Billy Joel Ill, Postpones Second NY Show

ALBANY, N.Y. — Billy Joel and Elton John have postponed a second upstate New York concert on their top-grossing tour after Joel fell ill with flu-like symptoms.

The Times Union Center in Albany says in a release the pair have decided to delay Monday's show. The venue says Joel's doctors advised him not to perform for 72 hours because of his "extreme fatigue."

Promoters said Friday's show at Buffalo's HSBC Arena was postponed after the 60-year-old Joel came down with flu-like symptoms.

A representative for Sony Music Entertainment hasn't returned a telephone call seeking comment. Joel is on Sony's Columbia label.

Both venues are working to reschedule the shows.

The Elton/Joel Face 2 Face tour has been the nation's top-grossing concert tour for the last two months.

Comments

[Bill Royal]

I hpe it's not the sauce again.

[whoskiddinwho]

Billy must have spent his time in Chicago tearing it up with the 4 days off between shows.Sweet man, down to Earth but an awful drunk one of Elton's road crew told me a few years ago. Let's hope Billy recognizes he has a problem with the stuff before it's too late.

[yamahagrand]

We have seen them together twice. Most recently in Indy and we took our 9 yr old son who plays piano like his daddy. I thought it would be a great first concert for him and we all had a blast!

[Debby Lyn]

Since when is he known as Billy Joel III????

[AjaStrandski]

I thought the same thing until I realized they were probably going for ILL ( I just tried to type it without the capital L's and came up with the same ) and to think we expected old Michael Jackson to drop 50 shows on the limeys.

[FHTB]

Does look bad...

[MalMNN]

only when he's ill (ILL), get it??? (the editor missed it)

[Richard Fischer]

The HSBC Arena in Buffalo was all set up by the roadies by about 3 pm on Friday, and only then was the "flu" announced. Suddenly, "flu-like symptoms" appear and the show is cancelled, er, postponed.

Sounds mighty suspicious to me. Why not just cancel the show and allow people their proper refund? Lots of people were planning this around a special occasion (birthday, anniversary, etc.).

The magic is gone, for me.

[Sadie1976]

Nonsense! It's an incredible concert! When they reschedule you will definitely want to go! I saw them in Columbus, OH this month and it was fantastic! Once you're there the "magic" will return, believe me!

[corgivet]

Still not a peep on the official web site or in the media expressing apologies to fans who spent mega bucks on tix not to mention transporting from as far away as Hawaii....Spoke with two high level media folks who agreed..the whole cancellation fiasco was handled in a most unprofessional manner....

[VTL]

Doesn't the article say he's ill?

What's your point...other than the one on the top of your head?

[tomasedison]

Thanks for a lifetime of great music memories Billy.

[aloha43]

Exactly!

[SouthernYankeeBelle]

Get well soon Billy Joel. Your music is still appreciated.

[lioness39]

word.

[urbanopolis]

Elton spends more on flowers in a year than many of us will make in our lifetime. Nice job.
Billy Joel is just simply a dic.k

[ricland]

More than likely ticket sales sucked and Joel decided to bail.

[SouthernWisdom]

The tabloids are reporting that he is drinking again. Sad.

[elr50]

If there are any Peter, Paul and Mary fans out there, they just cancelled an August concert because Mary is VERY ill, under chemotherapy. Say a prayer for her if you believe in it.

[Tatiana]

didn't know they were still together, let alone touring.

[SouthernYankeeBelle]

I didn't know she was sick. I loved that group when I was younger. When they sang you could exactually understand every word they sang. They sure gave me and my friends many nights in the summer sitting outside singing their songs. I am sorry to hear she is sick. I hope she get better.

[lioness39]

I'm wishing her the best. They were my favs.

[TreadingWater]

Who is Billy Joel the Third?

[NoVaPam]

lol

[PhilTListener]

Kim Jong-Ill's capitalist cousin. From Lawn-Guyland New Yawk.

[hjo4]

I hope he's not back on the sauce.

[Lautermilch]

A lot of people will soon be getting 'flu like' as H1N1 aka Swine flu spreads. England is having a widespread outbreak that will make its way here in a month or so - http://thintheherd.info

[rini]

I do hope it's only the flu (hopefully a mild case.) I know he's had problems in the past.

[cschmick]

Hope Billy gets well soon. I saw the Elton John/Billy Joel show in DC and thought Billy was great. Better in fact than Elton, whom I was really there to see...

[corgivet]

First, my 15 year old son and I wish a speedy recovery to Mr.Joel.

I must say how profoundly disappointed we were to have arrived at the HSBC Arena at 6 pm to find the concert was cancelled.

...took my son to see Michael Cavanaugh play with with RPO last March ..he took to Joel's music like a fish to water.
Friday we departed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at 2pm for Buffalo. We listened to FM Rock and Roll through Ohio,Penn.,Canada and NY...not a word about the cancellation.. ,,got to the HSBC arena at 6pm., paid for parking walked to the doors and read the posters. Security people told us Elton was sick and that the show was called off at 3 pm. Announcements were sent to radio, TV and internet. ..We were told to hang on to our tickets, no refunds were being made..and tthe concert would be rescheduled "sooner rather than later" and "before hockey season"
My son was crushed...he's been looking forward to this concert for months.I am a single parent,,who works 6 days a week....spoke with tickets.com....nothing has been rescheduled..HSBC arena says to get a refund I MUST go back to Buffalo...I am disappointed...for my son...
I wish it would have been handled more professionally. And, if refunds required presenting the tickets in Buffalo..we should have been told that Friday.....

[aloha43]

But still, after all you went through....what did you expect them to do?

He is ill. Sick enough that his doctor said no.

His health is what is important here.

[VOTER]

My sister and her friends went to the Chicago concert and LOVED every second.

[FHTB]

Billy isn't better than Elton...sorry...