Billy Joel is set to be joined at his upcoming one-off Melbourne show by the incomparable Tina Arena. Arena was announced as the opening act for Joel’s December concert this morning, noting in a statement how much the iconic New York City musician’s music has meant to her throughout her life.
“I grew up listening to Billy Joel,” Arena told fans. “His songbook is a big part of the soundtrack of my life so I really look forward to being a part of this extraordinary, once in a lifetime event. You don’t want to miss this show.”
Billy Joel Announces His Return to Australia
Billy Joel announced his return to Australia just last week as part of Frontier Touring and the Victorian government’s Always Live initiative. Joel will be in Australia for one night only, performing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, 10th December.
At 73 years old, Joel has been no stranger to Australian shores, performing more than 100 shows here since his first visit in the mid-1970s. More recently though, his name has been rather absent from nearby marquees, with his last visit taking place as part of the the Stone Music Festival in April 2013, and his last headline trek occurring in 2008.
Regarding his upcoming performance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Joel said, “It’s been a really long time since I’ve been [to Australia]. I’m really looking forward to coming and I’m bringing the whole family and we’re going to enjoy it. I’ll see you there.” Joel last performed in Melbourne as part of his 2008 world tour.
Much like Joel, Arena is a veritable icon of the music scene, having been inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2015 and winning numerous awards throughout her career, including seven ARIA Awards, and selling over ten million records globally.
Tickets to Joel and Arena’s upcoming show go on sale on Monday, 4th July at 10am AEST via Frontier Touring. Frontier Members can access the Frontier pre-sale, which starts at 11am AEST on Thursday, 30th June.
Further Reading
Love Letter To A Record: Jim Ward On Billy Joel’s ‘The Stranger’
Tina Arena Slams Lack Of Pandemic Support For Australian Arts Industry: “We’re Done”
Here Are The 10 Most Feel-Good Songs Ever, According To Science
