Long Islanders follow their River of Dreams to see Billy Joel at UBS Arena

Long Islanders welcomed back their favorite local Big Shot at UBS Arena on Sunday night.

The New Year’s Eve performance marks Billy Joel’s first Long Island concert in five years and his first at the Elmont venue. Especially for fans who regularly visit UBS Arena to see the New York Islanders, the milestone concert was a must-see.

Amy Zaum, 62, of West Hempstead, and Laura Zelenak, 56, of Freeport, are season pass holders for the Long Island hockey team and longtime Billy Joel fans. The pair had been at UBS Arena just two days earlier for the Islanders game against the Washington Capitals.

"I've been to all the milestones so far — the last concert at the Coliseum, the last concert at Shea, New Year's Eve after 9/11 at Madison Square Garden, and now his first concert here," said Zaum, who estimated she has been to around a dozen Billy Joel concerts. 

Erin Harrison, 43, of Miller Place, at Sunday night's concert with her teenage son, said her family is a huge fan of both the Islanders and Billy Joel. Although it was not her first Billy Joel concert, it was her son's.

"So because it was at UBS, we were like hells yeah, we're going to go see him on New Year's," she said. "We love it here; we go to a lot of games."

And the concert wasn't only for Long Islanders.

Heather Brady, 44, of Shirley, who arrived with her family around 6 p.m. for the 9:30 p.m. concert, said she spoke with concertgoers from Nebraska.

"He's the hard core [fan]; this is his Christmas present. We figured before [Joel] retires, we'd get him to a concert," said Brady, gesturing to her husband, Joe Brady, 39, who has been a fan "forever."

Father-daughter duo David Wennberg, 53, and Magdalena Wennberg, 20, drove from upstate Schenectady for their first Billy Joel concert together since 2017. 

David Wennberg, who was born in Oceanside and wore an Islanders jersey, said obtaining tickets became a priority after Joel announced he would end his residency at Madison Square Garden.

"This is the hometown show," he said. "I was fortunate to then get tickets ... It was a bonus that it's New Year's Eve."

The Piano Man’s last Long Island performance was in 2018 at the Nassau Coliseum, also for a New Year’s Eve gig, and his first in 25 years on the island that raised him.

Joel, 74, announced in June that he would end his 10-year residency at Madison Square Garden in July 2024, after his 150th career performance at the arena, to spend more time with family.

In addition to his Garden residency, Joel has been playing stadiums, co-headlining with Stevie Nicks on their “Two Icons” tour, which will continue into the new year.

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com

Brianne Ledda covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.