Billy Joel to set record at NYC's Madison Square Garden NEW YORK (AP) — Billy Joel is about to prove he's the top piano man at Madison Square Garden by beating Elton John's record for the most performances at the famous arena. "There are a lot of venues out there, but only one Madison Square Garden — my home away from home," said Joel, a native of Long Island, New York. Joel has been performing at the Garden each month since 2014, and promises to do so as long as fans demand it. Joel is celebrating that milestone by donating the original 2006 "12" banner to the Garden of Dreams Foundation, which will auction off the banner to create scholarships and community projects for more than 275,000 children.