I went to a stadium concert and found out there are two types of people in

Until the summer of 2024, I’d only ever attended a Wales rugby international at the Principality Stadium, but when one of my favourite all-time artists announced a concert there – i knew I had to go.

I first fell in love with the music of Billy Joel in 1983 at the tender age of 13. His Innocent Man album became a constant companion, with hits like Uptown Girl, Tell Her About It and The Longest Time becoming my personal anthems. Fast forward two years, and I was the proud owner of Billy Joel Greatest Hits Volume I and Volume II, now playing on my first ever record player. Tracks like She’s Always a Woman, Piano Man, Goodnight Saigon, Allentown and many more became etched into my memory.

So, with multiple devices at the ready, I managed to secure two tickets to what I believed would be an unforgettable concert. Without the foresight to reserve overnight accommodation or even just a parking spot, I opted to take the train and face the queues for services home at the end of the night. Find out about the latest events in Wales by signing up to our What’s On newsletter here

Arriving at the stadium and getting inside was a breeze – my wife (also a big Billy Joel fan) and I got there well before the support act was due on stage, so we grabbed some food and made our way to our seats. This was over an hour before any entertainment was set to begin, so the crowd was still relatively sparse.

There were those who had hurried in to secure the best spot on the floor in front of the stage, but in the stands, where we were seated, I noticed a significant number were around our age (in our 50s) or older – likely the right demographic for Billy Joel fans. However, as the evening progressed, people of all ages joined us, including many young individuals who had probably been introduced to his music at some point, perhaps through their parents’ records.

Billy Joel performs at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff -Credit:PA

Billy Joel performs in Cardiff — It was his only European performance -Credit:PA

It’s possible that many of these early arrivals, like us, belong to the generation that prefers to arrive with plenty of time to spare and locate their seats without too much hassle. However, as the stadium gradually filled up, a significant number of seats and floor space were occupied when the support act – Chris Isaak – took to the stage. It was during this time that I found myself distracted by the influx of people entering from the entrance to our left.

Luckily, we were seated a few rows higher and slightly away, but each newcomer still passed in front of our view of the stage and screens, often pausing to scrutinise their tickets before looking around to locate their seats. Simultaneously, those already seated were frequently leaving their seats, only to return shortly after with trays full of drinks.

This constant movement in both directions was somewhat distracting and mildly irritating, but I thought it was understandable since it was just the support act performing – after all, we were there to see Billy Joel. Moreover, I could forgive people for prioritising getting a drink over sitting and listening at this point in the evening.

Additionally, traffic had been heavy, so many attendees probably arrived later than planned. I assumed things would settle down once the legendary Billy Joel took to the stage. How wrong I was…

Firstly, there was the lady with the walking stick and her elderly partner. Maybe they arrived late or found sitting for extended periods uncomfortable. But it did make me wonder why, if you have mobility issues, you would choose to navigate the stairs in dimmed lights after the show had started, squeezing past a row of already seated people with a walking stick. As I said, they might have had their reasons, and I’m probably destined for damnation for complaining.

I’m also likely headed for the fiery pits for questioning why they would repeat the same journey when there was still about 25 minutes left of the show. Then, there were all those who simply couldn’t sit still for that long. They kept going back and forth to the bar, returning with armfuls of drinks – a constant stream of them. You’d often see the same individuals making multiple trips, each one more unsteady than the last as they downed pint after pint.

Occasionally, they seemed to forget where they were seated, their faces scrunched up in confusion as they looked up at the rows of people. One couple clearly forgot which set of stairs they were supposed to use – arriving in an entirely different part of the stadium, judging by their puzzled expressions and quick exits.

And, naturally, after all those trips to the bar for liquid refreshment, they needed even more visits to answer nature’s call. Every time a slightly lesser-known Billy Joel song played (and there aren’t many of those), they would either parade or stumble past, seemingly finding everything increasingly amusing with each new trip.

Finally – we had the encore. But it seemed unnecessary for some. Either because they were satisfied with what Joel had delivered so far (the parts they didn’t miss while at the bar or the loo), or because they were eager to beat the traffic or train queues, they started leaving even before Joel had exited the stage for the inevitable encore – often the very same people who had been up and down the stairs throughout the show. Some managed to stay for one or two songs before deciding it was time for them to leave.

Joel actually performed five encore songs – including some of his best known over the decades. He brought the house down. He had to be physically led from the stage, otherwise, I think he might have stayed all night. But despite paying all that money to see him, probably the last chance most will ever have to see one of the most legendary singer-songwriters of our times, whose songs will be remembered long after he leaves the stage for good, for some, it was more important to have another pint, or to get home 20 minutes earlier.

In my opinion, there are two types of people in the world (generalising just a tad!) and both were present in abundance at the Principality Stadium. Each has their own priorities and the absolute freedom to choose them, even if they do sometimes irritate others by exercising those freedoms.

I know which type of person I’m happier to be and I believe my memories of that special night will be all the more enriched for it. But hey, don’t worry about me ’cause I’m alright. I don’t want you to tell me it’s time to come home. I don’t care what you say anymore, this is my life. Go ahead with your own life, leave me alone. Billy Joel couldn’t have said it better, and I reckon that, whatever type of person you are, you probably feel the same.

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