Kontsert
Live album by
Billy Joel
ReleasedOctober 26, 1987
RecordedSummer 1987
GenreRock, hard rock, new wave
Length72:52
LabelColumbia
ProducerJim Boyer, Brian Ruggles
Billy Joel chronology
The Bridge
(1986)		 Kontsert
(1987)		 Storm Front
(1989)
Billy Joel live chronology
Songs in the Attic
(1981)		 Kontsert
(1987)		 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Rolling Stone Album Guide, 3rd Edition[2]

Kontsert (/kɒntˈsɛərt/; Russian: Концерт, [kɐnˈt͡sɛrt]; commonly read as Kohuept or Kohliept, English: Concert) is the second live album by Billy Joel, released in 1987. The album was recorded during the Soviet leg of Joel's 1987 The Bridge tour. This album was co-produced by Jim Boyer and Brian Ruggles, and mixed by Jim Boyer.

Background

In 1986 Billy Joel was invited to perform in the Soviet Union the following year, 1987.[3] Joel took advantage of this opportunity to be a musical ambassador.[4] He was seen as a "nice, safe, first attempt at bringing in an American 'pop star.'"[3]

The concert

The tour of the Soviet Union consisted of six shows, three in Moscow and three in Leningrad. Joel brought his family with him to show the Russians that he felt safe and trusted the Russian people. During the show Joel gave new meanings to songs such as "Honesty". Each time the song was performed, he dedicated the song to Vladimir Vysotsky because he was an inspirational Russian man who "spoke the truth."[3]

During the second of the three concerts performed in Moscow at the Olympic Sports Complex, Joel flipped his electric keyboard, and broke his microphone stand on his grand piano. While performing "Sometimes a Fantasy", the audience kept getting attention from spotlights, which angered Joel as he felt it was making it harder to connect with them.[5]

He yelled, "Stop lighting the audience!" He then trashed his instruments, overturning his piano and breaking his mic stand.[5] He later claimed that, "People like their privacy. They go to a concert to get that, to be in the dark and do their own thing."[3]

Joel brought his daughter Alexa Ray Joel and his wife Christie Brinkley on tour with the band. He also crowd-surfed during his performances. While in Leningrad, Billy dove into the crowd during the performance of "The Longest Time". This was another way for him to show that he trusted the Russian people.[3]

Joel had played a tour in Europe prior to the tour in the Soviet Union, and was being interviewed during the day. As a result, his voice became hoarse. Joel himself stated that he was disappointed by the album, and believes his vocals were not up to par during its production.[6] Despite his opinion, Columbia Records released the album, claiming it was a "historic event". Joel and his band jokingly refer to the album as Kaput.[6]

Impact

Prior to this show, rock music was barely gaining ground in the Soviet Union. The implementation of Gorbachev's glasnost allowed people of the Soviet Union to witness Western Rock. As a result, the government had to learn how to put on concerts, while the people of Russia had to learn how to participate in them.[3] Joel's Russian tour was the first live rock radio broadcast in Soviet history.[7] Joel and his band were one of the first western rock groups to perform in Russia, along with John Denver, Elton John, James Taylor, and Santana.[8]

While in Russia, Billy Joel and his daughter Alexa met and became friends with a clown named Viktor. The song "Leningrad" would eventually be written about him. This song was released on the 1989 Storm Front album.

Joel went on to say:

The trip to Russia was probably the biggest highlight for me as a performer. I met these people and they weren't the enemy. I also hoped that the people in America could see what we did. What happens when your kid says to you 'what did you do in the Cold War, Daddy?' And now we have something to say.[6]

Kontsert track listing

All tracks are written by Billy Joel, except where noted. Joel's cover of The Beatles' "Back in the U.S.S.R." became the first single released by him that was written by someone other than himself. The B-side was "The Times They Are A-Changin'", Joel's live cover of Bob Dylan's song. Sides 1-4 are Tracks 1-16 on CD

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Odoya" (Performed by Zhournalist)Traditional1:17
2."Prelude/Angry Young Man" 5:24
3."Honesty" 3:58
4."Goodnight Saigon" 7:21
Side two
No.TitleLength
5."Stiletto"5:09
6."Big Man on Mulberry Street"7:17
7."Baby Grand"6:09
Side three
No.TitleLength
1."An Innocent Man"6:09
2."Allentown"4:23
3."A Matter of Trust"5:08
4."Only the Good Die Young"3:33
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Sometimes a Fantasy" 3:38
6."Uptown Girl" 3:09
7."Big Shot" 4:44
8."Back in the U.S.S.R."Lennon–McCartney2:45
9."The Times They Are A-Changin'"Bob Dylan2:58
Total length:1:12:58

A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia

A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia
Video by
Billy Joel
Released19 May 2014
RecordedJuly–August 1987
GenrePop rock
LabelLegacy Records
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Modern Drummer(positive)[10]
PopMatters[11]
Theseconddisc.com(positive)[12]
TimeOut[13]

On May 19, 2014, the album was re-released and retitled as A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia, a two-CD, one-DVD/Blu-ray set incorporating eleven previously unreleased tracks on CD and seven previously unreleased and restored songs on video. In addition, the DVD/Blu-ray set contains a newly produced documentary of the same name which features updated interviews with Joel's current and former band members as well as personnel involved with the original 1987 production. "Superfans are likely to drool over the deluxe edition which includes a book with accounts from writers and journalists who were on the road with Joel during the tour," Charles Pitter at PopMatters wrote."[14]

Track listing

All songs written by Billy Joel, except where noted.

