Hot off the digital presses, we’ve compiled critical reviews of live shows from Billy Joel in Atlanta; The Chainsmokers in Albany, N.Y.; Blondie in London; Chance The Rapper in Morrison, Colo.; and James Taylor in St. Louis.
Michael Zorn / Invision / AP – Billy Joel
Madison Square Garden Arena, New York City
Billy Joel @ SunTrust Park in Atlanta, Ga., April 28 – “The encores vary in length and selection, and Joel made sure to leave his mark on SunTrust Park with a romp that included ‘Uptown Girl,’ ‘Big Shot’ and ‘You May Be Right.’ Not spontaneous? Not nimble? Please. This was a master class in the essentials of pop music longevity.” – MelissaRuggieri / The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Jack Plunkett / Invision / AP – The Chainsmokers
The Chainsmokers bring their hits to the Sony Lost in Music Showcase during SXSW in Austin, Texas, March 17.
The Chainsmokers @ Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y., April 21 – “The production quality of the show is a 10 out of 10, and they play a ton of the classic Chainsmokers stuff that we all love. The band set is bearable with the great keyboardist and drummer, and the DJ set was truly great.” – Nick White / EDM Sauce
Blondie @ Roundhouse in London, England, May 3 – “At 71, [Debbie] Harry’s voice is completely untouched by passing time. It may have something to do with the fact that she has never been a rock screamer or a soul belter. She glides through songs like she strolls about stage, with a kind of ironic playfulness and inscrutable interior delight.” – Neil McCormick / The Telegraph
Michael Zorn / Invision / AP – Chance The Rapper
“Budweiser Made In America,” Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, Pa.
Chance The Rapper @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo., May 2 – “Chance the Rapper may very well be one of the greatest performers of our generation. After having seen him four different times and every single one being better than the last, I can’t imagine the growth that will happen over the next few years.” – JoshCowden / 303 Magazine
James Taylor @ Peabody Opera House in St. Louis, Mo., April 29 – “Of course, hushed, laid-back arrangements are the perfect setting for many of Taylor’s classic songs, and, after opening with the folk song standard ‘The Water Is Wide,’ he delivered one after another, including ‘Secret o’ Life,’ ‘Carolina in My Mind’ and ‘Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight.’” – DanielDurchholz / St. Louis Post-Dispatch