On Thursday, July 25, Madison Square Garden witnessed the close of a remarkable chapter in music history. Billy Joel struck the final note of his decade-long residency at the iconic venue — a run that not only cemented his place as one of the Garden’s defining artists, but also marked his 150th career performance there, a milestone unmatched by anyone else.
The evening wasn’t just historic; it was deeply personal. In a surprise moment orchestrated by family friend Jimmy Fallon, Joel’s daughters joined him on stage to unveil a commemorative banner celebrating his record-breaking achievement. The proud father’s smile said it all as eight-year-old Della sang and twirled beside him, her voice carrying through the arena while Joel accompanied her on piano.
Meanwhile, six-year-old Remy perched on the edge of her father’s piano, dressed in a matching burgundy outfit like her sister, taking in every note from perhaps the best seat in the house.
Fallon himself had opened the show with a spirited rendition of Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway), but returned for the banner reveal midway through the fifth song, Vienna. Yet the night’s most touching moment came unscripted. During My Life, as Joel played and sang, Della hopped down from the piano to whisper something to her dad, unfazed by the roaring crowd. Soon after, she stood confidently before the rotating piano, clapping, mouthing lyrics, and keeping time with her feet — much to the delight of the audience, whose cheers filled the arena.
Joel, who shares Della and Remy with wife Alexis Roderick, married in 2015, was also supported in spirit by his eldest daughter Alexa Ray Joel, 36, from his marriage to Christie Brinkley.
The setlist was a career-spanning journey, filled with fan favorites such as Pressure, Allentown, Only the Good Die Young, Piano Man, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, and Big Shot. The night even included surprises, like a show-stopping duet with Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose on Paul McCartney & Wings’ Live and Let Die, followed by You May Be Right.
As the final chords rang out, it wasn’t just the end of a concert — it was the closing of a legacy at Madison Square Garden. For ten years, Billy Joel turned the arena into his own musical home, and on this night, he passed the torch with a song, a smile, and the love of family beside him.
