I've seen the lights go out in Flushing

[Guest Edgy DC]

Billy Jucketts preparing to be the last performer ever at Shea.

[Gwreck]

1. I'm slightly disappointed this wasn't titled the "Official Steve J. Rogers thread." (Just kidding Steve! Sort of.)

2. I'm surprised that this would actually be considered. Getting concert equipment into Shea is a logistical mess, considering that construction would still be ongoing at Citifield. Shea was considered initially for the NY Live Earth event but it wasn't possible.

3. Seems very unlikely that a show would be allowed to happen late in the season if the Mets were in the playoff hunt. Springsteen wanted Yankee Stadium for his '03 tour in mid September but they wouldn't allow the show because of the fact that it would destroy the field (the shows wound up being done at Rentschler Field in Hartford)...which would mean...

4. Outdoor concerts in late October/early November* in New York? Yarright.


*God willing.

[soupcan]

So I guess the plan is for Joel to suck so bad that Shea will swallow itself like a black hole?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Shortly after I "cursed" Tom Glavine's no-hitter a few days ago, I was thinking again about how I'd almost rather not see the Mets break their little jinx. I can sense how anti-climatic that would be.

So when the Mets do eventually have a no-hitter, I'd like it to be in extraordinary circumstances. And here's the best scenario I can think of:

A 1-0 perfect Game 7 to close out the 2008 World Series, in the last game ever played at Shea Stadium.

Take that, Billy Joel!

[Gwreck]

Who pitches it? Oliver Perez or John Maine?

[Guest Edgy DC]

And then Shea can stand in graceful retirement, while Billy Joel is demolished.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Gwreck wrote: Who pitches it? Oliver Perez or John Maine?

I'd be okay with either of them. Or Pedro or Pelfrey or Humber or Glavine.

It would probably be nicer, though, if it was someone young enough to have another ten years of Mets pitching ahead of him.

[HahnSolo]

Have any other sports stadiums "closed" with concerts? Can't think of any, but I might be wrong.

[Gwreck]

I believe Veterans Stadium closed with a Bon Jovi concert.

[Guest SI Metman]

Gwreck wrote: I believe Veterans Stadium closed with a Bon Jovi concert.

Nope, that was in July and billed as the Vet's final rock concert. Phillies still had 2 1/2 months of baseball after that.

[Valadius]

Watch it be Kevin Mulvey.

[stevejrogers]

Astrodome is still in use, but one of its major non Astros/Oilers attractions, the Houston Livestock Show And Rodeo had a George Strait (a usual performer at it, and its new home, Reliant Stadium home of the Texans) concert be a final send off

[G-Fafif]

When Billy Joel played YS, he said something to the effect of he thought it would be great to play Shea because the Beatles did, but when he remembered Grand Funk did, too, it didn't seem that great.

That remark and his decision to take his business elsewhere drove a bit of a wedge between us.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm against the Mets lending him their authority for an apparently status-driven appearance.

[stevejrogers]

While Joel has a ton of Yankee links (Played at YS, grew up a Yankee fan, lyrics such as "Rose knows he's such a credit to the game/but the Yankees steal the headlines every time", he is wearing Yankee gear in the Stranger album, ect) but it still does seem odd for the Joel hate amongst a fan base that one would imagine would see a lot of cross pollination. Well maybe its just the Long Island thing that would make people feel that way.

]When Billy Joel played YS, he said something to the effect of he thought it would be great to play Shea because the Beatles did, but when he remembered Grand Funk did, too, it didn't seem that great. That remark and his decision to take his business elsewhere drove a bit of a wedge between us.

Grand Funk? Greg, You do realize they are universally named as one of the worst groups in the history of rock & roll. Yeah thats akin to the amount of "pundits" that put Sgt. Pepper as the greatest album of all time despite the Beatles themselves putting Rubber Soul & Revolver above it, but considering the amount of Grand Funk hate that doesn't sound like a real good reason to dislike an artist.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

whoosh.

I like the idea of imploding Billy Joel.

[Guest Edgy DC]

]While Joel has a ton of Yankee links (Played at YS, grew up a Yankee fan, lyrics such as "Rose knows he's such a credit to the game/but the Yankees steal the headlines every time", he is wearing Yankee gear in the Stranger album, ect) but it still does seem odd for the Joel hate amongst a fan base that one would imagine would see a lot of cross pollination.

Once again, you don't give anyone but yourself credit for nuance. It's the apparent pursuit of a status driven appearance at a place I love that I hate.

]Well maybe its just the Long Island thing that would make people feel that way.

What Long Island thing?

