Billy Joel’s MSG Residency Reaches Milestone: 100th Concert Features Surprise Guests Sting & Jerry Seinfeld

Billy Joel‘s historic monthly residency at Madison Square Garden hit the century mark last night as The Piano Man played his 100th consecutive sold-out show of the run. Joel welcomed special guests Sting and Jerry Seinfield during a concert that was filmed for a CBS special set to air on April 14.

“I am from Long Island, like Billy is from Long Island,” comedian Jerry Seinfeld told the capacity crowd before Joel started his third song. “He captured how we all feel living in this particular part of the world. Long Island. New York. He’s like the companion that we’ve gone through our whole lives with. His music is our best friend for our whole life.”

“I don’t think he can understand how much his music means to us, being from where we are,” Seinfeld added before a banner was raised to the rafters of the iconic New York City venue celebrating the achievement.

Billy Joel brought out Sting a few songs after Seinfeld’s appearance. The two Rock & Roll Hall of Famers dueted on “Big Man On The Mulberry Street” off Joel’s 1986 album The Bridge and The Police classic “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.”

The collaborations were a reprise of the two songs Billy Joel and Sting performed together in Tampa last month. However this time The Piano Man’s band backed them on The Police song rather than Sting’s group. The pair share the bill again in San Diego on April 13, St. Louis on September 27 and on October 25 in San Antonio.

Sting’s last performance with Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden came way back in 2014 during the 11th show of the residency. Joel has since called upon many other legendary musicians for surprise appearances at MSG including Elvis Costello, John Mayer, John Fogerty, Tony Bennett, AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, Patty Smyth, Bruce Springsteen and many others.

Thursday’s concert was a 25-song affair featuring a slew of Billy Joel’s most beloved hits including “My Life,” “The Longest Time,” “New York State Of Mind,” “Only The Good Die Young,” “We Didn’t Start The Fire,” “Uptown Girl” and of course “Piano Man.” Joel also threw in his latest composition, “Turn The Lights Back On,” and a lone deep cut: “Half A Mile Away.” Originally released on 1978’s 52nd Street, “Half A Mile Away” had only been performed 13 times prior by Joel.

Billy Joel returns to Madison Square Garden on April 26. The record-breaking residency will end on July 25 with his 150th lifetime performance at the venue.

Setlist (via Setlist.FM)

Set: Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway), My Life, Vienna (w/ Jerry Seinfeld intro), The Downeaster Alexa, An Innocent Man, The Longest Time, Turn The Lights Back On, Big Man On Mulberry Street (w/ Sting), Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (w/ Sting), Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song), Half A Mile Away, The Entertainer, Don’t Ask Me Why, Allentown, New York State Of Mind, Only The Good Die Young, The River Of Dreams, Nessun Dorma, Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, Piano Man

Encore: We Didn’t Start The Fire, Uptown Girl, It’s Still Rock & Roll To Me, Big Shot, You May Be Right