Ahead of its worldwide release in October, Sag Harbor Cinema will host a sneak preview of the newly restored and remixed 1990 concert film, “Billy Joel: Live At Yankee Stadium,” on August 22, at 6 p.m. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with producer Steve Cohen and director Jon Small.
Shot live on 16mm color film on June 22 and 23, 1990, at the iconic Bronx stadium, the original concert has been reedited in 4K with Dolby Atmos audio and newly mixed from the original multi-track tapes by Jay Vicari and overseen by Joel’s longtime sound engineer Brian Ruggles. It features additional footage, including a never-before-released performance of “Uptown Girl,” interviews with Billy Joel, and more back-stage from the event’s production. The hit-filled set list also includes “Piano Man,” “We Didn’t Start The Fire,” “New York State Of Mind,” “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant,” “Shout” and other classics.
“Billy Joel has been a warm supporter of our cinema from the onset, which makes hosting this very special sneak preview even more exciting,” says Sag Harbor Cinema Founding Artistic Director, Giulia D’Agnolo Vallan. “Our state-of-the-art 4K projection system and Dolby Atmos sound will render at its best the restoration of this legendary footage.”
In addition to the screening, Sag Harbor Cinema will host a Q&A with Joel’s longtime lighting designer and creative director, Steve Cohen; the director of the 1990s concert film, Jon Small; and producer John Jackson.
“When we saw how fantastic the transfers from 16mm film to 4K looked, I knew we needed to get in there and recut this to feature more performance and put us onstage with the band,” Cohen said of the project. “When you blend that powerful audio with these bright and colorful images — and fantastic performance — it really shows you the power and incredible brilliance of Billy Joel as showman. The band at the time were veterans and fresh faces that bring an energy that is hard to match. For me, this is a historical document, taking us back to where we were in 1990 – hitting it out of the park.”
New York’s quintessential son, Billy Joel, ranks as one of the most popular recording artists and respected entertainers in history. The singer/songwriter/composer is the sixth best-selling recording artist of all time, the third best-selling solo artist as well as one of the biggest concert draws in the world. Joel’s songs have acted as personal and cultural touchstones for millions of people across five decades.
Having sold 160 million records over the past quarter century, the hits have continued for almost five decades, scoring 33 consecutive Top 40 hits. Joel has received the RIAA’s Diamond Award twice for “Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II” and “The Stranger,” presented for albums that have sold over 10 million copies. He is the recipient of 23 Grammy nominations and six Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Grammy Legend Award. Joel has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, and has received numerous awards including a Tony for “Movin’ Out,” The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, the once-in-a-century ASCAP Centennial Award. Additionally, he is a Kennedy Center honoree and has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Tickets for the sneak preview of “Billy Joel: Live At Yankee Stadium,” are $25 at sagharborcinema.org. In conjunction with the film’s worldwide release, Sag Harbor Cinema will host additional screenings of the film on October 5 and 10. Sag Harbor Cinema is at 90 Main Street, Sag Harbor.