Billy Joel Is Coming to New Zealand This Summer Just for One Huge Concert at Eden Park

If you grew up in the 90s, odds are that you tried to memorise every single word to Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire'. Every 90s kid did. That's a skill that probably hasn't been called upon much since — other than while watching one specific episode of Parks and Recreation, and all of The Boys — but it's about to get its time to shine. Yes, the Piano Man himself is coming Down Under to sing us a song or several.

Making his first trip to Auckland in the longest time — well, in 14 years — Joel will only play one New Zealand gig. He's hitting up Eden Park on Saturday, December 3 for his second-ever stadium performance in Aotearoa. That means his show will be one of only six the country's largest sports venue is allowed to hold a year, following the council rule change for Six60's history-making stadium performance last year.

When Joel takes over Eden Park, the sounds of pre-game anthems will be replaced with everything from 'Uptown Girl' and 'It's Still Rock and Roll to Me' to 'You May Be Right' and 'Only the Good Die Young' — plus 'Tell Her About It', 'Big Shot', 'River of Dreams' and, yes, 'The Longest Time' and 'We Didn't Start the Fire'.

Joel hasn't been our way for a while, but the six-time Grammy-winner has been playing one show a month at New York City's Madison Square Garden since January 2014 — and became the venue's first-ever music franchise in the process. Before he makes the trip to Auckland, he'll notch up his 84th monthly and 130th show at The Garden.

Obviously, that's just one of his achievements. Joel has sold over 150 million records, making him the sixth best-selling recording artist of all time and the third best-selling solo artist.

If you're now keen to see the Piano Man in what's promising to be one huge gig, tickets go on sale at midday on Monday, July 21, with pre-sales from 10am on Monday, July 18. If you miss out, it might be worth a trip over the ditch —following his NZ show, he'll be heading over for a single-night performance in Melbourne.

Billy Joel will play at Eden Park on Saturday, December 3. Vodafone pre-sale tickets will go on sale at 10am Monday, July 18 until 10am Wednesday, July 20, while Live Nation pre-sale will be available from 11am Wednesday, July 20 until 11am Thursday, July 21. General public tickets go on sale from midday on July 21.

Images: Myrna Suárez.