Billy Joel‘s monthly residency in New York City’s Madison Square Garden is “Movin’ Out.”
The “Piano Man” musician announced during a press conference Thursday he will be performing the last show of his residency at the iconic venue in July 2024 after 10 years of singing his classics in front of adoring fans. The last show will mark his 150th performance in the venue space.
“I’m kind of flabbergasted that it lasted as long as it did,” Joel said in a press release Thursday. “My team tells me that we could continue to sell tickets, but ten years, 150 shows – all right already!”
Joel’s monthly showcase of his notable tunes including “Just the Way You Are” and “Uptown Girl” first began in 2014, kicking off Madison Square Garden’s “The World’s Most Famous Arena” franchise. Since then, he’s consistently thrown monthly concerts aside from the 20-month hiatus the residency took during the pandemic.
“I never dreamed I’d have a residency at Madison Square Garden. We can’t believe people are still buying tickets to see us,” Joel told USA TODAY in 2021. “I remember the first time I ever went there, I was a little kid and my parents took me to a Christmas show with Gene Autry. … It seemed like the biggest place I could ever imagine.”
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Joel returned to the stage in 2021 after the pandemic hiatus along with his band of aces – highlighted by long timers Mark Rivera on saxophone, Crystal Taliefero on percussion and Tommy Byrnes on lead guitar – rolling through a 25-song set list lasting for more than two hours.
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“Yeah, The Garden is our home. The crowd is always great; it’s New York. The acoustics are great. It’s just everything good about playing live,” Joel previously told USA TODAY of the venue where his name hangs in the rafters.
The last 10 shows of Joel’s legendary showcase will begin Oct. 20, with ticket presales beginning June 5.
Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri
