BEN ERAMO, PIANIST & VOCALIST & SCENES - THE BILLY JOEL TRIBUTE BAND

Scenes continues to be a favorite in the New England music scene, performing throughout the region and beyond since 2013.

The band’s mission has always been clear: to honor Billy Joel’s legacy by recreating his music to the highest and most authentic standard, without resorting to impersonation. And judging by their past performances, they have succeeded in spades.

“When we started this project in 2013, we set out with one goal; to bring an authentic Billy Joel tribute show to people for a fraction of the cost of the real thing,” Eramo said. “We acknowledge we aren’t the real thing and never set out to play impersonator, we don’t want that. We’re just a group of friends that all like Billy’s music and want to recreate it.”

The five-piece ensemble covers everything from Joel’s early works like Cold Spring Harbor to later albums such as River of Dreams, mixing in both popular hits and deep cuts that fans have come to adore. Fans can expect to hear anthems like “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)”, “Only the Good Die Young”, and “Piano Man”, along with fan favorites such as “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” and “Miami 2017.”

Eramo, who first fell in love with Billy Joel’s music at the age of 11, shared a special memory from his early days of learning Joel’s songs.

“My piano teacher at the time gave me a Billy Joel Greatest Hits book to learn the song,” Eramo said, “and I actually came back the following week with the whole book memorized. Something about his music just hit me somewhere deep inside. While “My Life” isn’t my absolute favorite song of Billy’s, it will always be a memorable piece for me, as it was my gateway into the world of the Piano Man.”

To this day, “My Life” remains one of his favorite songs to perform, alongside “Miami 2017” and, of course, “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”. Eramo is quick to point out the genius behind Billy Joel’s songwriting, noting how his lyrics speak to people on a deep, personal level.

“I’ve always said Billy has this uncanny ability to take something you’ve wanted to say for years and put it into a three-and-a-half-minute song,” Eramo said. “Listen to “She’s Always A Woman,” it’s the perfect example of how he can capture something so personal, and make it universal.”

The band’s approach to performing Billy Joel’s music is rooted in both admiration and respect for the artist’s unique style, particularly his piano playing.

“For me, attending a Billy Joel concert is kind of like doing my homework,” Eramo said. “I’ve always learned by ear, sheet music is foreign to me, so I suppose that years of studying his work has just sort of rubbed off on me, along with some of his stylistic choices.”

While the band does not typically rehearse as a full group before every show, they always ensure that they are well-prepared.

“We all independently practice these tunes all the time,” he said.

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