It’s nine o’clock on a Saturday, and you’ve just sung your heart out to ‘Piano Man’ with a room full of Perth’s biggest Billy Joel fans. Your only wish is that the set list was longer. Matthew Hadgraft invites you to join him for ‘BILLY JOEL: Just the Way You Are’, a live tribute to the American singer-songwriter and pianist’s incredible music.

Between classics like ‘Uptown Girl’, ‘She’s Always A Woman’, and ‘Just The Way You Are’, Hadgraft brings ACES Downstairs at The Maj to life, captivating audiences with his wit, charm, and passion for one of the world’s best-selling artists. A charismatic performer with a spirited stage presence, Hadgraft’s genuine passion for Joel’s music is unmistakable. Featuring facts about the singer’s life, clever puns, and lead-ins between songs, the performance is more than just a sing along, with some of the biggest fans in the audience eagerly getting involved (including a particularly passionate harmonicist).

BILLY JOEL: Just the Way You Are is undeniably fun, and as soon as the audience realised Hadgraft’s tribute was going to be more entertaining than accurate, audience members enthusiastically belted out their favourite hits. Postcards with QR code linking to the set list and lyrics were a great touch, albeit difficult for some older patrons to access. This became evident when Hadgraft needed an audience member to bring the lyrics up for him.

Despite his passion, it’s hard to look past the fact that Hadgraft forgot lyrics in every song he performed, the extent of his forgetfulness ranging from stumbles during verses to completely missing lines altogether. And although he sang brilliantly when the songs were in his range, he consistently struggled with higher notes.

To his credit, the performer was self-aware, often pointing out his own errors to diffuse any tension. While I appreciated that Hadgraft didn’t take himself too seriously, I thought it was disappointing for a tribute artist many long-time fans had paid to see. ‘BILLY JOEL: Just the Way You Are’ is a lively, impassioned performance and a great experience.