Performing one Australian show only in Melbourne’s most iconic stadium, the concert is presented in partnership with ALWAYS LIVE, a state-wide celebration of contemporary live music supported by the Victorian Government through Visit Victoria.

‘I’m happy to announce that I’m finally coming to Australia to do one exclusive show at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as part of ALWAYS LIVE. It’s been a really long time since I’ve been there, I’m really looking forward to coming and I’m bringing the whole family and we’re going to enjoy it. I’ll see you there.’ – Billy Joel

Billy Joel’s anthology has soundtracked the lives of millions, his impeccable musicianship and transcendent songs recognised worldwide. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1999, Joel received The Kennedy Center Honors (one of the USA’s top cultural awards) in 2013. In 2014, he received both The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song and the once-in-a-century ASCAP Centennial Award – the latter presented to American music icons in recognition of their incomparable accomplishments in their respective music genres and beyond. In 2016, the Library of Congress selected ‘Piano Man’ for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its “cultural, historic, and artistic significance.” He’s the recipient of numerous other awards, including a Tony (for Movin’ Out, a Broadway musical based on his music), MusiCares Person Of The Year, and an inductee in the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

‘Piano Man’, ‘You May Be Right’, ‘Always a Woman’, ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’, ‘Uptown Girl’, ‘Big Shot’, ‘It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me’, ‘Only the Good Die Young’, ‘New York State of Mind’… the hunger to see this highly influential songwriter remains undiminished.

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Says ALWAYS LIVE Chair and Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski:

‘What a coup for Victoria, the music capital, to have one of the greatest artists of our era perform exclusively in Melbourne at one of the greatest stadiums in the world.

To work with ALWAYS LIVE to bring his show to the ‘G fulfils a dream my great father and I had… To host Billy here in Melbourne is truly special.’

Frontier Touring CEO Dion Brant says:

‘It is incredibly rare to have stadium level artists travel all the way to Australia to play one off shows. To announce Billy Joel for one night only at the MCG after the success of the Foo Fighters early this year is a great coup for Victoria and something that our team at Frontier are proud to be able to deliver.’

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Billy Joel // Photo Myrna Suárez

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As the first-ever music franchise at New York City’s Madison Square Garden (other franchises being the New York Knicks and New York Rangers), Joel began his record-breaking residency at the storied arena back in January 2014, performing one show every month “as long as the demand continues”. Incredibly, October 2022 will see Joel performing his 84th monthly and 130th show at The Garden, before he heads down to Melbourne for the one-off AU show.

‘For nearly 2 ½ hours Joel, clad in his usual uniform of black suit and tie, hopscotched through 50 years of hits… Playing on his traditional open-backed stage, Joel’s piano slowly rotated every few songs to ensure facetime with fans on all sides’ – USA Today

‘Joel closed out the regular setlist by strapping on a harmonica and performing his biggest – and first – hit, Piano Man. The opening keys brought the stadium to its collective feet, and by the time the song’s final chorus came around, Joel stopped singing and let the crowd take over.’ – Las Vegas Sun

‘There’s no real precedent in rock history for Joel’s monthly Madison Square Garden residency … a key part of the New York City cultural scene, as important as any Broadway musical or jazz club’ – Rolling Stone

Revered not just by critics and fans but also by fellow musicians, Joel’s songs have been covered many times, each version a fascinating insight on his impact and lasting influence.

Frontier Touring, the Victorian Government and ALWAYS LIVE are thrilled to welcome back the inimitable Billy Joel for this exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime stadium event. Don’t miss this magical performer, live at the MCG!