Nostalgic baby boomers basked in youthful memories, swaying to tunes of their fellow boomers, Billy Joel (born 1949) and Elton John (born 1947). The icons of ivory, “the” piano men, gave fans their money's worth, at this very first show of the “Face 2 Face” 2009 world tour, kicked off in northeast Florida in early March. Many songs conjured up memories that have been in the vault a long time.
Music does trigger deep memories and stir emotions. Who doesn't hear a tune from long ago, and remember something or someone from the past?
If you're looking for a bargain these days (and who isn't), then get two-for-the-price-of-one by catching a show on this global tour that will be pleasing fans into 2011. Hear a live performance of two music giants with around ninety “Top 40” hit songs between them. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) ranks Joel and John on their list of “Top Ten Selling Artists of All Time” (Joel is currently 6th, John is 10th). It would be hard to beat this talent with any other live performance combination.
If Joel and John got a dollar for every memory they've evoked, every emotion they've triggered, every heart they've touched with their songs played around the world for the past 40 years, they could probably bail out the U.S. auto industry as well as the state of California. (Did you know California is the world's 8th largest economy, slipping from 6th ?)
The U.S. economy is bad. Regardless, fans turned out “to forget about life for awhile” -- in the legendary words of Joel's song “Piano Man.” In fact, Joel thanked the audience for coming out, considering the economy.
We in the audience, fans for 20, 30, even 40 years, were middle-aged now, some AARP card-carrying seniors, concerned that 401Ks have tanked. Not to mention the downward cascade of home equity over the past few years, like water flowing over Niagara Falls. Very different from the worries we had decades ago, “when I wore a younger man's clothes,” as the lyrics go.
But we were “in the mood for a melody,” and the artists were greeted with a sea of smiling faces in coastal northeast Florida. Many “yuppies” of the 80s packed the arena. It was sold out. We drove from south Georgia, Amelia Island, and other areas of Florida. There were plenty of Mercedes, Lexus, and Cadillacs in the parking lot. Black and white stretch limos lined the curb at the Jacksonville Veteran's Memorial Arena.
Joel and John played their hearts out for over three hours. The audience was enamored, dancing and singing along. It is hard to digest how old we have gotten, and where the years have gone. It must also be somewhat surreal for the artists, looking out into the sea of faces -- how the demographic has changed. Their biggest fans have grown old with them.
The duo have not performed together since 2003, and John quipped that “we're both virgins tonight.” They opened the show playing together, dueling pianos, with each singing some of the lyrics of each other's songs. Then each played about an hour with their bands. At the end, the duo got back together at the pianos for a few more songs.
John played “Crocodile Rock,” a number one hit in the US from the album “Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player.” Born in the 60s myself, I had one of those portable plastic turntables for kids that closed like a suitcase. I seem to recall playing the 45 record of this song, which came out in 1973. Dropping the arm on the record, the needle would sometimes scratch across. If you left a record in the car on a hot day (the one without air bags, GPS, OnStar, Sirius XM radio or iPod plug-ins), it would melt or warp. And likely that family car was American made. Remember those days before Toyota?
I saw Billy Joel at New York's Madison Square Garden back in the 80s. During my college years in upstate New York, much of the student body was rooted in Long Island. Joel (of Oyster Bay on the island), was worshipped on campus (along with Springsteen of the Jersey shore). Although I moved out of NY over 15 years ago, there are plenty of days that I'm still “In a New York State of Mind.”
NO RECESSION IN VINO CONSUMPTION
Most of us were not big wine drinkers in those days. College keg parties have been replaced with “a bottle of red, a bottle of white…” (Yes, Joel did play “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant.”) The wine biz is booming. Since 1994, total wine gallons consumed in the U.S. have gone up every year. Also, more people around the world are drinking our wine. U.S. wine exports (90% from California), surpassed a milestone in 2008. For the first time, American wine exports topped one billion dollars in revenues, according to data from the Wine Institute in San Francisco. California, on the brink of bankruptcy, can sure use the sales tax revenues.
Looking back, economic times in the 1980s weren't good. The mortgage interest rate index spiked to 15.8% early in the decade, and U.S. unemployment was higher – reaching over 10% in 1983 (it's around 8.1% now, according to the U.S. bureau of Labor Statistics). But we were younger then, and we didn't really notice. Maybe partly due to our age, but also because we didn't have 24/7 media broadcasting the bad news minute by minute, blow by blow. Our high tech communications are wreaking havoc on our psyche.
Today in the Digital Age, the economic environment feels like an out-of-body experience. Dreamlike. But where's the light at the end of the tunnel?
Who could have imagined Citibank shares trading under a dollar? It happened March 5th, 2009. A bank that helped build the nation after the Revolutionary War, giving loans to America's founding merchants, now in jeopardy of survival. It's struggling to keep its independence (we've all heard the rumors of possible nationalization by the U.S. government.) Citibank's history can be traced back to the first federally-chartered bank, the Bank of the United States, founded in 1791 -- its charter signed by George Washington. (Later in 1811, when the federal government didn't renew the bank's charter, it reorganized as City Bank of New York.)
Florida's economy, in particular, has been getting hit with a double whammy – both the real estate market and tourism tanking (leisure and corporate travel). It has become politically incorrect to hold a company conference in a luxury resort. Some in the sunshine state may be thinking, “Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me…” (Yes, we heard this Elton John song, with the stage bathed in brilliant yellow light).
