Cardiff - Billy Joel

Aug 8th - Aug 10th 2024

Thursday 8th August 2024

Home to Cardiff

Both up reasonably early so started packing after breakfast. Spent an hour or so sat in the garden enjoying the sunshine and then headed off to Cardiff just after 10:00.

Pretty straight-forward journey down - going via Swindon. Decided we’d hold off stopping for lunch and try to get to Cardiff as early as possible. Turns out there were some hold-ups but nothing major so we arrived at the Hilton garage around 13:00ish.

Walked up to the hotel and did the check-in formalities but our room wasn’t ready. The chap at reception gave us a key for the Exec Lounge but we decided to head to the bar for some lunch. We were meeting Gavin for a drink around 14:30 so we had plenty of time. Both opted for the veggie burgers which were pretty good. Very helpful waitress who kept coming to check on us. Nikki had a pre-op call to deal with and I had a wander outside and then came back in to the bar for dessert. 

Gavin got there around 14:45 so we chatted and caught up on years of news - starting mainly with health - and then family, friends and gigs we’d been to. He certainly outstrips us 100-1 in the gigs area! He left around 16:30 to hit Cardiff Market so we went up to our now-ready room. We were in 514 which is right at the front of the building. Funny curved shape but a really tucked-away room. Walk-in shower and giant TV so all good with the world.

Around 17:30 we decided to go down to the Exec Lounge for some nibbles. Not the greatest offering but we found a table next to the TV showing the Olympics and watched the cycling over a drink. I went outside to check the weather - and it was TIPPING down. We had planned to wander round the corner to find somewhere  to eat but figured the hotel restaurant may be the better - and drier - option. I went and booked us a table for 19:00 and came back to watch the cycling. The Olympics moved from BBC1 to BBC2 at 18:00 and I caused a minor diplomatic incident by asking the lounge host to change the channel. She said it simply wasn’t possible as it was controlled by the bar - so I asked the bar chaps and they did it straight away.

Went in for dinner at 19:00 and that was a bit of a disappointment. They were obviously short-staffed in the kitchen as it took over an hour for our meal to arrive - and when it did arrive - it wasn’t great. I spoke to the restaurant manager. While we were waiting we got chatting to a couple from Scotland who’d come down for Billy Joel. We were regaled with every gig they’d been to recently - like Gavin, many more than us!

Back to the room for some more Olympic-watching and then bed.

Friday 9th August 2024

Cardiff

Reasonable night’s sleep for both of us. I woke a few times because of my back but there was no noise. I really like our tucked-away little room.

Went down for breakfast around 08:00. Very quiet. I guess all the Billy Joel fans are having a lie-in. Breakfast wasn’t great - all the right things but just not quite. Nikki’s poached egg was rock hard etc etc. Oh well. Back up to the room to wash the jam off my elbows and we headed out to see if any shops were open.

Weather much better so we wandered around Queen Street and into the St David’s Centre before coming out by St David’s Hall and checking out Cardiff Market. By this point my back was playing up so we went back to the hotel. We’d arranged to meet MJ - another school friend - at about 10:00 so we went to the Exec Lounge. I met him in reception. He’d come down on the train from his Mum’s and, like Gavin, I hadn’t seen him for 9 years! Again we updated each other on health travails over a drink in the lounge. Had a great chat for about an hour before moving into the bar area. Amazing where the years go so lots of things to catch up on. Decided that since we’d last met we’d had Brexit, Trump and a pandemic - so maybe we shouldn’t risk leaving it so long next time.

MJ left to pick up his Mum around 11:30. We figured we should go and see where we were supposed to go for Billy Joel. For the first time ever I’d splashed out on hospitality as it was the only way I could get disabled tickets. Walked down Castle Street and across to the Angel Hotel and along by the Holiday Inn and found Riverwalk. There was a security guard there who was very helpful but pointed out that, yes - I had access to the hospitality - but that nobody seemed to have sent me the actual concert tickets. So as it stood I could have all the canapés and booze I wanted - but we weren’t going to see the gig.

This needed some more investigation - over lunch. We walked up to St Mary Street and found this unoccupied Indian Street Food place so we sat outside in the sun. Both had a masala which was incredible. I then had an email from Connor from the Principality Stadium saying they’d had a problem with their ticket system so could I pick up our tickets from the RFU shop. No problem.

