Watch: Billy Joel Welcomes Jason Bonham for “Whole Lotta Love” on New Year’s Eve

Photo Credit: Myrna Suarez

On New Year’s Eve, Billy Joel took the stage at Elmont, N.Y.’s UBS Arena to celebrate a tremendous year and welcome 2025. Before a capacity crowd in his trademark stomping grounds of Long Island, the icon presented a tremendous 28-track show that paired signature songs from throughout his impressive discography with a few crowd pleasing covers. A true highlight arrived ten tracks into Joel’s set, when the Piano Man welcomed a sit-in from Jason Bonham on Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.”

“We’re going to bring a guest onstage and do this next song,” Joel announced. “We have fun playing this, especially with this guy. Please welcome Jason Bonham. You all know this song. It’s not a piano song.”

Bonham, son of the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham and an esteemed percussionist in his own right, greeted Joel at the piano before making his way behind a kit at stage right. Joel’s guitarist Tommy Byrnes tore into the 1969 Led Zeppelin II smash with its ferocious, instantly recognizable riff, then backing vocalist Mike DelGuidice stepped into the spotlight with an impressive lead reminiscent of Robert Plant.

Bonham charged the track forward with pounding toms and kicks, then got the chance to properly flex his chops with a masterful solo before the bridge. Joel contributed backing vocals and a piano part, and embraced Bonham at center stage after the electrifying conclusion. Watch a fan-recorded video of the cover below.

Through the rest of the show, Joel stuck largely to his tried and true hits, opening with “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” and treating “The Entertainer,” “Don’t Ask Me Why,” “New York State of Mind,” “Allentown,” “Souvenir,” “Only the Good Die Young” and “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” before closing the set with “Piano Man.” He also covered The Rolling Stones’ “Start Me Up” and raced through Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla” while counting down to midnight, when he delivered a slow and potent treatment of “Auld Lang Syne.” For an encore, Joel delivered “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” “Uptown Girl,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” and “Big Shot,” then finally sent his fans off into the new year with “You May Be Right.”

Joel will perform next at Hollywood, Fla.’s Hard Rock Live on Jan. 17. For tickets and more information on his forthcoming 2025 tour, visit billyjoel.com.

Read on for the complete setlist from New Year’s Eve.

Billy Joel

UBS Arena – Elmont, N.Y.

12/31/24

Set: Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song), My Life, The Entertainer, Just the Way You Are, The Downeaster “Alexa”, Start Me Up*, An Innocent Man, Don’t Ask Me Why, This Is the Time, Whole Lotta Love+, New York State of Mind, Zanzibar, Allentown, Vienna, A Room of Our Own, Souvenir, Only the Good Die Young, Layla^, Auld Lang Syne, The River of Dreams%, Nessun Dorma, Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, Piano Man

Encore: We Didn’t Start the Fire, Uptown Girl, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, Big Shot, You May Be Right

Notes:

* The Rolling Stones cover

+ Led Zeppelin cover w/ Jason Bonham

^ Derek and the Dominos cover

% w/ “River Deep, Mountain High” interlude

Setlist via setlist.fm