Billy Joel Announces 2014 National Tour Dates
Retirement doesn’t become Billy Joel.
Weeks after announcing his open-ended residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Joel has been adding tour dates that take him well beyond the reach of the Long Island Railroad.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and recent Kennedy Center Honore has announced concerts in Cleveland, Louisville, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Chicago. A press release announcing the Chi-town show at Wrigley Field trumpets the fact that “the first time a musical artist has made a return appearance to the storied ballpark.”
While Joel said that each of his Madison Square Garden shows would be “unique,” it’s more likely that his shows outside of the Empire State will be more conventional “greatest hits” concerts.
Billy Joel 2014 Tour Dates:
01.22.14 JACKSONVILLE, FL Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
01.27.14 NEW YORK, NY Madison Square Garden
02.03.14 NEW YORK, NY Madison Square Garden
02.09.14 RALEIGH, NC PNC Arena
02.15.14 DETROIT, MI The Palace Of Auburn Hills
02.21.14 PITTSBURGH, PA CONSOL Energy Center
03.09.14 TORONTO, CANADA Air Canada Centre
03/21 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
04/01 – Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
04/06 – Louisville, KY @ KFC! Yum Center
04/18 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
05/09 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
05/17 – Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
05/22 – Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
06/07 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand
07/02 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
07/18 – Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field
08/07 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
09/17 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
Billy Joel Announces Indefinite Residency at Madison Square Garden
At a press conference today, Billy Joel announced an ongoing residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Joel will perform one concert there per month “for as long as his fans continue to want to come, which should be a long time,” noted Hank J. Ratner, the president and CEO of the Madison Square Garden Company, at the event.
Prior to the announcement, Joel had already announced concerts at the famed arena on January 27, February 3, March 21 and April 18, all of which have sold out, according to his official website. Another date was announced at the press conference: May 9, which is Joel’s 65th birthday. Dates for Billy Joel’s concerts past May will be announced at a later date, and he promises a unique show every night.
Like the other permanent residents of the Garden (The Knicks, The Liberty and The Rangers), Joel has been given his own custom logo (below).
“Having you as our music franchise is like having the Pope as your Parish priest!” MSG’s executive chairman Jim Dolan said at the press conference, which took place at MSG.
The April 18th concert will be his 50th performance at the Garden, his first show taking place in 1978. Joel recalled his quest to play MSG during the press conference, referencing his beginnings in Hicksville, Long Island.
“Madison Square Garden was larger than life,” he said. “It’s the place where artists become stars and players become legends. There’s no better venue in the world.”
