After ringing in 2014 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Billy Joel is moving into Madison Square Garden. The New York City events arena announced Tuesday that it will house a monthly concert series starring the “Piano Man.” While the partnership has no end date in sight, the first four shows, which kick off Jan. 27th, have already sold out. “Performing at Madison Square Garden is a thrilling experience,” said Joel in a statement. “I’ve played different venues all over the world, but there’s no place like coming home to The Garden. Since my first show in 1978, I’ve always looked forward to the energy of the crowd. I’m honored to be joining the Madison Square Garden family and look forward to taking the stage of the newly transformed Garden to create many more memorable nights.” The first four previously announced shows (Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Mar. 21, Apr. 18) are already sold out, and a fifth show on May 9 – Joel’s 65th birthday – has just been announced, with future dates to come.
The indefinite residency also marks the venue’s first-ever music franchise, as it is also home to the New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty. “Today, we take that relationship even further and are extremely honored to have Billy as The Garden’s first music franchise,” said James Dolan, executive chairman, The Madison Square Garden Company. “This new partnership will ensure that someone who has been such an important figure in our past, will also be a major part of our future. We welcome Billy home and look forward to many unforgettable nights of music at the Garden.” Throughout his career, Joel has performed 46 shows at the arena. In 2006, with 12-consecutive performances, Joel broke the Garden’s record for “Longest Run of a Single Artist.” To commemorate this historical moment, a banner featuring “Joel — 12” was raised to The Garden rafters, and now hangs alongside other Garden legends such as Mark Messier, Rod Gilbert, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Bill Bradley and Willis Reed.
