Review

Billy Joel: Live and kicking

Joel's timeless music has crowd-appeal

June 30, 2000
Web posted at: 5:32 p.m. EDT (2132 GMT)

In this story: Passionate live performer Crowd gets involved RELATED STORIES, SITES

Billy Joel
"2000 Years: The Millennium Concert"
(Sony Records)
Released: May 2

(CNN) -- Billy Joel the musician can be summed up with any number of descriptions: cynic, lover, observer, hopeful hero. He's built a career out of the rare ability to combine them all into memorable musical moments -- occasionally in the same song.

Love him for such classic pop numbers as "Only the Good Die Young" or loathe him for such cheesy adult contemporary songs like "Just the Way You Are," but give Joel his due. From his "Cold Spring Harbor" solo debut in 1971 to his latest studio album, "River of Dreams" (1993), the singer has weathered every musical trend. He's done it with the pop sensibilities of the Beatles and the soul of Ray Charles.

The combination has worked well, too. Joel has sold more than 100 million records, won five Grammys and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

And he still seems to pour more passion and have more fun during a live show than nearly any other performer working today.

	AUDIO
"Only the Good Die Young" 320K MP3 or WAV sound "I've Loved These Days" 384K MP3 or WAV sound Courtesy Sony Records

So it's no shocker that Joel and his band knocked out the New Year's Eve Madison Square Garden crowd. It was that performance that has become Joel's latest release, "2000 Years: The Millennium Concert." It's Joel at his best.

Joel goes right for the jugular in this two-disc set. A recording of Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony," performed by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Philadelphia Orchestra, opens the show. Then the band quickly kicks into fiery renditions of "Big Shot" and "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)."

Just three songs into album, Joel does what he does better than any other performer: become one of the crowd. "First, I want to thank all of you for paying these ridiculously expensive ticket prices," he tells the audience, which cheers in reply. A minute or so later, he follows with this: "Also, I'm very proud of you, because a lot of people were to chicken ... to do anything tonight. Well, we're all in it together."

In this latest album, Joel reaches back for songs he hasn't played for more than 20 years; touches on each of his alter-egos; and even pays homage to other musicians -- the band's covers of "Dance To The Music" (Doobie Brothers) and "Honky Tonk Woman" (Rolling Stones) are two examples.

This album also succeeds in letting a listener feel a part of the event; it doesn't filter out the audience's role in the performance. For example, when Joel says, "This is a good night to make a culmination of things," the crowd's enthusiastic response makes it clear that something is happening on the stage and in the seats.

Joel performs an impressive array of hits, but still leaves out such standards as "Piano Man," "Say Goodbye To Hollywood," "Pressure" and "Uptown Girl." That is proof of Joel's catalog strength.

The release contains only two ballads: "Summer Highland Falls" and the absolutely stunning "I've Loved These Days." That might say more about album producer Don DeVito's efforts to set a mood than Joel's mind-set.

It's telling, too, that the crowd responded more favorably to "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" after Joel and company had ripped through "Dance to the Music" and "Honky Tonk Woman." People clearly came to hear Joel sing his songs -- not someone else's

Any musician worth his ticket stub wants to author timeless music. Joel has done just that with this album.

Billy Joel comes alive with '2000 Years'
May 16, 2000
Music to my New Year's: Performers lead many celebrations
January 1, 2000
Billy Joel: This long tour may be his last
March 2, 1998

Official Billy Joel site

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