The Billy Joel Guest at His 100th MSG Show in 2018: Springsteen

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When Billy Joel started booking monthly concerts at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 2014, he’d already played the world-famous arena more than 40 times. And when he performed at his July 18, 2018 gig, he could boast a nice even number—it was the 100th time he had played the World’s Most Famous Arena.

And, to make it that much more special, he invited another area legend to join him onstage—none other than longtime Columbia Records labelmate Bruce Springsteen, who at the time was breaking records of his own with his residency just up the block with his nightly Springsteen on Broadway solo run.

The New York audience went wild as The Boss and The Piano Man duetted on two Springsteen classics, “10th Avenue Freeze-Out” and “Born to Run.”

Watch Bruce Springsteen’s guest spot at Billy Joel’s 100th MSG show

Springsteen’s surprise appearance is far from the first time Joel has welcomed a fellow musical artist to sit in for a few numbers at his MSG shows. Joel was joined by Foreigner’s Mick Jones and Lou Gramm. In December 2017, Steve Miller sang “The Joker” with him. The unlikely duo of Paul Simon and Miley Cyrus joined Joel and the Piano Man reversed the trend when he joined Paul McCartney onstage at the Garden. He’s also performed with the Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere, John Mellencamp, jazz great Chick Corea, John Mayer, Sting, AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, and many more.

Watch the evening’s fitting, final number (from the cheap seats)

Billy Joel Madison Square Garden July 18, 2018 Setlist
Big Shot
My Life
The Entertainer
Vienna
The Downeaster Alexa
Half a Mile Away
Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
Don’t Ask Me Why
This Is the Time
Allentown
New York State of Mind
Zanzibar
Sometimes a Fantasy
She’s Always a Woman
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (with Bruce Springsteen)
Born to Run (with Bruce Springsteen)
Only the Good Die Young
The River of Dreams
Scenes From an Italian Restaurant
Piano Man

Congratulations, Billy! (Tickets for upcoming Joel concerts—including the final one of his MSG residency on July 25, 2024—are available here and here.)

The State of New York honored its native son on the big day…