MTA!

I am talking about Billy Joel.

I haven’t written my blog for some time but today, I have to write it. I’m still overwhelmed by the atmosphere last night, and yes, I went to Billy Joel Live to Hong Kong concert yesterday night!

I seldom went to concerts, the last one I went was Diana Krall, yes, she’s a (jazz) pianist! This is the only category of singers that makes me pay to go to their concerts. It’s personal. And hopefully Tori Amos will come to Hong Kong, too!

Last time I went to Diana’s, I paid for the second most expensive (or cheap?) tickets, and by then I swore to myself if I ever go to concert again, I will go for the most expensive ones… cos the seats were just … unbearable. So, this time, when I know BJ is here, even the tickets are pricey, esp during the financial crisis, I didn’t hesitate… and I am not regret that decision.

The concert started strong and then followed by some cantonese greetings from Billy. From my observation, almost 70% of the audiences are not Chinese-Cantonese, so probably that’s not necessary. But of course, the localization is most welcomed. He then played the song, according to him, composed for his first x-wife, ‘Honesty’. When he started playing the piano, I just cried all over … I have no idea why cos this song is not my most favourite but his live performance just touched me.

The arrangement of songs in his concert is just superb. The crowd just got heated and most people stood and danced along starting from the middle of the concert. Just before the show ended, he played ‘Piano Man’ and all the audiences sang the chorus with him… then whenever the chorus part comes, he kept silent and let everyone sing it. I … dont know how to put it, but I feel REAL good to sing with all the BJ’s fans.

He likes to refer himself as “Billy Joel’s dad”, and in fact, I haven’t expected such an energy coming from a man in his age, but, last nite his performance, his (great) band and the arrangement in the concert just blew me away. I’m not familiar with all the songs he sung, but for those that I didn’t quite fond of before, now I have to say I love it. They are much better performed live than in the CD. “The New York State of Mind” is the most surprising song to me. It was just awesomely performed.

I read some blogs here which also reviewed the concert, and I have to agree with their comment of people who arrived late. The concert started at around 8:30pm (official time 8:00pm) and people are still looking for seats in the dark around 9:15pm… I don’t understand why they still come (I expect the concert lasts 1.5 hours) … And why concerts dont have those practice as in the drama/musicals, etc. that bar people from coming in until the first act is finished, something like this. I wish that will help people to get serious about being prompt.

Billy Joel’s Dad, you rock!!