Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 04:46:28 -0600
Message-Id: <199312141046.EAA03403@chaos.bsu.edu>
From: joel@chaos.bsu.edu
To: joel@chaos.bsu.edu (Billy Joel Fan Club)
Reply-To: joel@chaos.bsu.edu
Subject: B.J. In L.A.
Sender: joel-request@chaos.bsu.edu

X-Author: etrinida@chaph.usc.edu (Elson Trinidad)
	I just saw Billy's show here in Los Angeles at the Memorial Sports
Arena...A near-sellout crowd, but one that was very LOUD and enthusiastic,
the fact that those few extra seats were not filled did not matter.

	Billy took to the stage at about 8:30 p.m. and started the show with
"No Man's Land." 
	A freak incident occured when his wireless mic gave out some noise
just before he sang "Lullabye" - "This is a song off the new album..."
he said just before the noisy static buzz of the wireless mic, "Of course,
it doesn't sound like THAT!" he humorously replied.
	But the mic noise haunted him later, when it struck again during
the first verse of "Lullabye." Holding his hands up, he said, "Fuck it, I'm
doing this myself..." So he started the song again, and what followed was a
moving rendition, without any glitches.
	Billy and his 6-piece band even showed off some holiday spirit:
The percussionist had a Santa hat and some tinsel next to her kit,and Billy
played "Angels We Have Heard On High" on the piano, along with Liberty's
drumming, and a snippet of "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" during the "I Go
To Extremes" piano solos.
	An interesting highlight of the show was when he did "Shameless" -
with none other than Slash of Guns N Roses playing guitar.
	During between-song patter, he commented on his lyric book on
top of his piano (and recited an anecdote about meeting Bob Dylan backstage
in Italy, finding out that Dylan refers to a store-bought Bob Dylan song book
to help him with the lyrics); told the L.A. crowd about once living in North
Hollywood and Malibu; and offered words of wisdom to audience members of 
different age groups before breaking into "An Innocent Man."

>From what I recall, here was his set list (not exactly in order):

No Man's Land
Pressure
Lullabye
The River of Dreams
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
Angry Young Man
Allentown
I Go To Extremes
Goodnight Saigon
Shades of Grey
Shameless
My Life
You May Be Right
We Didn't Start The Fire
An Innocent Man
Only The Good Die Young
Be Bop a Lula/Still Rock & Roll To Me
Big Shot
Piano Man

In all, a wonderful show.

I was a bit disappointed with him not playing "Say Goodbye To Hollywood"
at the L.A. show, and MOST disappointed at his not playing "All About Soul!"

Hopfully he might get to these at his show in Anaheim, CA on Saturday, which
I will also be seeing!

Speaking of which, of any of you out there are from the Orange County/
Los Angeles area and would like to see his show at the Anaheim Arena on
Saturday, December 18, I will sell you an extra ticket for $30.
This is a VERY GOOD seat - Section 17X, 3rd row. This is the
third row of the closest side section to the stage (audience's stage left) -
The seat is about 20 feet from the stage. E-mail me if interested.
 
Elson Trinidad
etrinida@scf.usc.edu