Captain Jack & The Strangers – A Tribute to Billy Joel

Captain Jack & The Strangers bring the music of Billy Joel to the stage What began as six Massachusetts musicians coming together around a shared love of Billy Joel’s music has grown into something none of them quite anticipated. Captain Jack & The Strangers, a six-piece Billy Joel tribute based in Gloucester, has spent 2026 performing for increasingly large audiences across New England, with multiple sold-out shows in Massachusetts and Maine. Sold-out appearances have included Jonathan’s in Ogunquit, Maine; three performances at Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick; and a hometown performance at The Cut Live in Gloucester. The band’s September 18 appearance at Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury is also fast approaching a sellout. Formed in late 2022, the group set out to celebrate the depth of Billy Joel’s catalog – not simply imitate the artist. Their shows span the hits and deeper cuts, from Piano Man, My Life, Only the Good Die Young and You May Be Right to fan favorites heard less often onstage. The band is fronted by Gloucester pianist and vocalist Jack Favazza, joined by Michael Lindberg on saxophone, keyboards and harmonica; Mark Pelosi on lead guitar; Jim Frontiero on rhythm and acoustic guitars; Michael Parsons on bass; and Steve Russo on drums. The individual journeys behind the music are equally distinctive. Lindberg is a Marine veteran who performed at the White House during his military music career. Russo previously toured with ska pioneers The Toasters. Frontiero’s own rock-and-roll story dates to 1987, when he was pulled from the audience and onto the stage to play guitar with U2 at the Boston Garden. What the band did not necessarily anticipate was how strongly audiences would respond. The sold-out performances in 2026 have ranged from an intimate 250-seat room in Ogunquit to multiple theater performances in Maine and a hometown sellout in Gloucester – drawing audiences that span generations. With additional New England dates ahead, including Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke, Massachusetts on September 26 and the historic Rochester Opera House in Rochester, New Hampshire on November 28, Captain Jack & The Strangers continue to bring their celebration of Billy Joel’s music to audiences throughout the region.