influences into his set. Bouncy synths and an infectious beat fuel the seductive grooves of “Roxanne.”
Fans were hoping Sting would join Joel onstage for a duet on “Englishman in New York”; unfortunately, fan-captured videos show otherwise; instead they joined forces only on 1986’s “Big Man on Mulberry Street”. Their classic crooner vibe made for an exceptional pairing.
4. The Night Is Still Young
Joel knows his audience well and expertly kept them in “New York State of Mind,” with footage from Brooklyn flashing across a screen during “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song).”
Sting, too, brought Empire State spirit to his performance. Fusing elements from reggae, jazz and world music together into fan favorites “Englishman in New York” and “Roxanne”, Sting proved why he remains one of the greats despite slightly diminished voice quality compared to before. Every high note was still hit with conviction from this former police frontman; proof enough of why Sting remains one of the greats!
5. Piano Man
Sting made his long-awaited return to Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium to duet with Billy Joel on The Police’s 1981 song ‘Message in a Bottle. Video of their performance went viral, and fans can likely look forward to witnessing it once again in 2024 when these artists share another bill together.
No rain could stop this exciting musical performance from Joel. With its catchy piano riff and lyrics about proclaiming independence – not forgetting Elaine’s cafe in New York City as well as visiting Elaine herself- it quickly became one of his biggest hits; and was enthusiastically received by an age-diverse audience that also loved an unforgettable closing song of “New York State of Mind,” complete with screen flashes showing Brooklyn Bridge clips!
6. It’s Still My Turn
Sting had two sets of songs to choose from at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium Saturday night: his own hits and those written with The Police. Many were performed, but none could top Billy Joel’s catchy “Heavy Cloud No Rain”, which mocks fashion over substance while upholding hard work as essential for success.
The crowd greeted every hit enthusiastically, singing along enthusiastically to each number. A screen flashed pictures of New York landmarks during “New York State of Mind,” and video footage of Brooklyn Bridge featured during “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant.” In his final number, Sting collaborated with reggae-fusion star Shaggy to deliver an energetic rendition of “Englishman in New York,” concluding their stunning set together.