DelGuidice began his set with “Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway),” accompanying himself on piano, as purple lights dimmed on the stage, and it featured an all-star cast of instrumentalists.
“Paramount,” he shouted, prior to breaking into the upbeat and fun “Pressure,” as the stage was graced in orange and blue lights. “Paramount, Huntington. Happy New Year! God bless you guys,” he said, prior to singing “Say Goodbye to Hollywood.”
“Thank you. Oh man. I’m trying to calculate in my mind how many extra pounds we put in the last few weeks. The band and I are trying to squeeze into our clothes,” he said, referring to the extra meals they had during the holidays.
He continued with “This Is The Time,” which featured Tommy Byrnes on lead guitar, who ironically enough has been Billy Joel’s musical director for 25 years. DelGuidice noted that The Paramount is the first venue he ever played with Billy Joel, and he dubbed Byrnes as a “great guitar player and friend.”
DelGuidice immediately broke into “Allentown,” and equally noteworthy performances included “Movin’ Out,” “My Life,” while “Innocent Man” was more laid-back and mellow. “New York State of Mind” was exceptional and the same was true for “A Matter of Trust” and the crowd favorite “We Didn’t Start The Fire.”
The Verdict
Overall, Mike DelGuidice sang with a great deal of charisma and he was able to deliver with Big Shot. The entire band consisted of extremely talented musicians. Billy Joel himself would be proud of their bravura performance at The Paramount. There was a great deal of nostalgia in the room. Their show garnered an A rating. Big Shot is worth seeing live whenever they are in town.
To learn more about Mike DelGuidice and Big Shot and their upcoming shows, check out their official website.
