Decided weeks ago I had to see this Billy Joel and Sting mashup in Milwaukee. Crazy combo, right? Figured it’d be one for the books. Started simple: snagged tickets online before they vanished. Easy enough, just tapped and paid. Done.
Pre-Concert Jitters & Getting There
Day of, double-checked my stash: tickets printed? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Phone charged? Barely, but good enough. Wore comfy shoes knowing the place was huge. Traffic? Absolute nightmare crawling towards that stadium. Took ages, felt like driving to another state. Finally spotted parking signs, followed the herd. Circled like a vulture forever in this giant, multi-level parking garage – concrete maze vibes. By the time I slid into a spot, my neck was tight.
Inside the Madhouse
Grabbed a quick, stupidly expensive pretzel and a bottle of water inside. Place was buzzing – packed. Found my seat after asking a couple of staff members pointing vaguely. View was actually decent, high up but facing the stage square on. Stage setup looked ready for a blockbuster – big screens, fancy lights, the works. The crowd energy? Thick in the air, everyone buzzed.
Let the Music Play
Lights dipped. Roar went up. Sting walks out first. Boom! Hits straight away with some old Police bangers – “Message in a Bottle” got everyone roaring along. Voice still sharp. Played a solid mix: some solo newer stuff, but mostly crowd-pleasers. Full band sound, powerful. Highlight? “Every Breath You Take” had the whole stadium doing that slow dance sway. Magic. He wrapped up punchy, left us pumped.
Quick break. Ran to the crowded restroom. Big mistake. Line snaked forever. Missed the very start of Billy Joel while waiting. Felt stupid.
Got back. Billy’s already going, pounding the piano keys for “Pressure.” Awesome. His band is huge – horns, extra singers, whole circus. Energy different from Sting – less rock god, more legendary piano man. Played for ages. Took us through decades: “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”? Chills. “Uptown Girl”? Cheesy fun, people belting it out. Even the deep cuts like “Zanzibar” sounded great. Voice showed some wear, yeah, but the playing? Flawless. Felt like hanging out with an old pro who knows exactly what works.
The Mashup & The Messy End
Then, the moment – Sting walks back out! Crowd loses it. They do a couple together. Billy on piano, Sting singing… something bluesy? Sounded good, but honestly? Felt short. Wanted more. Like, way more.
Show’s supposed to end near 10:30PM. Billy keeps playing. Encore hits: “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” “Only the Good Die Young.” Crowd still wild. Fantastic. But then… leaving.
Total gridlock nightmare. Fun vanished. That multi-level parking garage? Stalled. Cars barely moving. Sat there for easily an hour, engine idling, listening to talk radio because my phone was dead. People beeping. Hot. Annoying. Major vibe killer after such a high.
Final Thoughts
Music was top tier. Both legends delivered big time. Sound was clear even way up high, no muddy mess. Vibe during the show? Unreal fun. Worth the ticket for sure. But man, the getting there and getting out? Sucked the life out of the post-show glow. Stadium logistics just collapsed under the weight. Next time? Maybe I bike, or teleport. Seriously.
