Billy Joel, currently wrapping up his historic residency at Madison Square Garden, hosted Elvis Costello for “ Pump It Up » and “Allentown”.
Billy Joel had a special guest at his final concert at Madison Square Garden. In the middle of his performance, the pianist called Elvis Costello on stage to perform “ Pump It Up “, a Costello song from 1978, as well as his own song ” Allentown “.
Costello sang the catchy “ Pump It Up » while Joel played the piano, and the two men joined together to sing a duet “ Allentown ”, which appears on the album The Nylon Curtain by Joel, released in 1982.
ELVIS COSTELLO AT THE BILLY JOEL CONCERT!!!!??!!???!?! pic.twitter.com/s7wObjhDPt
— sledge✨️🔮💫 (@sledgehamur) December 20, 2023
Definitely had not bingo-carded Billy Joel bringing Elvis Costello onstage at MSG tonight to sing Pump It Up while Billy dutifully played along on piano pic.twitter.com/UWyzz7Uzy6
— Steven Zeitchik (@zeitchikWaPo) December 20, 2023
Joel is wrapping up his historic monthly concert series at Madison Square Garden. The residency will end in July 2024, more than ten years after its launch. This latest concert will also mark the 150th of his career in the New York arena.
The monthly residency began on January 14, 2014 and has only been suspended during Covid and on a few occasions when medical issues forced them to delay a show. Billy Joel vowed to keep playing as long as demand persists ”, and the demand has only grown over the years, despite the fact that it has now been 30 years since he released a new album of original pop songs.
“ I once got up on stage and said, “I don’t have anything new for you, so we’re going to play the old songs.”Joel told WECB in 2019. And the audience exclaims: “Yeah!” I’m sitting in the stadium, I’m looking at 30,000, 40,000, 50,000 people and I’m like, “What are they all doing here? Why now ?” In a way, I’m an anachronism. There aren’t many people like me anymore. It is this rarity that gives me value. »
Many surprise guests have joined him at Madison Square Garden over the past decade, including Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Jimmy Fallon, Tony Bennett, Sting and Jon Bon Jovi.
Costello, meanwhile, will be touring the southern United States to start the year. The musician recently announced that he would be hitting the road with the Imposters for a series of concerts. The tour kicks off January 10 in Tallahassee, before stopping in Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and North Carolina.
