It was a night that almost didn't happen.

Billy Joel, the legendary Piano Man, was determined to keep his date with thousands of eager fans at the Rose Bowl in Hampshire, England, on July 14, 2006.

But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

Joel's journey to the south coast was plagued by a series of unfortunate events that could have easily derailed the entire concert.

His helicopter, the intended mode of transport, suffered a mechanical failure, forcing him to resort to a more conventional, and ultimately more chaotic, method of travel - a car.

Setting off from London on a Friday afternoon, Joel found himself trapped in the city's notorious traffic. Gridlock near Richmond, caused by an accident, brought his journey to a standstill.

In a desperate bid to escape the snarl-up, he was diverted onto the A34, only to encounter another obstacle - a major fire.

"Man, you've got some serious traffic issues here," Joel later remarked to the crowd. "It's worse than New York. I couldn't get out of London, and then the A34, or whatever it is called, had a bush fire. Then we were on the M3, and it was backed up for 35 miles."

Despite the setbacks, Joel, ever the showman, arrived at the Rose Bowl just after 8pm, greeting the anxious crowd with a wry smile and an apology for the delay. 

What followed was a two-and-a-half-hour musical extravaganza that showcased the Piano Man at his best.

With his unstoppable energy and incredible piano skills, the New Jersey legend had the crowd of more than 10,000 on their feet from the moment he took the stage. 

He belted out hit after hit, treating fans to classics like "Uptown Girl," "The Entertainer," and "River of Dreams."

One of the highlights of the night came when Joel abandoned his piano and stood at the front of the stage to serenade the crowd with a few verses of Ben E. King's "Stand By Me."

The audience erupted in cheers as he launched into another crowd-pleaser, "Innocent Man."

As the sun set over Hampshire's home of cricket, the tempo quickened. Joel, ever the charmer, introduced "Uptown Girl" with an anecdote about writing the song for his second wife.

With the interval cancelled due to a noise curfew imposed by council chiefs, Joel took a brief respite, handing the microphone to his special guest, Chainsaw, a roadie who surprised the audience with a rousing rendition of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell."

The concert was a testament not only to Joel's talent but also to the skill of his six-piece band, whose members displayed remarkable versatility by playing a wide array of instruments.

The encore, as expected, featured one of Joel's most beloved hits, "Piano Man," complete with his signature harmonica performance.

The Rose Bowl's second-ever concert proved that the venue was more than capable of hosting some of the world's greatest acts.