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Billy Joel in Hollywood May 17

Billy Joel Plays The First Of Three Concerts At The Hollywood Bowl – Concert Reviews & Photos

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Performing the first of three shows at the Hollywood Bowl, Billy Joel arrived on the stage like in “Piano Man” — just after 9 p.m. — and performed nearly two hours' worth of hits from throughout his multi-platinum, Grammy-winning career. He offered the hits ingrained in the brains of generations of Americans, all delivered with a New York accent, toe-tapping melodies and that assured voice and phrasing. … The only Hollywood moment came near the end when Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine showed up to sing “You May Be Right,” dueting with Joel and accompanied by the musicians and guest guitarist Davey Johnstone of Elton John's band. – Los Angeles Times

There’s no question that the 17,000-plus fans who filled the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday night to see the first of three Billy Joel shows this month witnessed something special. At just about the midway point, after a run of deep tracks peppered by bigger hits “Pressure” and “Allentown,” the set’s spirit suddenly surged, starting with a rare but appropriate airing of “Say Goodbye to Hollywood,” a Spectoresque track “we haven’t done since the 1980s.” Joel suggested it might devolve into “an authentic rock ’n’ roll screw-up,” but the opposite occurred: It enlivened him and his eight aces, their work growing stronger from there on out – and on songs that have been played at least a thousand times live. – Orange County Register