Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteBilly Joel flipped his piano during the second Moscow concert of his 1987 Soviet tour, on July 27, after a documentary crew turned bright lights on the audience. Joel objected that the lights were making people stop reacting. He later also described the destruction as rock-and-roll spectacle, so the incident was more than a simple outburst—or a purely protective gesture.
What happened at the Moscow concert?
Joel’s six-show tour opened at Moscow’s Olympic Sports Complex on July 26, 1987. The following night, during “Sometimes A Fantasy”—called “Just a Fantasy” in the Associated Press report—the documentary crew shone bright lights toward the audience. Joel shouted at the crew, flipped the Yamaha piano at the back of the stage, then went forward and smashed a microphone stand. The venue held 20,000 people, and the AP reported a full house. Billy Joel’s official retrospective and the contemporary Associated Press report describe the incident.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II | $20.89 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Billy Joel - The Complete Hits Collection 1973-1997 [Slipcase]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/413Wv+ME3uL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Billy Joel - The Complete Hits Collection 1973-1997 [Slipcase] | $24.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
The Essential Billy Joel | $12.45 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
The Hits | $9.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Greatest Hits Vol. III | $12.00 | Buy on Amazon |
At first, the crowd seemed unsure whether the destruction was part of the performance. The AP reported that the audience continued responding enthusiastically later in the show.
Why did Billy Joel flip the piano?
Joel’s immediate objection was that the lights interfered with the audience’s ability to react freely. After the show, he told reporters, “People in the audience want to be in the dark. They want to get loose.” The official retrospective says spectators stopped reacting because they feared attracting security attention; that explanation is attributed to the artist site, not established as the experience of every person in the hall.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
- Shrink-wrapped
His comments in the days that followed add another layer. In an interview with Los Angeles Times staff writer William J. Eaton on July 28, published July 29, Joel rejected the idea that the piano-flipping was simply a tantrum: “It was not a tantrum. The point of rock ‘n’ roll is outrageousness, the point of rock ‘n’ roll is losing control. It should be passionate expression.” He also said, “I like being in the dark. I want to watch, and not be watched.” The Los Angeles Times interview preserves that retrospective framing.
The explanations should not be collapsed into one. Joel objected to the lights on the night, while his later interview cast smashing equipment as part of rock-and-roll performance. Immediately afterward, he called his behavior “a real prima donna act” and said he had to protect the show, according to the AP. Those changing descriptions help explain why later accounts can portray the moment either as a gesture on behalf of the audience or as a dramatic act of destruction.
Rank #2
What was the 1987 Soviet tour?
The Soviet visit comprised six concerts in Moscow and Leningrad between July 26 and August 5. The official artist archive lists the dates and venues:
| Date | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|
| July 26, 1987 | Olympic Sports Complex | Moscow |
| July 27, 1987 | Olympic Sports Complex | Moscow |
| July 29, 1987 | Olympic Sports Complex | Moscow |
| August 2, 1987 | Lenin Sports & Concert Complex | Leningrad |
| August 3, 1987 | Lenin Sports & Concert Complex | Leningrad |
| August 5, 1987 | Lenin Sports & Concert Complex | Leningrad |
The documentary crew filmed each concert, and the official retrospective notes that the August 2 Leningrad performance was broadcast live on radio. The tour took place amid glasnost-era cultural exchange and followed a 1985 Soviet-American cultural accord. It was not the first time Western performers had played in the Soviet Union: English and European bands had toured there earlier, as the official tour history notes.
Rank #3
What is known about the tour’s cost?
In 1987, Joel estimated the tour expenses at $2 million, according to the AP. In the Los Angeles Times interview, he described expenses of $2 million and documentary revenue as the plan to break even. These were Joel’s contemporary estimates and expectations, not audited figures. No independent final profit-or-loss figure is established in the cited accounts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can you watch footage of the tour?
The tour is documented in A Matter of Trust – The Bridge to Russia, a 2014 film release identified by Joel’s official retrospective as a Blu-ray with an expanded 2CD album. The documentary crew filmed the concerts, but the existence of the release does not establish that every moment from every performance appears in the film. Edition details and availability may vary by retailer and over time.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Shrink-wrapped
Rank #4
- Shrink-wrapped
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
