June 1, 2023

Mayor Eric Adams: I begin my day, get behind the SUV with my safety element. I place on the earphones, and I play New York State of Mind. And what actually touched me this morning with all that my Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom has to cope with as she manages the asylum disaster, the homelessness, human companies, psychological well being points. When she heard I used to be coming right here at the moment, she mentioned, Eric, I’ve to return to see Billy Joel and inform him thanks. And there’s one thing that should you solely see the efficiency of this nice artist on in all probability the largest stage within the nation, not the globe, you’ll miss that he is not merely an entertainer. The million plus individuals who got here in to sing alongside to the songs, on the conclusion of the present, they left. They left re-energized, they left serious about how blessed we’re, and the way privileged we’re to be a New Yorker.

He captured the essence of New York City. He was an envoy of what is nice about New York, and the place the American dream lives and grows each day, and the variety of his viewers. When I stroll round, and I hear individuals all brag about, not that they attended a present, however what number of reveals they attended, the repeated quantity of people that come over and over and over to listen to all the favourite songs, all the favourite beats, they usually change into anew once more, this was a revival, not merely a residency. This was a second for New Yorkers to state that it doesn’t matter what we went via or what we’re going via, we will are available in and get the power that comes from that piano, from that voice, from the surprises that got here each day. I’m so glad and blessed to be right here, to be the mayor through the time that Billy Joel is ending up this superb run, going to be 10 years of doing this. Exciting.

And to his two stunning daughters who in all probability didn’t seize the second of the relevance of this second proper now, they are going to look again over it in time, and they are going to see what their dad did, not solely on the stage of Madison Square Garden, however on the stage of New York City. New York is an important nation metropolis on the globe that makes Madison Square Garden an important enviornment, and that makes Billy Joel an important artist. Job effectively achieved, brother. You did your factor, man. I’m trying ahead to listening to many, many, many extra moments once more. Thank you. Let’s give it as much as Billy Joel.

Billy Joel: Thank you. Thank you very a lot. It is an honor to be right here at the moment to have a good time. Oh, that is your factor. That’s nice. Thank you, Jim. No, this ain’t mine both. [Laughter.]

Anyway, it’s an honor to be right here. I’m sort of flabbergasted that it did not final so long as it did. And my workforce tells me that we might proceed to promote tickets, however 10 years, I do not know. This is 150 reveals, 10 years, alright already. [Laughter.] I imply, regardless of what you’ve got learn, I’m promoting my home in Long Island, however I’m not leaving New York. I’m simply spending somewhat extra time down in Florida, like all Jewish guys do from New York City. So it is actually not that a lot information. So basically we’re simply right here to hype the following 10 reveals. It’s promotion.

And I haven’t got my notes, wherever they had been. It’s laborious to consider that we have been in a position to do that for 10 years. I did not know the way lengthy it was going to final. I believed there can be an arc to it. Maybe it will promote effectively to start with after which ultimately it is going to dwindle out. But it retains promoting and folks preserve coming, and folks preserve shopping for tickets. And I’m now 74, I’ll be 75 subsequent 12 months. Seems like a pleasant quantity to simply, okay, thanks. Here I’m. Okay. Thank you, Mayor Adams, on your phrases.

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