Billy Joel announces a small Florida show despite doctors' warnings

Billy Joel is going back on stage, if only for a small room and a short night. The 77-year-old has announced an intimate event in Florida, just weeks after saying his doctors told him he shouldn't perform anymore.

What happened?

Joel shared the news on Instagram on Monday. On Dec. 14, he'll appear at Florida Atlantic University for an event called "Billy Joel for Billy Joel: An Evening of Questions & Answers…And a Little Music."

The format is simple: a Q&A session plus some live music. Tickets will only be available to students currently enrolled at the university.

It will be his first appearance since September, when he revealed he'd had brain surgery.

What had happened before?

Joel was diagnosed in 2025 with normal pressure hydrocephalus, or NPH. It's a condition in which fluid builds up inside the skull, presses on the brain and disrupts how it works. In May 2025, he canceled all his tour dates, saying the condition had been made worse by recent concerts and had caused problems with hearing, vision and balance.

In September, he said he'd had a shunt (a small drainage device) implanted in his brain. He said it "actually improved things" and stressed, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm still here."

Last month, he told The Hollywood Reporter that doctors had advised him against performing and driving. They were worried about the mix of loud sound, lighting, stress and energy on stage. "Every time you do a show, it's like you're getting a concussion," he said the neurologist told him.

He also said that was part of the reason he was auctioning off his motorcycle collection of more than 70 bikes.

What's next?

The December event looks very different from a stadium show. It's small, built around conversation, and features only a little music.

Joel hasn't said whether it signals a wider return. Last month he said he had to take a series of tests before he knew whether he could perform again.