Billy Joel Gives Surprise Performance at The Paramount

On June 24, The Paramount in Huntington hosted Billy Joel tribute band Big Shot—with a celebrity guest that made the crowd go wild.

Sag Harbor’s own “Big Shot” Billy Joel walked onstage to perform several tunes along with the cover band’s members. Joel watched the concert from the VIP area with wife Alexis Roderick who was with wife Alexis Roderick before taking the stage.

While the crowd stood in shock and awe from his unprompted arrival, Joel, joined by vocalist and guitarist Mike DelGuidice on the guitar, sang and played several songs. According to billyjoel.com, the rock legend performed The Beatles’ “With a Little Help By My Friends,” the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Woman” and last but certainly not least, his own hit “You May Be Right,” first released on his 1980 album, Glass House.

Big Shot has performed at the Paramount many times before, but the venue has never encountered an appearance from The Piano Man himself. The band features DelGuidice along with Tommy Byrnes on guitar, John Scarpulla on saxophone, Nick Dimichino on percussion, Carmine Giglio on synthesizer, and Chuck Burgi on drums. The band performs frequently at different venues and has performed with other artists including Hall & Oats, Mariah Carey, The Four Tops, amongst others. Members of Big Shot have played for various Broadway shows including Movin’ Out, Grease, In The Heights, Spider Man, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Lion King and others.

Big Shot also covers artists such as Elton John, Chicago, Journey, The Beatles and Amagansett’s Paul McCartney, as well as perform original work. Joel continues his record-setting Madison Square Garden residency.