Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

MUSIC:

Billy Joel tribute artist comes home to Vegas to perform

If you go

  • What: Michael John’s Billy Joel Tribute Show
  • When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday
  • Where: : South Point
  • Tickets: : $15-$25; 797-8055, www.billyjoeltributeshow.com

Las Vegas native Michael John Pappageorge got a late start in his entertainment career.

The 46-year-old Clark County employee was 24 before he learned to play the piano, 36 before he began focusing on a Billy Joel tribute act.

Today, when he isn’t training government employees in time management, leadership and customer service, Pappageorge may be found in Los Angeles or in the East – sometimes in Las Vegas.

On Friday and Saturday, Pappageorge and his seven-piece backup band will be at South Point, his second gig there. On Aug. 28-29, he will perform at the Eastside Cannery.

In between, he will be in Southern California with a show that includes Elton John tribute artist Jeffrey Allen. The two recreate the classic “Face to Face Tour.”

“We’d like to find a place here in town to do it, but haven’t yet,” Pappageorge says.

This weekend’s concert will be straight-up Billy Joel.

Until he started college at UNLV Pappageorge was more interested in sports than music. One night local entertainment guru Tommy Rocker pulled the 21 year old up onstage and had him sing.

“I couldn’t sleep that night,” Pappageorge says. “I knew then that I had to do this. It was too cool.”

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