When one thinks of Billy Joel, one rarely conjures up images of a man kicking over microphone stands, pouring water on the stage and smashing an alarm clock. Nor does one think of a man doing impressions of Hitler, John F. Kennedy or a fictional country singer singing out the Sept. 11 attacks by referring to the “people with rags on their heads.” Further, one doesn’t expect the night’s discussion to switch at random from classical music to Czech pornography star Silvia Saint. One would normally expect from “An Evening With Billy Joel” a lively rock star playing his classics “Piano Man” and “New York State of Mind” in Gaston Hall. The Sunday, Nov. 18 concert offered each of these experiences in “Beer Hall,” as Joel referred to it, for better or worse.
Joel set the uncouth tone for the night by storming on stage during his introduction and poking fun at the announcer who called him “a man who needs no introduction.” At this point, it became clear that the audience was not in for a typical show, but rather a night of humor, Billy Joel style, with a little music on the side. Given the small setting of Gaston Hall and the question-and-answer format of the show, the audience felt as if it were actually at Joel’s house, where he would intimately speak, sing and swear at will.
Before allowing the audience to ask any questions, he mandated that all inquires must be of an academic nature. He said he didn’t want any “fan” questions, and it appeared that the night would have a somber tone, with Joel using this as a venue to show his serious side, complete with a display of his musical knowledge. This wasn’t quite what was expected, but the audience complied and the show began with Joel being asked how he felt that the music industry had changed during his career.
He answered this with a tirade on the history of rock ‘n’ roll, complete with imitations of “Tutti Frutti” and Elvis Presley. Joel spent nearly a half hour answering this question. It became clear that while he has a vast understanding of rock, he felt it more necessary to make the answer a slapstick farce of music history. His answer was incredibly funny, and it became clear that Joel would be the reason the night strayed from its academic purpose, not the audience.
The night continued in this manner, with the audience asking serious questions and Joel giving humorous answers. It appeared the audience was content with Joel’s responses but was itching for him to play more music. Having only played one song through to completion by the time he brought out pianist Richard Joo to play classical music from his new album, Fantasies and Delusions, it seemed as if Joel had lost the audience. The half-hour classical interlude was devoid of humor, and Joel became surprisingly serious, while drinking plenty of whatever it was he had in his blue plastic cup.
Once the classical music was over, Joel asked for more questions and the audience obliged, but it was clear that Joel was not in the mood to be serious any more. When asked about what musical influences he thought would be reflected in American rock in the future, he grasped his forehead, stuttered and then just said that he didn’t know. When asked what he thought of Napster, the music-sharing client made infamous by its legal woes, he said he had just learned to use his daughter’s computer to search for porn star Silvia Saint, but if he knew how to download music, then he would. At this point, the audience began to yell out song names in hope that he’d get the hint that the only way to save the show would be to play his classics.
The show displayed an inherent conflict within Billy Joel: the hard-drinking, hard-rocking star which America loves versus the classical music academic which he is attempting to become. Perhaps, as these are both two valid descriptions of Joel, the transformation from the former to the latter would be more effective if he were consistent.
The question on everyone’s mind throughout the whole show was whether he’d play “Piano Man.” He did. And it was incredible. But it’s questionable whether he fully redeemed himself, as the show ended with him having played only five of his hit songs. Though it was an enjoyable night, the show was plagued by inconsistency, offensiveness and a lack of music that even “Piano Man” couldn’t fully save.
