Billy Joel's Shea concert ends guessing about songs

BY GLENN GAMBOA | glenn.gamboa@newsday.com; MARC BEJA

July 16, 2008

Billy Joel performs in the first of 10 sold out concerts at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., Friday, May 23, 2008. (AP Photo)

The months of Billy Joel guessing games end tonight, when he takes the Shea Stadium stage for the first of the two final concerts at the historic ballpark.

Will there be a tribute to The Beatles, who revolutionized rock concerts in 1965 with their Shea Stadium show? (Probably.) Will a Beatle be there? (Probably not.) Which of Joel's famous friends will show up for "The Last Play at Shea?" (Hard to say, but Elton John would be a pretty good bet.)

And, of course, what will Joel play? Well, songs about New York ("New York State of Mind," "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," "Movin' Out"), songs that include baseball references ("Miami 2017," "Zanzibar") and songs that have a sense of history ("We Didn't Start the Fire") are shoo-ins, judging from the warm-up show he performed in Hersheypark Stadium last Thursday.

History will be a major theme in the show, Joel said, adding that video footage will be shown on massive skyscraper-shaped screens. "It's kind of staggering how much has happened just in the lifetime of this place or even in my lifetime," he said. "We're going to use those images in the show when they fit in."

After the Shea shows, Joel is looking forward to a nice summer vacation before hitting the road in Australia and Asia this fall. "This will be a nice cap for the summer," he said.

You need to plan before you go

Some tips if you're going to see Billy Joel at Shea Stadium tonight:

1 Arrive early. There will be limited parking due to construction of Citi Field. Lots will open at 4 p.m. and doors will open at 6 p.m.

2 Take the train. The Long Island Rail Road will provide additional eastbound and westbound trains to Shea Stadium on the Port Washington and Great Neck lines. Transfers are available at Woodside. The MTA recommends buying tickets in advance to avoid $5 on-train fees.

3 Take the subway. There will be added local and express service before and after the concert on the No. 7 line. Avoid lines by buying a MetroCard in advance.

4 Leave everything at home. All food, drinks and recording devices will be prohibited. Anyone with a purse or bag will have to wait on security lines. Smoking is prohibited everywhere in the park.

5 Beware of scalpers. Concert tickets are printed on the regular Mets ticket stubs. Buy tickets only from Shea Stadium or a ticket-seller with a guarantee. - MARC BEJA