Billy Joel ends his residency at Madison Square Garden after 10 years
Billy Joel has announced that his residency at Madison Square Garden will end next year after 10 years. «I’m surprised it’s lasted this long. My team tells me we could still sell tickets, but 10 years, 150 concerts – enough is enough!» the Grammy-winning singer said in a statement. «I remember the first time I performed at Madison Square Garden, it was the high point of my career. I thought, ‘Holy cow, I’m headlining Madison Square Garden.’ Everyone knows that when you perform at The Garden, it’s not just New York.»
Gratitude to fans
He also showed his gratitude to the fans in his statement, saying, «I want to thank you for coming to our concerts for so long. It’s hard to finish, even with 150 concerts in my whole life. I just want to thank everyone for the wonderful thing that has happened here.»
His first concert at Madison Square Garden was in 1978.
The «Piano Man» singer gave his first concert at Madison Square Garden in December 1978. Then, in 2006, he broke his first record at the venue for «most back-to-back performances by any artist» with 12 concerts.
Broke several records
In 2013, Joel was named the venue’s first music franchise, and the following year he began his successful series. During his residency, he broke several more records, including his own for «most back-to-back performances by any artist» with 13 concerts in 2015, and «most lifetime performances by any artist» that same year with his 65th concert. Banners hang from the ceiling of The Garden to commemorate the historic moments.
«Billy Joel has made history»
«Billy Joel has made history with his residency – not only for Madison Square Garden, but for the music industry as a whole,» said James L. Dolan, executive chairman and CEO of MSG Entertainment. «150 sold-out concerts in a lifetime is an extraordinary achievement, and speaks to Billy’s extraordinary talent, his beloved catalog and his loyal fan base. Billy always has a home here at MSG even if the residency ends with his 150th performance.»
His last concert will be in July 2024
Joel’s last ten concerts at Madison Square Garden will be held from October 2023 through July 2024.
