"i'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints...the sinners have much more fun"

As i write this my ears are still ringing....

My Dad and I had been talking about going to see Billy Joel's last play at Shea for the past couple days but, like Cook's, did nothing about it...till today. I went on to stubhub and quickly snatched up a pair of tickets. All I can say say about tonight's experience is "HOLY FUCKING SHIT".
I met Pops by the 7 train at 7 and weeded through all the people to get to gate C. Dad brought my camera, bc i was told "digital/no video was allowed". We get to the purse only line where the lame ass security guard goes thru my shit and is all "this is professional camera, you can't come in here with this". I know you're only doing your job guy, but you're doing it wrong. You're plastic badge can't force me to make one of the hardest decisions of my life: Ditch the camera or ditch Billy Joel. A look of panic crawled across my face and i got the attention of another guard who i whined to and asked for help. He waved me in and i gave a big ole "nanny nanny poo poo" to the rent-a-cop.
We got to our seats and waited about 45 minutes for Billy to take the stage. It was insane. The scrims/the lights/the sounds. One of the best concert experiences i've ever had - and i was so far back i could only make out Mr. Joel's silhouette. During "New York State Of Mind" he stops the show and Tony freakin Bennett comes out. I was like "What?! How is this happening right now??". After a crazy rendition of Goodnight Saigon (where it looked like helicopters were about to land on the field and soldiers/marines/NYPD/FDNY members sang back up and i shed a tear) JOHN MAYER came out and played guitar while he made his signature crazy faces. I think my Dad had to pick my jaw up off the floor for me and I may or may not be developing my own man-crush on Mista Mayer. A couple more songs later Don Henley came out and sang "Boys of Summer." After that John (Cougar) Mellencamp played "Ain't that America"...really John? Really? Not Jack & Diane? I hate to say it, but i was kinda disappointed. Those were all the special guests but me & dad were sure Paul McCartney was coming out. At one point during "River Of Dreams" Billy broke out a Beatles song and we just looked at each other. I think my heart may have stopped beating....and thennn at the end, Bill is all "we want to thank The Beatles for letting us play at their house. They were and always will be the best band on planet earth" and then started playing "She Loves You". I'm pretty convinced Mr. McCartney will be there Friday for the final final show & so will I.
After leaving the stage & coming back for an encore, he played "scenes from an italian restaurant". This is my favorite Billy song and the song i wanted to hear the most. I should have prefaced this entry with a little note explaining that when i was in my early years of college i HATED Billy Joel while Ali was obsessed. She would play all these songs in our dorm room and i'd be miserable and all "ugh stop playing this shit. i hate him. he's so lame". The only song i would ask her to play every now and then was "scenes" when i thought the song was about someone named "Brenda Ranetty". Every year i learned to love him a little more though.

All I have left to say is that tonight was incredible. I'm so glad i shared it w/my dad. It's definitely a memory i'll have foreva eva and means a lot to me. (I wish you guys could have been there too...i know we woulda been dancin around, drinkin, making friends and screaming about heart attack-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak's). I'm also glad that the upper deck didn't collapse during "we didn't start the fire".