Well the sun is starting to peek out for Florida real estate. True, there are a lot of foreclosures, (a higher concentration in some central and south Florida counties). But Florida existing home sales have risen for five consecutive months, so at least the number of sales transactions are going in the right direction (according to sales data from the Florida Association of Realtors, Feb. 25, 2009). In the sunshine state, the market ice appears to be melting, and bargains abound for those with cash (or good credit and a job).
Florida, a retirement haven and tourist magnet for the last half century, had reportedly been drawing 1,000 new residents PER DAY just a few years ago. But 2008 stats indicate that more people were “Movin' Out” of Florida (another song played by Joel's band), than new residents moved in. But Florida's population still grew from births and immigration in 2008. Florida's population reportedly increased by “only” 127,000 last year. With over 18 million people, Florida is the fourth most populous state in the U.S. It's been previously projected to bump New York out of third place in 2011, according to Census Bureau data).
Elton John's drummer was introduced as an original band member dating back to 1969. That says it all, folks. Forty years and still going strong. “I'm Still Standing,” John's song, was apropos. John's band also played other hits, including Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting, Benny and the Jets, Rocket Man, Daniel, Levon, and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
During the evening, John said “it's nice to be so close to the audience” and then flattered the women near the stage, dedicating a song, “Tiny Dancer” to “all the pretty girls” near the stage. Joel's band members included those from NY and NJ, but, interestingly, also from Australia. He played favorites -- She's Always a Woman, Angry Young Man, Allentown, River of Dreams, and Only the Good Die Young. He played his guitar, rather than piano, for “Still Rock-n-Roll to Me” and “We Didn't Start the Fire.” While Joel started playing the piano at age four and is known as “the Piano Man,” he's not “just” a piano player, of course. He likes playing the guitar, too, and the harmonica.
Even though many Floridians are economically challenged now, with one of the hardest hit real estate markets and our personal net worths getting sucked down like a poolside Pina Colada, these piano men sold out this concert (and every other venue where tickets were released, so far). So, for those in cities around the globe on the Face 2 Face tour, take heed. Man your computers. Be ready to click in the first 60 seconds when tickets are released online.
“Sir” Elton John (he was knighted), wrapped it up with “Candle in the Wind,” a song originally about Marilyn Monroe and later adapted in tribute to Princess Diana after her death.
It's one thing to hear a song on the radio or on your iPod, and quite another to experience the music live at a concert. Besides the positive vibes from the audience itself, you feel the music rumbling in your chest. Some songs induced goose bumps.
John noted with a laugh “there's an old man sitting next to me”…looking over at Joel. Seeing Billy Joel put his headset on with the harmonica for the final song, (his anthem) “Piano Man” -- hearing it live -- it doesn't get any better than this. I don't like to give reverence to credit card slogans. But this was one of those moments --“Priceless.”
I think I can speak for most of the audience in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. We were in good company. Our sentimental yearnings were fulfilled. We drifted back to the more uncluttered days of our youth. And it felt great to “forget about life for awhile.”
PLAY ME A MEMORY….BUT DON'T BLAST IT
Many of our parents fought in WWII, and earned the accolade, “the Greatest Generation.” We may go down in history as the “Bailout Generation.” As for our kids, they are the “iPod Generation.” Let's hope they don't end up the “Deaf Generation.”
Who hasn't told their kid to turn down the volume on their music player? Do you realize our children may be blasting away their future ability to relive youthful memories, or hear anything? Research indicates the younger generation may be deaf by middle-age. They could end up living in a world without music, in a life without song. This is an avoidable tragedy.
Studies indicate that a music player's volume should be no higher than 60% of full capacity when using ear buds. Listen to music below 70 decibels. More recent iPods and MP3 players allow setting a maximum volume level and then “lock” it.
BILLY JOEL & ELTON JOHN FANS, WATCH THESE VIDEOS on AMELIA ISLAND LIVING'S SOCIAL NETWORK:
30th Anniversary of "The Stranger," interview with Bill Joel (2008 Sony Music Entertainment).
“Classic” -- Billy Joel video circa 1985 singing “Piano Man,” (Sony Music Entertainment).
Elton John thanks Jacksonville, plays “Your Song” (live performance from 2003 show).
About the author: W.B. Lawson of Florida Fine Living Media, Inc., writes lifestyle, tourism, and real estate articles, published in Amelia Island Living eMagazine and also blogs on the social network AmeliaIslandLiving.NET, “Life in an island town…”. SUBSCRIBE TO AMELIA ISLAND RSS FEEDS.
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One of the nice things about living in the Amelia Island area is the small-town environment (less people, cars, and big city stress), yet it's close to the big city perks of Jacksonville, Florida. Such easy access to see a concert in Jacksonville, go to an NFL game (Jaguars), catch a symphony performance, see some live theatre, visit the city zoo, museums, and art galleries. Amelia Island has become a bedroom community of Jacksonville, and many islanders commute to Jacksonville's employment market. It's also a breeze to fly out, with the convenience of the low-stress Jacksonville International Airport within 30 minute of the island). Amelia Island also has its own airport for smaller planes and jets. The internet and the close proximity of the international airport have allowed executives to keep their jobs elsewhere while enjoying “Life in an island town…”
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