Billy Joel followed his band to Michael Dearth's Baduzzi on Auckland's waterfront. Photo / Supplied
Billy Joel followed his band to Michael Dearth's Baduzzi on Auckland's waterfront. Photo / Supplied
Rock ‘n’ roll icon Billy Joel has found a slice of home in Auckland, delighting one “huge fan” who just happens to be one of Auckland’s best-known restaurateurs.
Joel and his wife Alexis dined last night at Baduzzi as the singer prepared for his concert tonight at Eden Park, making a dream come true for superfan and hospitality identity Michael Dearth.
“I made it happen,” Dearth told the Herald. “I put it out to the universe”.
Dearth shared a photo with Joel, referencing one of the rocker’s hits, writing: “Scenes from an Italian restaurant - except it’s my Italian restaurant.”
Dearth, who is from the East Coast of the US but describes himself as a “Kiwi by choice”, said he has a deep connection to the rocker’s music and was “beside himself” trying to attract the man himself to the restaurant.
Dearth explained the special place the singer-songwriter has in Americans’ hearts, likening his place in the culture to the Finn Brothers and Crowded House to Kiwis.
“Everyone knows the words,” he said. “Everyone stops and is joyous. It won’t go out of style.”
“He’s a poet. He has some beautiful lyrics - put to some catchy-ass tunes”.
The Piano Man is performing tonight. Photo / Dean Purcell
He last saw Billy Joel in concert in 1987 and secured tickets early for his historic Eden Park gig, the first time an international act has graced Auckland’s iconic venue.
Dearth says he has waited on plenty of famous people, rattling off a list of the great and the good he has welcomed through his restaurants’ doors- but Billy Joel was “number one”.
He said he had been working his contacts to try and encourage the Piano Man to visit, but in the end, it was word of mouth.
Dearth told the Herald that Joel’s band had been a fixture at Baduzzi since earlier in the week - some of the Americans making an instant connection with Dearth, who described them as “my people”.
He said the band had found a home away from home at Baduzzi, the waterfront restaurant that is imbued with his memories of being raised on his family’s Italian-American food as a child in Connecticut.
Billy Joel followed his band to Michael Dearth's Baduzzi on Auckland's waterfront. Photo / Supplied
When a promised visit from the man himself didn’t eventuate earlier on Friday, Dearth said he had resigned himself to not seeing Joel at Baduzzi but said he was flattered by the band’s patronage.
Then, later that night, he received a call asking if he had space for Joel and his partner Alexis.
Were they packed? Yes. Did Dearth make space? “Absolutely,” he told the Herald.
As Joel and his wife sat at an intimate table for two, the star made time to chat to Dearth about his song choices for tonight’s gig and the pair bonded over their shared US heritage.
Dearth said Joel asked where to take his young family in Auckland, with the restaurateur recommending beaches, walks and other attractions.
“I hope he goes to Piha,” Dearth told the Herald, saying he wanted the singer to share our “beautiful country” with his young family.
Transport bosses warn fans to plan ahead
Auckland’s train network will be closed this weekend, disrupting travel plans for those going to Joel’s concert at Eden Park tonight.
An Auckland Transport spokesperson said “frequent” buses would replace trains. Services from midday until the end of timetabled services are included with the concert ticket.
Special event buses will go directly to and from Eden Park, but Auckland Transport is warning they will fill up fast and warned fans to leave plenty of time for travel.
Gates open at 5pm, and fans should aim to be seated by 7. MetService has forecast the odd shower for the concert.
