Billy Joel Delivers a “Whole Lotta Love”

How does 75 year old Billy Joel continue to sell-out venues around the world?  The answer is simple, the Natural Talent delivers “A Whole Lotta Love” with every show.

Billy Joel  Mohegan Sun 2/22/25

If you’ve known the joys of backseat lovin, you relate to many of the ‘Piano Man’s’ signature lines.  “I took a fresh pack of Luckies and a mint called Sen-Sen, My old man’s Trojan’s and his Old Spice aftershave. I thought I was the Duke of Earl, when I made it with a red haired girl In the Chevrolet, Oh yeah.”

The guy who rocked a tight pair of chinos, ‘long ago’, keeps the vibe of rock & roll alive by scoring the primal pleasures of every generation.

Because his playlists take you back to the days of ‘let’s remember’ Billy Joel’s concerts are timeless. Each performance is a public soundtrack of private memories worth loving as much as “an ice cold beer in the shade.”

The Piano Man’s hands: Mohegan Sun 2/22/25

Bandmates have changed over the decades but Joel’s latest constellation of rockstars faithfully translate his catalog. They line-drive hits between nostalgia and nookie with ease.

Swagger is part of every note 53 year old Mike DelGuidice delivers. The clean-up hitter rolls in multiple positions from percussion to rhythm and vocals. The guy from LI not only pours passion into ‘Nessun dorma’ but lust into the lyrics of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”.

Mike DelGuidice :Whole Lotta Love:Mohegan Sun: 2/22/25

Halfway though the concert of classics even the boss laughs out loud at the outrageousness of DelGuidice’s uninhibited performance that includes a whole-lotta growls in the key of ‘Ohh, Ohhhh, Ohhh, Ohhhhhhh!

Crystal Taliefero is the only girl in the all-boy band. The 62 year old sizzler owns the stage when she struts her stuff in a Tina Turner styled run of  “River Deep, Mountain High“. Does the crowd love her the way she loved that rag doll??  Yes they do!

Crystal Taliefero : “River Deep Mountain High” Mohegan Sun 2/22/25

The show climaxes after more than two exhilarating hours. An encore includes more “UpTown” favorites, more scenes from an imaginary “Italian Restaurant” and another “Fantasy” from the orgasmix playlist that’s part of the culture we share.  With so many hits to choose from it makes fans wonder why Billy Joel’s walk-on song isn’t one of his originals.

And then you remember the first stanza of every recent Billy Joel show is from the film “The Natural“.  While the band takes their bases on a dark stage the orchestral chords are ephemeral.  Then, there’s a crescendo and a flash of lightening before the old rock rolls into new memories.

Fans of baseball catch the metaphor. Playing well involves more than natural talent. Every grand-slam began with practice, a commitment to hustle, and willingness to make sacrifices for the team.  Translation, no matter the field~ if ya wanna score, ya gotta play with a “Whole Lotta Love.”