Newsday: Billy Joel rocks Shea with some all-star guests

The final concert at Shea Stadium nearly ended as the first show there began in 1965, with Paul McCartney singing “I Saw Her Standing There” and a deafening roar from a stunned, capacity crowd.

The final song also went to McCartney, with “Let It Be.”

The concert drew an all-star cast of guests together, for “The Last Play at Shea” for more than three sweltering hours Friday night, with Joel capping the evening by singing “Piano Man” backed by 63,000 fans.

Joel ended the concert era at Shea Stadium with a nod to the past and a celebration of his present, as the uncertain future looms like the newly built walls of Citi Field behind his stage set.

“This stadium opened up to play baseball in the year 1964 and that was the first year I joined up in a band,” he said. “They’re gonna tear this house down but I want to thank you for letting me keep doing this job. It’s the best job.”

And Joel did it well, shining brighter than usual with his expanded backing band and guests including The Who’s Roger Daltrey, Garth Brooks, Tony Bennett and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, who seemed to bring out the best of him.

Damn...Not even a passing nod to Adam West, Frank Gorshin and the “Beautiful Batsui Dancing Girls” who played Shea in 1966.