Madison Square Garden residencies have long been a career-defining staple of the New York City live entertainment location, with names like Billy Joel and Phish dominating multi-night show cycles, making the venue a known place to catch a memorable Big Apple performance. However, last night’s performance was a truly unique event, a planned convergence for the two title-holders, Joel and Phish’s Trey Anastasio. They teamed up on select songs, including “Sleeping With the Television On,” a cover of Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla” and night closing “You Might Be Right,” featuring a Led Zeppelin “Rock and Roll” insert, sung by Mike DelGuidice.
Before the initial coming together, which occurred more than halfway through the main frame, Joel dotted his setlist with staple numbers played on more than one occasion at the location due to his high rate of return at MSG. Joel and his band completed “She’s Always a Woman” prior to Anastasio’s arrival on the familiar stage, helping his host with Glass Houses originator, “Sleeping With the Television On.” The run-through marked Joel’s first 2024 performance of the song, having last played it on May 5, 2023, at MSG.
The night’s joint delivery continued in Phish style and, in a sense, alluded to Anasatio’s jamband roots by segueing into the outro of Derek and the Dominos’ venerable “Layla,” which featured a stunning instrumental solo via the Vermont guitarist. Watch below. Yesterday’s show marked Joel’s second-to-last closer for his MSG residency and conjured with another Anatasio sit-in on “You Might Be Right” with “Rock and Roll.”
During the team up, MSG shared on social media: “No one plays @thegarden more than @billyjoel and @treyanastasio. Tonight they played together.”
Scroll down to view last night’s setlist, and fan-shot videos.
When my dad text’s me “tre is here” and misses the y. @treyanastasio sitting in with @billyjoel ! pic.twitter.com/h1HvC5QCKN
— Max (@themusicwedig) June 9, 2024
The passing of the torch. Trey and Billy. @bizarchive pic.twitter.com/hfWL5jXvPq
— Peter Burgess (@petercburgess) June 9, 2024
Billy Joel
Madison Square Garden – New York City
June 8, 2024
Set: Miami 2017, My Life, The Entertainer, Vienna, Born to Run [partial], Zanzibar, Start Me Up [partial], An Innocent Man, Don’t Ask Me Why, New York State of Mind, Allentown, Turn the Lights Back On, Movin Out (Anthony’s Song), Keeping the Faith, She’s Always a Woman, Sleeping With the Television On+, Layla+, Only the Good Die Young, Sometimes a Fantasy, The River of Dreams, Nessun dorma, Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, Piano Man
Enc.: We Didn’t Start the Fire, Uptown Girl, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, Big Shot, You Maybe Be Right+
Notes:
+ With Trey Anastasio
Setlist via setlist.FM.
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