Disc one

  1. "Odoya" (Traditional Georgian) – 1:16
  2. "Prelude/Angry Young Man" – 5:33
  3. "Honesty" – 5:15
  4. "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" – 5:32
  5. "She's Always a Woman" – 3:35
  6. "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" – 8:21
  7. "Goodnight Saigon" – 6:37
  8. "Stiletto" – 5:10
  9. "Big Man on Mulberry Street" – 7:29
  10. "Baby Grand" – 6:14
  11. "What's Your Name"[15] – 2:17
  12. "The Longest Time" – 5:11
  13. "An Innocent Man" – 6:04

Disc two

  1. "Pressure" – 5:23
  2. "Allentown" – 3:52
  3. "A Matter of Trust" – 5:10
  4. "Only the Good Die Young" – 3:32
  5. "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" – 4:00
  6. "Sometimes a Fantasy" – 3:38
  7. "You May Be Right" – 5:35
  8. "Uptown Girl" – 3:09
  9. "Big Shot" – 4:54
  10. "Back in the U.S.S.R." (Lennon/McCartney) – 2:55
  11. "The Times They Are A-Changin'" (Dylan) – 2:38
  12. "She Loves You" (Lennon/McCartney) (Russian concerts rehearsal recording) – 2:24
  13. "New York State of Mind" (Russian concerts rehearsal recording) – 6:22
  14. "Piano Man" (Russian concerts rehearsal recording) – 4:25

DVD/Blu-ray

  1. "Prelude/Angry Young Man"
  2. "Allentown"
  3. "Goodnight Saigon"
  4. "Big Man on Mulberry Street"
  5. "Baby Grand"
  6. "An Innocent Man"
  7. "Honesty"
  8. "The Longest Time"
  9. "A Matter of Trust"
  10. "Only the Good Die Young"
  11. "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me"
  12. "Sometimes a Fantasy"
  13. "You May Be Right"
  14. "Uptown Girl"
  15. "Big Shot"
  16. "Back in the U.S.S.R."

Bonus song:

  1. "Pressure"

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1987/88) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[16] 10
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[17] 39
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[18] 16
New Zealand Albums (RIANZ)[19] 13
UK Albums (OCC)[20] 92
US Billboard 200 38

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[21] Gold 7,500^
United States (RIAA)[22] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kontsert: Live in Leningrad at AllMusic. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  2. ↑ DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly, eds. (1992). The Rolling Stone Album Guide (3rd ed.). Random House. p. 370. ISBN 0679737294.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Schock, Jeff (2014). A Matter Of Trust: The Bridge to Russia. Columbia Records. pp. 7, 28, 36, 37.
  4. ↑ "Billy Joel 'A Matter Of Trust - The Bridge To Russia' To Be Released On 2CD Live Album, DVD/Blu-ray Concert Film & Deluxe Edition | Billy Joel Official Site". Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  5. 1 2 Ozzi, Dan (2017-07-27). "30 Years Ago, Billy Joel Had a Meltdown in Moscow". Vice. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
  6. 1 2 3 Schruers, Fred (2014). Billy Joel: The Definitive Biography. United States of America: Crown Archetype. pp. 186, 187. ISBN 978-0-8041-4021-8.
  7. ↑ "Hewlett Anderson - Pete & Scott - Bios". www.hewlettanderson.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  8. ↑ "The Story of Elton John's Historic First Tour of Russia". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  9. ↑ Billy Joel A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia
  10. ↑ Billy Joel A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia
  11. ↑ BILLY JOEL: A MATTER OF TRUST – THE BRIDGE TO RUSSIA
  12. ↑ Review: Billy Joel, "A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia"
  13. ↑ Билли Джоэл: Окно в Россию
  14. ↑ Pitter, Charles. "PopMatters".
  15. ↑ Discogs - A Matter of Trust - The Bridge to Russia deluxe box-set 2014-May-19th Columbia / Legacy (88883759762) Europe
  16. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 156. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  17. ↑ "dutchcharts.nl Billy Joel – Kontsert" (ASP). dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
  18. ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  19. ↑ "charts.nz – Billy Joel – Kontsert" (ASP). Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
  20. ↑ "Billy Joel > Artist > Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
  21. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Billy Joel – Концерт". Recorded Music NZ.
  22. ↑ "American album certifications – Billy Joel – KOHUEPT". Recording Industry Association of America.
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