]Grand Funk? Greg, You do realize they are universally named as one of the worst groups in the history of rock & roll.

No, they're not.

]Yeah thats akin to the amount of "pundits" that put Sgt. Pepper as the greatest album of all time despite the Beatles themselves putting Rubber Soul & Revolver above it,.

No, it's not.

] but considering the amount of Grand Funk hate that doesn't sound like a real good reason to dislike an artist

He's disengenuously badmouthing other artists who are easily kickable while they're down, while trying to link himself by association to the top band ever. Just like he's trying to link himself to 44 years of Shea. Borrowed authority for somebody who long ago spent all his own authority.

[Guest Kid Carsey]

I think Steve's on the second half of a bottle of vodka this evening.

[stevejrogers]

New York State Of Mind is generally played at Shea, both after a loss and after whatever winning game ending song of the moment is played.

He is considered the Mets', OUR version of Frank Sinatra for crying out loud.

[Guest Edgy DC]

SteveJRogers wrote: New York State Of Mind is generally played at Shea, both after a loss and after whatever winning game ending song of the moment is played. He is considered the Mets', OUR version of Frank Sinatra for crying out loud.

By whom?

[G-Fafif]

SteveJRogers wrote: While Joel has a ton of Yankee links (Played at YS, grew up a Yankee fan, lyrics such as "Rose knows he's such a credit to the game/but the Yankees steal the headlines every time", he is wearing Yankee gear in the Stranger album, ect) but it still does seem odd for the Joel hate amongst a fan base that one would imagine would see a lot of cross pollination. Well maybe its just the Long Island thing that would make people feel that way.

Joel sang the anthem for Game 2 of the '86 WS and was playing the Garden when Game 6 of the NLCS was in progress, giving updates all the way. Brought Carter and Ojeda on stage between series. Gave an interview asking "why don't people believe you can like both NY teams?" "NY State of Mind" has been a goodnight Shea staple since 2001. I'm willing to give him a celebrity dispensation given the locality of his roots.

Also, he attempted to balance the Mantle reference in "We Didn't Start the Fire" with "Brooklyn's got a winning team". In the final verse, I always substitute "Amazin' Mets" for "Bernie Goetz".

]Grand Funk? Greg, You do realize they are universally named as one of the worst groups in the history of rock & roll. Yeah thats akin to the amount of "pundits" that put Sgt. Pepper as the greatest album of all time despite the Beatles themselves putting Rubber Soul & Revolver above it, but considering the amount of Grand Funk hate that doesn't sound like a real good reason to dislike an artist.

As for who's universally named what by critics...Steve, I don't care, not even a little.

[stevejrogers]

Well if NYSOM is played at Shea as opposed to New York, New York I'd say the Mets consider him to be their version of Sinatra.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Which Mets?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Billy Joel is a great piano balladeer.

He is nobody's Frank Sinatra.

He is nobody's Beatles.

If he ever aspires to anything like that sort of status, he should treat Grand Funk with respect. He should be thankful for the career he's had. He's got no business big-leaguing anybody.

[stevejrogers]

Well considering NYSOM closes out Shea after every freaking game, clearly someone running the boards at Shea, or someone above them wants that to be the Mets "New York, New York"

[seawolf17]

Besides, "Some Kind of Wonderful" is one of the best songs ever.

[stevejrogers]

="Edgy DC"] If he ever aspires to anything like that sort of status, he should treat Grand Funk with respect. He should be thankful for the career he's had. He's got no business big-leaguing anybody.

Please, everyone big-leagues everyone in that industry, or any other entertainment industry, even sports.

The lead guy from Oasis once was told by Bono that he (Bono) thought they (Oasis) would someday be bigger than the Beatles. The jerkwad responded that they already were bigger than the Beatles! If I was Bono at that moment, I'd would have decked him.

Its not uncommon to keep trashing something or someone you always looked upon as crud. If he didn't like them in the 60s why would he change his tune 30-40 years later?

[stevejrogers]

Speaking of big-leaguing and the genre I mentioned up thread, there has been a hell of a lot of big-leaguing in that genre through the years.

From Johnny Cash being treated like crap early on in his Opry Days, to Charile Rich burning the CMA award thing that listed John Denver as the Entertainer of The Year to virtually all of the older generations of stars running down Garth Brooks every chance they get.

And I'm not even touching the rap genre.

The music industry is pretty much always a "big-leaguing" industry.

[Guest Edgy DC]

No, it's not.

[stevejrogers]

Okay, maybe in the part you and Cha are in, but its apparantly that is the exception to the rule.