Billy Joel @ Fenway Park

There aren't many figures in the American pop music cannon that can lay claim to 45 years of performing. Despite that fact that he hasn't released new music since 1997, Billy Joel has remained an active live artist. He has consistently toured year after year. Last night's concert at Fenway Park was his second in as many years. Despite what Jed Gottleib of the Boston Herald has to say about Billy Joel (too safe performing at the park), the man clearly owned the space. I'll let the sports people discuss the implications of a man from the Bronx owning Fenway Park as I kinda don't care. The show itself was straight-up fun.

Digging deep into his catalog, the concert was still chock full of songs that everyone knows (or at least the people at Fenway knew as many were singing along). It was definitely a show that demonstrated Billy Joel's historical arc. With songs like "Goodnight Saigon" (sung with members of the US Military on stage) and "Allentown" reminding those of us, of a particular age, just exactly what the 70s were like. Much like "Uptown Girl" will always remind of my middle school dances, Christie Brinkley, and the 80s. Billy Joel's performance reads like cliff notes to American culture. Not growing up in the US, I was always slightly disconnected from its culture. But through the songs of Billy Joel I always had a sense of what the American mindset might be. His music rings very much, unapologetically American.

The concert itself was an exercise in musicianship and songwriting. It got a little bit overwhelming as the hit songs came one after another. For a man well into his 60s he put many contemporary musicians to shame. Nostalgia acts have come to be seen as the tours of a series of has-beens but despite his lack of new material, hence mostly historical songs i.e. a nostalgia act, there was nothing negative about his performance. This was nostalgic and in a good way. It was the performance of songs that reminded one of the powerful historical resonance that music can have. Even "We Didn't Start The Fire," a most irritating song (to me. I know many people love this song) with its rambling take on American history, had an exuberance when played live that was infectious. I still don't like the song but let's just say I hate it a little less.

It seemed very apropos to have such a seminal American artist perform in such a historically American venue. I understand why Jed Gottlieb would prefer someone more exciting (and I'm all aboard if Metallica play at Fenway) but there was something special about seeing Billy Joel at Fenway. It fit. And yes, he did own it.