Review: Billy Joel wows a sold-out crowd in Beach

VIRGINIA BEACH

As the lyric in Billy Joel's 1973 hit "Piano Man" states, "It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday." So good, in fact, some of the 20,000 fans at the sold-out Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater who had lawn tickets had to settle just over the hill without a view but were nonetheless delighted to be serenaded by Joel's vintage material.

Joel's Saturday night concert was long overdue for this region. His last performance in Hampton Roads was in 1987 at the Hampton Coliseum. With major touring acts such as the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, the Police and Van Halen bypassing the region, Joel's concert was the event of the summer for fans yearning to see a rock 'n' roll superstar.

"This looks like Woodstock," Joel told the crowd as he overlooked a sea of humanity.

Whether audience members came to "forget about life for a while" or simply to reminisce and sing along to the soundtrack of their lives, one thing was evident: They loved every second of Joel's memorable performance.

The entertainer, clad in a dark sports jacket, black T-shirt and blue jeans, opened his show with the dramatic instrumental "Prelude," which led into "Angry Young Man." For much of the evening, he sat front and center behind his piano, which occasionally rotated so those in the front rows could enjoy equal face time.

Throughout his performance, Joel was personable, telling jokes between songs and appearing appreciative of the crowd's enthusiasm. He seemed to feed off the energy and reciprocated with passion in both his vocal performance and fingerwork on the keyboard.

The set list Joel selected for his first appearance in Virginia Beach was a thrilling treat and satisfied the tastes of both longtime and casual fans. Many music lovers may recall the days when radio station FM99 would indulge in brilliant deep cuts, such as Joel's "Captain Jack." Joel, backed by a full band and horn section, absolutely nailed it live. Then, of course, there was the grocery list of essential Billy Joel staples: "Allentown," "New York State of Mind," "My Life," "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," "We Didn't Start the Fire," "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" and the ballad "She's Always a Woman."

Toward the end of the evening, Joel announced one of his stage crew members - named Chainsaw - was going to come out and sing an inspirational number. Joel strapped on an electric guitar as the burly Chainsaw took center stage. As Joel struck the familiar power chords of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell," the audience erupted with approval. And for the record, Chainsaw did a fantastic job.

One of the more subtle highlights of the night included the jazzy flair of "Zanzibar," from the album "52nd Street," giving the audience a good feel for the diversity in Joel's songwriting and the capabilities of his band. His down-to-earth comedic wit was on display when he explained that "Rootbeer Rag" was a nonhit instrumental, "so if you need to go to the bathroom, now's the time."

Billy Joel ended the set with "You May Be Right," then slowly walked the width of the stage to slap hands with fans in the front row.

Joel returned for a well-deserved encore to perform "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and "Only the Good Die Young."

It was half past 10 o'clock on this Saturday when Joel, harmonica strapped around his neck, bid farewell with "Piano Man."

As the timeless song stated, the crowd arrived in the mood for a melody and Joel left them feeling all right.

Jeff Maisey, (757) 222-3934, jeff.maisey@pilotonline.com