Back to the hotel and some downtime - in bed dozing to the Olympics. I woke up with a banging headache around 15:00 and we eventually figured it was probably caffeine withdrawal from the lack of Pepsi Max so went down to the lounge for a couple of coffees which did the trick.

We left the room around 17:15 for the walk to the stadium. All the roads outside the Hilton were closed so it was pretty easy. Went down St Mary Street past all the packed-out bars and restaurants and down Quay Street to Gate 3 of the stadium. I went in to the RFU shop and met Connor who furnished me with our tickets. At Gate 3 a really helpful disabled assistant offered to walk us in. We got to the gate but our tickets wouldn’t scan. We then had to go to a little shed where the lady dealt with scanning issues and after about 10 mins she was told on her earpiece to just let us in. The disabled assistant lady took us around to the lift and got us up to Level 5, which is where all the hospitality is.

We were on the wrong side of the stadium so had to walk all the way around but it was very interesting peering into all the boxes and seeing what companies were there and what they were having! We got to the Millennium Lounge and were greeted by 3 very friendly girls - one of whom escorted us to our table.

We were sat near the bar on a table for 10 but as we were one end - and 2 of the 10 hadn’t turned up - we were left alone! Offered all sorts of drinks - thankfully they had Pepsi Max so no more headaches. Nikki had a red wine and then they offered us our dinner. It was a plant-based Rendang with baby corn, peppers, lemongrass & coconut. Didn’t know what to expect from that but it was delicious. Could have happily had another one. The non-veggie option was Malaysian Beef Brisket. Had some more drinks and then it was Mango and Passion Fruit Trifle.

I nipped to the loo and realised the support act Chris Isaak was on stage. We knew Billy Joel was on at 20:00 so just after 19:00 we decided to go to our seats. One of the nice hospitality girls took us down in the lift and showed us where we were seated. Very odd disabled area. I’m used to a space for Nikki in the wheelchair and a seat for me next to her. Here it’s the wheelchairs in front and the companion seats behind. I guess the stadium’s main purpose is sport so companions are likely to be stood anyway. Quite a bit of confusion about who was supposed to be where so the supervisor decided - once Chris Isaak had finished - to get everyone out and into the correct seats. Annoyingly it meant I had a worse view but it was fine if I stood up. Nice to have some room and to not be hemmed in by the people around me.

Billy Joel came on just after 20:00 and the place erupted. I swear he sounds better every time I see him. Not bad for someone of 75! The man is a superb musician and entertainer. He had the place in the palm of his hand. Some great bits between the songs too. He said that we’d all seen the Billy Joel posters around the place but Billy couldn’t make it tonight so he’d sent his dad. He also did some Tom Jones bits. Here’s the setlist.

Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) 

Pressure

The Entertainer

Just the Way You Are

Zanzibar

What’s New Pussycat (Snippet)

Start Me Up (Rolling Stones cover)

An Innocent Man

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Barbara Ann

The Longest Time

The Downeaster Alexa

Allentown

Vienna

My Life

New York State of Mind

Only the Good Die Young

Sometimes a Fantasy

River of Dreams Part 1

River Deep Mountain High (Crystal Taliefero)

River of Dreams Part 2

Nessun Dorms (Mike DelGuidice)

Scenes From and Italian Restaurant

Piano Man

We Didn’t Start the Fire

Uptown Girl

It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me

Big Shot

You May Be Right

The whole thing from start to finish was a masterclass in how to do it. The sound in the stadium was exceptional and the audience singing was great fun.

We decided to call it during Big Shot as he’d done all the numbers we wanted to hear - and more. We were directed to the lifts and were taken down to ground level and walked around Riverside Walk and up to Castle Street. Still closed off to all traffic so it was an easy 15 min walk from our seats to the hotel. Nikki had a quick coffee and we hit the hay around 23:15.

Saturday 10th August 2024

Cardiff to Home

Both up around 07:00 after another good night’s sleep. Very croaky after the singing last night! 

Went down to breakfast and then back to the room for a shower and a pack. I went and got the car just after 09:00 and we hit the road about 09:30.

Straight-forward journey back home. Stopped in Swindon for some milk and rolls and we were home by 11:50.

Wonderful weekend. Cardiff certainly becomes the place of choice for gigs from now on. We’ll have to see if Stereophonics are touring next year and doing a home-town gig - Cardiff rather than Cwmaman!