Billy Joel & Sting Kick Off Their Co-Headlining Stadium Tour
Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famers Billy Joel and Sting kicked off their co-headlining shows at Raymond James Stadium Saturday night, providing plenty of Empire State pride with songs like “New York State of Mind” and a screen featuring Brooklyn Bridge images during “Vienna.”
After Joel had completed his set, Sting appeared in a Sinatra-style suit and hat for an energetic rendition of ‘Big Man on Mulberry Street.’
Opening Act
On Saturday night, Billy Joel & Sting’s co-headlining stadium tour kicked off in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium and, despite unseasonable rainfall in the region, pop music’s famed piano man was in full form.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Eric Clapton kicked off his set with his trademark humor, reminding the age-diverse audience that he hails from New York and that “this is nothing.”
But then he launched into an amazing 16-song set, demonstrating that even familiar classics such as Roxanne, Message in a Bottle or So Lonely still sound fresh and vibrant if performed by someone with his talent for modulating his voice to suit each song’s mood and melody. Additionally, his bass player added greatly to the overall soundscape of his show.
Setlist
On Saturday night at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, The Piano Man brought his crowd into a “New York State of Mind”. Even with some unseasonably wet weather in play, his sold out concert went ahead as planned.
Sting kept his setlist diverse, alternating between solo hits and songs from The Police. A highlight was when Sting joined reggae icon Shaggy for a duet on “Englishman in New York”.
Sting’s performance added new energy to timeless hits like “Message in a Bottle,” “Roxanne,” and “Every Breath You Take.” He extended a number of songs – 12 minute opus “Walking on the Moon,” as well as its 12 minute sister track, Arabic-influenced melody of Desert Rose.” To spice up his shows further, Sting called in some big name guests; in Tampa alone Joel asked Sting to join his band for a rendition of “Big Man on Mulberry Street”, an arrangement well received by fans!
Guest Artists
Billy Joel has long made the most of his Madison Square Garden shows to attract superstar guests like Sting, this year he invited him onstage for two songs at his co-headlining shows. On Saturday night in Tampa they combined forces onstage for a duet version of “Big Man on Mulberry Street”, one of Joel and Sting’s hits from their respective catalogs.
No musician was alone onstage for that song, as both performers took turns trading off vocal duties while the crowd cheered every New York reference. Later in the show, Sting was joined onstage by reggae superstar Shaggy for his hit song ‘Englishman in New York,” with fans waving wrist-lights proudly.
Joel’s MSG concerts have featured rock stars as well as celebrity guests such as Jon Stewart and Kevin Bacon in recent years; last week’s 100th MSG show also saw Sting’s neighbor Jerry Seinfeld attend in person!
Finale
Sting returned after his opening set and sang duet with Joel on “Big Man on Mulberry Street.” Sting captured its classic crooner feel perfectly, looking like Frank Sinatra while donning his trademark brimmed hat.
At his show, Sting showcased some of his signature Police songs such as “Roxanne” and “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” Additionally, both rockers joined forces on his hit single, “Englishman in New York”.
But the highlight of the night may have been the encore. When singer John Legend performed “Piano Man,” it drew cheers and applause from both audience members and performers alike; an indicator that his skills still possess something special to offer audiences today.
If you missed this special, it will air again on CBS on April 19 at 9 pm ET/PT; Paramount+ and SHOWTIME subscribers can stream it live or on demand (view list of available shows on Paramount+). In addition, these two will co-headline more shows later this year at Madison Square Garden and elsewhere.