Guest Of The 1st Degree: Watch Kevin Bacon Join Billy Joel At Madison Square Garden

If the game “Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon” was expanded from those who shared the screen with to those he shared the stage with, it became a lot easier last night after the actor/musician sat-in with Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Bacon initially came out in the middle of Joel’s 93rd monthly show of his record-breaking residency at The World’s Most Famous Residency and returned for the final song of the evening.

Tuesday’s concert marked The Piano Man’s 139th lifetime show at The Garden. Only 11 shows remain in his decade-long residency which which Joel recently announced will end in July of 2014.

Billy Joel went with his typical MSG gameplan for last night’s setlist of loading the show with beloved classics and a smattering of deep cuts. The biggest surprise of the night, outside of Kevin Bacon’s appearance, was the inclusion of “Half A Mile Away.” Originally recorded by Billy Joel for his 1978 studio album 52nd Street, performances of the song have been few and far between. Tuesday’s rendition was just the ninth live take on “Half A Mile Away” as per Setlist.FM stats and fittingly was played in the nine-slot. While Joel did perform the tune at MSG in June, the version before that came back in 2019.

After opening with “Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway),” Joel and his band worked through such hits as “My Life,” “The Downeaster Alexa,” “The Longest Time” and “Allentown.” Next up was the aforementioned “Half A Mile Away” ahead of “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” and “She’s Always A Woman.” Billy Joel then told the crowd “a friend would come out on work with us on the next song” before launching into “The Entertainer.” Early in the song Joel brought out Kevin Bacon on guitar and vocals to help out on the Streetlife Serenade track. Bacon, who tours and records with sibling Michael as The Bacon Brothers, did a fine job singing and playing “The Entertainer.”

Billy Joel loaded the rest of the set with fan-favorites such as “New York State Of Mind,” “Only The Good Die Young,” “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant” and “Piano Man.” The Long Island resident returned for a five-song encore that began with “We Didn’t Start The Fire,” “Uptown Girl,” “It’s Still Rock & Roll To Me” and “Big Shot.” Joel then brought back Kevin Bacon sans guitar to accompany him on the “You May Be Right” finale.

Watch fan-shot footage of Kevin Bacon’s appearances with Billy Joel below: