Billy Joel has made an unannounced return to the stage, delivering his first live performance since revealing his diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, offering fans a brief but emotional reminder of his enduring presence in popular music. The surprise appearance took place on January 2 at the Wellington Amphitheater in Florida during celebrations marking the village’s 30th anniversary.
The 76 year old songwriter joined Billy Joel tribute band Turnstiles for a two song set, stepping onstage before a hometown crowd that had been teased throughout the evening that a special guest might appear. Joel, who owns property in the Wellington area, asked politely to use the microphone before taking his seat at the piano, accompanied by his wife Alexis Roderick and their daughters Della and Remy.
The songs chosen were emblematic of his late 1970s and late 1980s peak, launching into We Didn’t Start The Fire followed by Big Shot. While the appearance was informal and clearly not intended as a full scale return to touring, there was no mistaking Joel’s voice or the reaction from the audience. His daughters danced alongside him as the crowd responded with chants of his name, underscoring the affection that has followed him for more than five decades.
“I wasn’t planning on working tonight,” Joel joked to the audience, a line that carried added weight given the health challenges that forced him off the road last year. The performance marked his first time back onstage since May 2025, when he announced he had been diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a condition caused by a build up of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain that can affect balance, vision, hearing and cognitive function.
At the time of the diagnosis, Joel cancelled all scheduled concerts across 2025 and 2026, including major stadium dates alongside Sting, Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks in the United States and the United Kingdom. His last full concert before the cancellation took place in February 2025. Under medical advice, Joel began a program of physical therapy and was instructed to refrain from live performance while his condition was being managed.
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus has often been described in older medical literature as “water on the brain”. Joel later addressed the diagnosis publicly, noting that while the condition was ongoing, he was feeling generally well, apart from persistent balance issues. Sitting at the piano during a podcast interview in mid 2025, he described the sensation as “like being on a boat”, a phrase that resonated with fans accustomed to his frank self assessment.
Joel’s return, even for two songs, was significant given the scale of his career and the abrupt halt placed on his touring schedule. Emerging in the early 1970s, he broke through globally with The Stranger in 1977, an album that cemented his ability to combine pop hooks with sharply observed storytelling. Over the following decades, he became one of the best selling artists in music history, building a catalogue that included 52nd Street, Glass Houses and An Innocent Man.
Although he stepped away from releasing new pop albums in the 1990s, Joel remained a formidable live performer. From 2014 through 2024, he held a long running residency at Madison Square Garden, performing monthly sold out shows and reinforcing his reputation as one of the most reliable live draws in the world. His connection to audiences has always rested on approachability rather than spectacle, a quality that made the Wellington appearance feel especially authentic.
The Florida performance did not come with any announcement about future touring plans, and there has been no indication that Joel is ready to resume full scale live work. However, the brief set suggested a degree of confidence and stability that many fans had been hoping to see. For those in attendance, it was a rare glimpse of an artist carefully testing the waters after a serious health setback.
Billy Joel’s focus remains on recovery. The Wellington appearance reaffirmed the bond between Joel and an audience that has followed him since the early days of Piano Man.
Cancelled And Postponed 2025 Concert Dates
Saturday, April 26, 2025 Billy Joel / Sting – postponed tbd Milwaukee, WI American Family Field
Saturday, July 5, 2025 Billy Joel / Rod Stewart Pittsburgh, PA Acrisure Stadium
Friday, July 18, 2025 Billy Joel / Rod Stewart Bronx, NY Yankee Stadium
Friday, August 8, 2025 Billy Joel / Stevie Nicks East Rutherford, NJ MetLife Stadium
Thursday, August 21, 2025 Billy Joel / Sting Queens, NY Citi Field
Friday, September 5, 2025 Billy Joel / Sting Washington, DC Nationals Park
Saturday, September 20, 2025 Billy Joel / Rod Stewart Cincinnati, OH Paycor Stadium
Saturday, October 4, 2025 Billy Joel / Stevie Nicks Santa Clara, CA Levi’s Stadium
Saturday, October 18, 2025 Billy Joel / Stevie Nicks New Orleans, LA Caesars Superdome
Saturday, November 1, 2025 Billy Joel Hollywood, FL Seminole Hard Rock
Saturday, November 15, 2025 Billy Joel / Stevie Nicks Detroit, MI Ford Field
Saturday, March 14, 2026 Billy Joel Toronto, ON Rogers Centre
Friday, April 10, 2026 Billy Joel / Sting Syracuse, NY JMA Wireless Dome
Friday, May 22, 2026 Billy Joel / Sting Salt Lake City, UT Rice Eccles Stadium
Saturday, June 6, 2026 Billy Joel Edinburgh, UK Scottish Gas Murrayfield
Saturday, June 20, 2026 Billy Joel Liverpool, UK Anfield
Friday, July 3, 2026 Billy Joel / Sting Charlotte, NC Bank of America Stadium
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