Billy Joel to play 100th show at Madison Square Garden
Billy Joel will make it to 100 on Wednesday night: 100 shows at Madison Square Garden, that is. The 69-year-old "Piano Man" has been in residence at the Garden for nearly five years, but he's been performing at the venue since 1978.
Joel set the record for most consecutive performances by any artist at Madison Square Garden, with 53 shows in a row, and more than three years ago, he broke the record for most performances by any artist at the Garden, period, with 65 shows in July 2015. The previous record holder was Elton John.
The "New York State of Mind" singer, who was born in the Bronx and raised on Long Island, told Anthony Mason on "CBS Sunday Morning" that his first show at the Garden was a major career highlight.
"I mean, I remember the first show we did at the Garden," he said. "And that was a peak, you know, in my life. And -- 100 -- I'm still trying to get my head around it. I probably won't be able to really understand until after I've done it.
The musician said his 100th show will be business as usual, but with a few special tweaks.
"I'm just gonna do my show," said Joel. "We're gonna probably come up with a different set list. We may change the songs up. There may be people who show up -- and my crew might have something in store for me that I don't know about. They love to do stuff like that. Maybe a pie in the face."
The five-time Grammy winner started his residency in 2014. At the time, he told CBS News of performing at Madison Square Garden, "'That's one place I don't have to schlep to. I can commute to it from where I live,'" he said. "And we love the Garden."
Joel revealed at the time that his happiest moment onstage is when "it's cooking and the band is rocking and the audience is having a great time -- that's fun."
"It's a moment. You can't put it in a bottle," he continued. "And then you run out of the stadium and you get in the car and then you're just another schmuck on the highway."
