Billy Joel and Sting Co-Headline Concert Series
Sting began the evening by performing The Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” Later he dressed like Frank Sinatra with a brimmed hat for an uptempo duet performance of Joel’s “Big Man on Mulberry Street.”
This co-headlining show transformed Tampa into New York.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
This year marks a reunion between The Piano Man and Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer Bill Wyman for co-headlining concerts, beginning Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium.
Sting, dressed in an Oscar de la Renta-style suit and hat, joined Joel at his Tampa show for classic hits like “Uptown Girl”, where the crowd sang along while watching an image of Liberty flash onto screen; and “New York State of Mind”.
Fans captured video footage of Sting and Linda performing together during his set opener, the Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” Additionally, they did a duet performance on “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” originally recorded by Solomon Linda back in 1981.
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
As Billy Joel winds down his legendary Madison Square Garden residency, his tour continues and this time Sting will co-headline as co-headliner.
Raymond James Stadium – home to Tampa Bay Buccaneers American football team – witnessed two legendary musical artists provide a sold-out crowd with hits spanning their careers. Sting’s powerful baritone provided an extra dimension in his set.
He delivered a career-spanning set that had the audience singing along to every word. Even offering their age-diverse audience the option of choosing either “Just The Way You Are” or “Vienna,” even through a brief drizzle that turned into a downpour, they still danced and sang along wildly! Additionally, these two rock & roll legends also collaborated together on several duets throughout their performance.
Big Man On Mulberry Street
Joel’s positive mood may be enhanced by having recently released a single, concert with Stevie Nicks scheduled, and performing 150th show at Madison Square Garden residency this summer – but he may feel overwhelmed.
This jazzy song was inspired by Joel’s strolls along Mulberry Street in Little Italy of New York where he fantasized of becoming a success story. Joel calls this work his most “naive”, yet its catchy melody and confident lyrics have long made an impressionful statement about itself.
Sting, dressed like Frank Sinatra with his trademark hat and gray suit, joined Joel for an electrifying rendition of their classic duet, an unforgettable highlight that perfectly fit within Joel’s year of collaboration with two legendary figures of music (hisself included).
Goodnight Saigon
Goodnight Saigon stands apart from Billy Joel’s other hits in that it isn’t simply another pop song but rather a seven-minute musical that tells an emotive tale that transcends boundaries and charts.
Attention-grabbing arpeggiated piano intro is followed by a gradual build-up of instrumentation to deliver an intense and captivating listening experience, made even more so by Russell Mulcahy’s excellent music video direction.
This video serves as a fitting tribute to those who fought in Saigon, as well as its citizens, who must now leave behind their homes. Joel shows great respect and care towards those involved with combat despite having no direct experience and typically refraining from writing songs about war unless requested by a veterans group.
New York State Of Mind
Although Raymond Stadium is home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it proved an ideal setting for Billy Joel and Sting to share a co-headlining concert. Both rock & roll icons traded hits while adding their unique styles to each song they performed.
Billy Joel brought the crowd alive during “Uptown Girl”, as the Statue of Liberty appeared on screen, before whipping around and pointing. This sent ripples through the audience who went wild for him!
Sting drew an enormous audience to his performance as well. With modern reinterpretations of classic songs like “Englishman in New York” and even collaborating with Juice WRLD on his hit single, Lucid Dreams; as well as including reggae, jazz and world music influences into fan favorites he won over an eager audience.