Darkness On The Edge Of Uptown Girls

Godzilla Versus Rodan; the Cowboys versus the Steelers; Ali versus Frazier; Coke versus Pepsi; Springfield versus Shelbyville: life in the arena is a harsh one. Fortunately Kyle Smith is there to referee the celebrity caged death match between two middle-aged angst-ridden rockers each perpetually trapped in 1975:

It does not happen often, but once in a while the urge comes upon me: I want to rock.

So I went to see Billy Joel at Shea Stadium.

Also, I went with my mom, who could not rock if you handed her a bottle of Jack, a Stratocaster and a live bat while blasting “The Immigrant Song.”

You may argue that Billy’s rock credentials are suspect, too. But Joel, who played the last two concerts ever at Shea, and Bruce Springsteen, who arrives at Giants Stadium next week for three shows, are two middle-aged gents who would like us to believe that they rock. Who is correct? Let’s break it down.

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