An orchestra performed the swelling theme to “The Natural” – which Joel has used as his entrance music for years, but was obviously especially fitting in this setting.

Then, rather than launch with his usual “Prelude/Angry Young Man,” it was a stirring rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” into “Miami 2017” that kicked off the three-hour show.

Along with Joel concert staples (“My Life,” “The Entertainer,” “Everybody Loves You Now”) came a few tunes that he doesn’t always play live: “Ballad of Billy the Kid,” its soundtrack-i-ness augmented beautifully by the orchestra; “Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel),” which really isn’t necessary, but it obviously means something to Joel; “Big Man on Mulberry Street,” his sweeping big band ode that, sadly, prompted a bathroom/beer rush; and “Goodnight Saigon,” which hasn’t steadily appeared in concert for a couple of years, but was as emotional as always with the presence of New York officers on stage.

Joel also paid homage to The Beatles with a taut read of “Hard Day’s Night,” which he’s often injected into set lists for years, and a spotty, but well-intentioned “Please, Please Me.”

But let’s forget Mr. Joel for a moment.

You want to talk guest list? How about the one he cobbled?

The elegant Tony Bennett, so perfect as a duet partner on “New York State of Mind” (is it me, or is he just the happiest man alive?).

John Mayer, whose sleeve tattoo looks ridiculously out of place on his preppy body, nonetheless tapping out a restrained solo on the sublime “This Is the Time,” another song Joel rarely plays live.

Don Henley, whose Eagles are playing at the Borgata in Atlantic City tonight and Saturday, confidently stream rolling through “Boys of Summer” (appropriate, given the setting), as Joel and his band played backup.

And John Mellencamp, looking not a day older than he did in 1986, doing that funky leg kick thing and bellowing the “yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah”’s in “Pink Houses.” (Trivia interruption: Mellencamp “found” Joel’s trusty percussionist/multi-instrumentalist Crystal Talifero, who looked a bit different Wednesday, sporting a mammoth Afro).

Joel also obviously sank some thought and money into the stage setup.

A wall of pixilated lights served as the occasional video screen behind the gigantour stage, and flanking the stage were a pair of customized video screens, jaggedly shaped on top to resemble the Manhattan skyline.

Of course, whatever it cost him to produce these suckers – which are being recorded for a documentary/DVD (http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Billy-Joel-To-Rock-Shea-Stadium-On-Screen-9533.html) – Joel likely recouped on merchandise sales alone.

More than 55,000 people crammed Shea, and if only half of them picked up some type of souvenir, it’s a small fortune.

I broke down and shelled out $40 for this: http://www.fanfire.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/fanfire.woa/wa/product?sourceCode=EMLBJO&sku=BJO43801, and had to restrain myself from spending another $30 on a program that would wind up sitting in a drawer.

Maybe if it hadn’t cost me $7 for a hot dog (OK, it was Nathan’s, so it was worth it), $8 for a can – yes, one can – of Heineken and $5 for a little swirl of Carvel (I never claimed this was a healthy outing), I could have afforded to blow more on merch.

But, as is turned out, the experience of the Penultimate Play at Shea was pretty priceless.