Legendary Artist to Play Final Show Before Venue Undergoes Renovation

–Presented by Bruce Ratner and Nassau Events Center–

April 24, 2015 – Long Island’s own Billy Joel will play the final show at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Tuesday, August 4 before the venue closes for an extensive renovation. The arena will reopen as a world-class sports and entertainment destination in December 2016.

Joel, who was raised in Hicksville and remains a Long Island resident, has played 31 shows at Nassau Coliseum. His last solo appearance was in 1998 when he sold out nine shows, setting the building record for the most sellouts in one year. A banner with his name still hangs in the rafters in his honor.

Tickets for the show will go on sale Friday, May 1 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000. American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Monday, April 27 at 10 a.m. through Thursday, April 30 at 10 p.m. (pending availability).

The show is presented by Bruce Ratner and Nassau Events Center (NEC), the same management team behind Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The centerpiece of a major lifestyle and retail development, the reimagined Coliseum will be developed, operated, and programmed by NEC.

“Who else but Billy Joel could play the final show at Nassau Coliseum?” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Barclays Center and who will oversee Nassau Events Center’s reimagined venue. “Billy is the definitive voice of Long Island and has made a lasting impact on his community in so many ways. We appreciate having him close the building in such a fitting way as we prepare to give Long Islanders a spectacular venue with world-class programming and a retail and entertainment destination they will be proud of.”

“Billy Joel represents the years of joy the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum has brought to residents and serves as an exciting reminder of the decades of entertainment our residents will enjoy in the soon to be renovated coliseum,” said Edward P. Mangano, Nassau County Executive.

Having sold 150 million records over the past quarter century, Billy Joel ranks as one of most popular recording artists and respected entertainers in history. The singer/songwriter/composer is the sixth best-selling recording artist of all time, the third best-selling solo artist and is one of the highest grossing touring artists in the world. In 2014, Billy Joel received both The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song which honors living musical artists’ lifetime achievement in promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of cultural understanding; entertaining and informing audiences; and inspiring new generations, and the once-in-a-century ASCAP Centennial Award, which is presented to American music icons in recognition of their incomparable accomplishments in their respective music genres and beyond.

In December 2013, Joel received The Kennedy Center Honors, one of the United States' top cultural awards. He is also the recipient of six GRAMMY® Awards, including the prestigious Grammy Legend Award. Joel has been inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has received numerous industry awards. “Movin' Out,” a Broadway musical based on Joel’s music choreographed and directed by Twyla Tharp, took home two Tony Awards, including Best Orchestrations – Joel’s first Tony Award win – and Best Choreography. For his accomplishments as a musician and as a humanitarian, Joel was honored as the 2002 MusiCares Person Of The Year by the MusiCares Foundation and the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. Billy Joel received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, adding another milestone to his extraordinary career.

Billy Joel – Big Shot (Live From Long Island)

Billy Joel performs “Big Shot” live in concert at Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, NY. The concert was filmed on December 29, 1982 and would air on HBO as Billy Joel “A Television First” on July 24, 1983 followed by its release on home video as “Live From Long Island.”

Billy Joel History Of Dates At Nassau Coliseum (Uniondale, NY)