Every serious Billy Joel fan should see him perform in Madison Square Garden at least once in their life. Billy Joel has been an astoundingly popular artist since the 1970’s and continues to perform sold out concerts in Madison Square Garden to this day. According to Billy Joel’s biography on his website, hits such as “Piano Man,” “Uptown Girl,” and “Just the Way You Are,” allowed him to top the charts in the 1970’s, 80’s, and 90’s. He was also inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. He currently has done twelve consecutive sold-out shows and counting, which is unprecedented in the history of Madison Square Garden. This record keeps hundreds of thousands Billy Joel fans flocking to the historic venue to see him perform. Obviously, …show more content…
As great as the journey is for this pilgrimage, ultimately the arrival is the moment for which people wait. The fans flock to Madison Square Garden to see Joel perform. Although Nelson talks about baseball in his article, and Joel’s concert is a musical event, the concert is much like the ferry described in Nelson’s article. The energy in the stadium from over 20,000 Joel fans is exactly like the energy of the ferry being ridden by all the Giants fans. These pilgrims do not know the people around them, but still have a deep connection with them (Nelson). Since, this finale is most important part of the pilgrimage, the concert should not be spoiled. Moreover, every concert is completely different from the last, any expectation is probably incorrect. However, the most basic explanation of the concert is a ton of people getting together singing along, dancing, and connecting through the great music of Joel. According to the Madison Square Garden’s website, the arena is like a basketball court, so a select few people are standing on the ground, while the others are in stands. So, imagining the feeling in the center of action is unreal without the actual experience (History of The Madison Square Garden). There is one more catch to this journey though. The people who make this pilgrimage should be able to sing every word to “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” A fan who fails may not claim to be an elite Billy Joel fan and the journey will never mean as much to them as it would to those who can recite the song flawlessly. Once the pilgrims return home, they will forever be able to say their life was changed by the “Piano Man”