Billy Joel is coming back to Fenway Park this summer. And he might be staying a while.
The Boston Red Sox and Live Nation announced that the Piano Man will play the ballpark on August 18, marking the third consecutive year Joel has performed at Fenway. At the press conference this morning at Fenway’s EMC Club, which was transformed into an “Italian Restaurant” but featured no appearance from Joel himself, it was suggested that the performer would be invited back in 2017 and beyond, making it perhaps the grandest residency a New Yorker has ever had in New England.
“Billy Joel will be the first artist who will play three consecutive years in a row at Fenway,” said Sam Kennedy, chief operating officer of the Boston Red Sox and president of Fenway Sports Management. “The intention is for him to come back every summer.”
This will be the latest in the season Joel plays Fenway. Last year, he performed there on July 16, and in 2014, he played on June 26. Both of those shows were sellouts. Tickets to this summer’s Joel gig go on sale Friday, January 22nd at 10 a.m. via RedSox.com/BillyJoel.
“Fenway is unique, kind of like our own Hollywood Bowl, and there is a certain magic about this venue that sells like no other,” said Live Nation New England president Don Law, who described Joel as “an exceptional artist you don’t see very often.” He added: “We’re delighted to bring him back. Billy loves Fenway… we’re hoping this continues.”
Joel joins James Taylor, who will play Fenway on August 3, on the ballpark’s 2016 summer concert schedule. More shows are expected to be announced. Last year’s summer concert slate at Fenway included Joel, Taylor, Foo Fighters, and Zac Brown Band.
Billy Joel live photo by Anthony Correia / Shutterstock.com.
