Billy Joel's Farewell Residency at Madison Square Garden: End of an Era

TLDRBilly Joel announces his last performance of a decade-long residency at Madison Square Garden, marking the end of an era. He believes it's better to leave before overstaying his welcome. The Garden holds sentimental value for him and he compares it to home. Joel shares that the audience's energy and feedback during concerts create a reciprocal emotional relationship. He no longer sells front row tickets, instead, bringing real fans from the back to the front. Joel discontinues using a helicopter to travel to MSG due to turbulence and now opts for the Long Island Railroad.

Key insights

🎹Billy Joel believes it's better to leave before overstaying his welcome at Madison Square Garden, where he has had a decade-long residency.

🏟️Madison Square Garden holds sentimental value for Billy Joel, and he considers it his home.

🔁During concerts, there is an exchange of energy between Billy Joel and the audience, creating a reciprocal emotional relationship.

🎟️Billy Joel no longer sells front row tickets and instead invites real fans from the back to experience the concert up close.

🚁Billy Joel used to travel to Madison Square Garden by helicopter but now prefers the Long Island Railroad due to turbulence.

Q&A

Why did Billy Joel decide to stop his residency at Madison Square Garden?

Billy Joel believes it's better to leave before overstaying his welcome and decided to end his residency after a decade.

What is Billy Joel's connection to Madison Square Garden?

Madison Square Garden holds sentimental value for Billy Joel, and he considers it his home.

How does Billy Joel interact with the audience during concerts?

Billy Joel believes in a reciprocal emotional relationship with the audience during concerts, where both parties exchange energy and feedback.

Why doesn't Billy Joel sell front row tickets anymore?

Billy Joel stopped selling front row tickets because scalpers would resell them at exorbitant prices. Instead, he brings real fans from the back to the front row.

What mode of transportation does Billy Joel use to go to Madison Square Garden?

Billy Joel used to travel by helicopter but now prefers the Long Island Railroad due to turbulence.

Timestamped Summary

00:05The interview with Billy Joel about his farewell residency at Madison Square Garden begins.

00:22Billy Joel explains why he decided to stop his decade-long residency at MSG, believing it's better to leave before overstaying his welcome.

01:02Stephen asks if Madison Square Garden feels like home to Billy Joel, and he responds positively, mentioning the acoustics and comparing it to a smaller venue.

02:21Billy Joel describes the exchange of energy between him and the audience during concerts and compares it to sex, emphasizing the importance of feedback.

03:48Billy Joel explains that he no longer sells front row tickets and instead brings real fans from the back to the front row, creating a better atmosphere.

05:08Billy Joel talks about how he used to travel to MSG by helicopter but now opts for the Long Island Railroad due to turbulence and traffic.

06:41Stephen mentions that CBS will be filming Billy Joel's 100th concert at MSG, which will be aired as a special.

06:55Billy Joel admits he's camera shy but enjoys hanging out with the other musicians during the filming of his concert.