Billy Joel Plays First Show Since Brain Disorder Diagnosis

On Friday (January 2), Billy Joel performed live for the first time since revealing his diagnosis with a brain disorder last year. He joined the Billy Joel tribute band Turnstiles for two songs at their show in Wellington, Florida, singing and playing piano on “Big Shot,” from 1978’s 52nd Street, and “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” “I wasn’t planning on working tonight,” Joel joked to the crowd as he took the stage. Watch footage of the set below.

In March of last year, Joel postponed a number of planned concerts to recover from surgery for a then-undisclosed medical condition. Two months later, the musician and his team canceled those dates and shared that he had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a condition caused by a buildup of fluid in the brain. Joel played his last full concert to date in February 2025.

Revisit the Sunday Review of Billy Joel’s 1977 album The Stranger.