Acoustic singer Phil Smith served as their opening act, where he played a lengthy acoustic set at the Tiki Bar in the back of the venue.
The band’s lineup include Mike DelGuidice on lead vocals and piano (as Billy Joel), Ken Cino on lead guitar, John Scarpulla on saxophone, Nick Dimichino on bass, Carmine Giglio on the keyboard and Chuck Burgi (who is also Billy Joel’s drummer) on drums.
Despite a heavy touring week for DelGuidice, his voice was strong and powerful. He nailed such powerhouse tunes as “New York State of Mind” and “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant,” where he was joined by Scarpulla’s killer sax solos.
One of the most moving songs of the night was his haunting version of “Goodnight Saigon,” which left many fans drenched in tears. “Sing it,” DelGuidice told his audience.
After he introduced Ken Cino on guitar, he encouraged the fans to “do a little hand clapping,” where he immediately broke into “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” where he altered the final lyric to “It’s Still Billy Joel to Me,” and rightfully so, thus tipping his hat to his musical boss (Mike DelGuidice serves as the background vocalist and rhythm guitar player of Billy Joel at his live concerts).
It was followed by their namesake song “Big Shot,” where he showed some aggression in the performance, and they picked up the pace with the infectious “Only the Good Die Young.”
He welcomed Steven Fileti to the stage who joined him harmonica on “Piano Man,” and they ended the tune as a neat singalong with the Mulcahy’s audience (which was comprised of an eclectic group of fans of all ages, thus showcasing the relevance of Billy Joel and his illustrious music career).
The Verdict
Overall, Mike DelGuidice and Big Shot rocked Mulcahy’s with over two hours of Billy Joel hits, as well as some classic rock standards. DelGuidice was transformative as Billy Joel, where his tone and voice matched to the tee. After reviewing 37 career Big Shot concerts, DelGuidice is still as impressive and compelling as ever. He also manages to throw in a couple of surprises to keep each show fun and unique. They are highly recommended seeing live whenever they come to town. Their September 23rd show at Mulcahy’s garnered five out of five stars. Congratulations!
To learn more about Big Shot (The Ultimate Billy Joel experience) and their touring schedule, check out their official website.
