Joel, John play it long at MGM Grand

Spencer Patterson

Monday, March 31, 2003 | 8:18 a.m.

Midway through his set at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night, Billy Joel invited a rather unexpected guest onto the stage: his dentist.

Joel didn't need emergency oral surgery. Rather, he was simply fulfilling a promise made with a less than a clear head.

"I was sitting in his chair, under the gas, when he asked me if he could join me the next time I played Vegas," Joel joked. "I said, 'Suuurrre.' "

So during the second of the two sold-out weekend concerts featuring Joel and Elton John at the Grand Garden, "Dr. Jerry" got his wish.

Backed by Joel on piano, the dentist sang Frank Sinatra's classic, "The Lady Is a Tramp." As he exited, he proclaimed, "This is much better than doing root canal. Thank you."

Though it wasn't a memorable musical moment, the episode was received warmly by the crowd of 13,500. It also typified Joel's relaxed approach to the night.

The piano man -- a one-time lounge musician himself -- seemed quite comfortable with his Las Vegas surroundings, becoming friendly with the audience immediately and maintaining that connection throughout with jokes, stories and most important, a superb evening of music.

The same could not be said for Joel's musical partner, however. While critics might consider John the superior musician of the two, Sir Elton approached the show somewhat rigidly.

In sharp contrast to Joel, John rarely addressed the crowd directly. And John's set, though well played and laden with familiar hits, came across more as big arena rock than intimate piano music.

That kept many in the crowd -- which consisted mainly of folks in their 40s and older -- seated for the majority of John's performance.

As it has since its conception in 1994, the two men's "Face to Face" co-headlining tour opens with Joel and John onstage together, without their accompanying bands.

Dressed simply in a black suit, the 53-year-old Joel appeared fit and healthy months after checking himself into a rehabilitation clinic, reportedly to treat alcohol dependency.

"This is a song I wrote for my first ex-wife, so I don't know what the hell you're listening to me for," Joel quipped before beginning "Just the Way You Are."

John, who celebrated his 56th birthday last week, lived up to his reputation for flamboyancy, opting for an electric-blue suit and white-rimmed sunglasses.

"This is a song I wrote for my first ex-husband," John deadpanned as his five-piece band took the stage for a rousing version of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me."

After that number, Joel exited, leaving the stage to John and his ensemble.

The group's opening number, "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding," might be the best rock song John (and longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin) ever wrote, but the 10-minute extravaganza -- complete with piercing solos from guitarist Davey Johnstone -- seemed to stun the mostly seated audience.

Not surprisingly, John's ballads went over best. "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" absolutely soared, and fans reveled at the chance to sing along with "Rocket Man" and "Tiny Dancer."

Late in John's set, the crowd finally rose for two upbeat numbers, the appropriate "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" and the bouncy "Crocodile Rock."

Similar to John, Joel opened with a long selection, the eight-minute "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant." But in this case, the choice delighted the crowd, which bobbed its heads as Joel and his six-piece band ran through the song's many changes, highlighted by Mark Rivera's elegant saxophone work.

Without a new album to promote, Joel stuck close to his greatest hits, delivering fun takes on "Movin' Out" and "Only the Good Die Young," an emotional rendition of "Innocent Man" and an understated version of "New York State of Mind."

Joel was all smiles all night, delivering wisecracks and occasionally breaking into an Elvis Presley accent. During "River of Dreams," he and his bandmates segued into a bit of "Viva Las Vegas."

And then there were Joel's hilarious band intros, delivered in a faux New Jersey accent.

"From Australia -- we borrowed him from the 'Thunder Down Under' revue -- Andy Cichon on bass. He packs a large instrument and carries a lot of equipment," Joel said, then added, "How would I know? I just heard. Elton would know."

By the time the two men returned for their first encore, the concert was more than three hours long. So it made little sense when, after four of their own compositions, the duo broke out uninspired covers of The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" and Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire."

Clearly flagging by that point, the crowd began emptying out early. By the time the show closed with a "Piano Man" second encore, few even had the energy to sing along nearly 3 1/2 hours after the show started.

Despite Joel's outstanding set and John's solid contributions, the show ultimately failed on one significant level: Neither musician truly added anything revelatory to the other man's work.

Certainly, it was interesting to hear John sing a few verses of Joel's "My Life" and Joel try on John's "Your Song" for size. But once the novelty wore off, you couldn't help but wonder if each singer would have been better off sticking to his own familiar material.

Joining ranks may make it easier for Joel and John to sell out back-to-back nights at large arenas, and it certainly made a $300 ticket price for top seats more palatable.

But perhaps it's time the two living legends returned to what they do best: individually entertaining their loyal fans in their unique ways.

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