A bit delayed in getting this post up – but a few weeks back I got the chance (thanks to some stellar partners at work) to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden.

It was a fantastic show and a wonderful experience. It was the 100th consecutive show of his current residency at MSG, meaning for 100 months in a row he’s performed at the venue. That’s eight years and four months – a solid run. Per Joel’s site every single one of this concerts at MSG has been sold out.

It was also being recorded for TV, which meant some special guest appearances were to be expected.

Thanks to those same stellar partners, we started the evening with pre-event drinks in the NY Rangers Locker Room

I was tempted to try to snuggle in a Boston Bruins hat for a selfie, but didn’t want to risk getting kicked out (or worse).

I worried at first that Joel’s back would be to us all night, but (of course) the piano is on a rotating platform so everyone gets a chance to see both sides.

At your seats, there’s a little wrist light, that can be remotely controlled by the lighting designer – they can turn it on and off, flash, change colors, etc – of course people also supplement with lighters and phone flashlights.

Tried hard to find the balance between constantly taking video and images versus just enjoying the show.

The first special guest was none other than Jerry Seinfeld, who did not attempt to sing with Joel but to celebrate his accomplishments and his connection to New York (and especially Long Island).

As Seinfeld left the stage, after a glowing tribute to Joel about identification of his music with our lives and especially NY, Joel quipped “thanks for buying my house.” (I felt a bit like an imposter, in a NYC crowd, having never actually lived in NY, but I get it).

Early in the show they get Joel up from the piano to sing some standing up. He told the story of his first show at MSG, which was Gene Autry, the singing cowboy.

Joel joked about how when writing the songs that became An Innocent Man he wasn’t thinking about how he’d have to sing it as a much older man someday. “Let’s see how it goes,” he said – I’m interested to see myself.”

Of course it went perfectly – with the crowd singing along.

Warming up to “For the Longest Time” the band broke into “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” with Joel noting “I did not write that song – I wish I had!”

I’d heard rumours Mick Jagger was in town, and might be a special guest, but was pleasantly surprised that the other special guest was none other than Sting!

One of the most anticipated songs of the night – “New York State of Mind” – started with Joel facing away from us.

But thanks to the rotating piano it didn’t stay that way

When Joel brings out the harmonica, everyone knows where we’re headed – to Piano Man, as the finale of the set. Joel plays up that anticipation – this is not his first rodeo.

It’s virtually impossible to hear Piano Man without singing along

As the band left the stage after Piano Man, I was thinking about what they could still have for an encore. They had played virtually everything I expected to hear – the only things they didn’t play being songs likely too soft / precious for an arena crowd (Honesty, Just the Way You Are).

Joel started the encore with heavy distorted guitar, like he was going to go into a solo – but that grew into my least favorite Billy Joel tune “We Didn’t Start the Fire” – which actually played pretty well as an opener to an encore.

While they’d done “For the Longest Time” and “An Innocent Man” earlier in the show, they held “Uptown Girl” for the encore. (This one was on my list as well that I expected to hear).

Penultimate song? “It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me”

And the finale? “You May Be Right”

What a fantastic show – clearly Joel and the band take seriously their role as performers and have their performance at peak execution.

Well worth checking out when it airs on CBS next weekend, or streaming.