Billy Joel and Rod Stewart to Perform Sept. 13 at Cleveland Browns Stadium

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Joel and Stewart will come together on stage at Cleveland Browns Stadium for their debut performance on September 13th – marking their debut together since they joined forces. The announcement was made Thursday during a press conference held at the stadium by Haslam Sports Group owners of Cleveland Browns who hope it will draw newcomers who wouldn’t otherwise visit. Whitney Haslam Johnson from their Haslam Sports Group owners believes it can bring in new faces outside of game day attendance: “This concert is great way of drawing newcomers outside game day.”

Joel will be joined onstage by the same orchestra that has accompanied him for his ongoing Madison Square Garden residency, performing hits from their respective careers as well as new material. Tickets go on sale Feb 2 on LiveNation website.

Stewart, who last released an album in 2016, will also release new music this year. The former Faces frontman plans on dropping “Turn the Lights Back On,” his first original track in 16 years, on February 1.

Joel often collaborates with fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famers when playing concerts this year, including ex-Police frontman Sting at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Petco Park in San Diego, Busch Stadium in St Louis, the Alamodome in San Antonio and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Fred Schruers, author of a recent biography on Joel, thinks it is no surprise that these iconic musicians have collaborated for this show. Both musicians have overcome significant hurdles in their lives including substance abuse and mental illness.

Schruers’ book, released this month, walks readers through Joel’s life from its humble origins in Levittown to becoming one of music’s most celebrated artists. From early days in boxing rings and sweaty clubs through his nineties-era creative transformation.

Joel’s songs touch upon almost all aspects of his life, from obvious references to his high-profile marriages (like “New York State of Mind” and “She’s Always a Woman”) to more serious topics such as his attempts at suicide ( eg drinking Olde English scratch furniture polish as an attempt to kill himself but this failed), to emotional and chemical dependence issues resulting from failed suicide attempts ( including attempted ingestion of Olde English scratch furniture polish to cause depression).