Billy Joel collaborator opens Long Island concert hall in tribute to his dog as Piano Man pauses touring

It’s scenes from an Italian living room.Long Island rockstar and Billy Joel collaborator Mike DelGuidice opened a concert hall that’s become a home away from home, featuring his family piano, furniture, and a touching section dedicated to his late dog and “best friend,” Max.“I really wanted this to be a family,” DelGuidice told The Post inside his new two-story Smithtown venue called Live On The Porch.“Billy comes from Long Island, I come from Long Island, there’s something about being here — a warm and fuzzy feeling.”The name DelGuidice chose is inspired by virtual livestream shows he played during COVID-19 lockdowns around 2020, which his beloved boxer, who passed away almost a year ago, often accompanied him for.“He was a huge part of why Live On the Porch started, and so we never forget him,” DelGuidice said of his loyal and cheerful pup.Max was so in tune to the shows that he even perked up at DelGuidice’s usual closing number, an original song called “Until The End.”“He would know it was the end of the show — and that meatballs were coming next.” “A lot of fans at the venue now knew Max from the time; we call them the porch family.” DelGuidice, who performed the “Star Spangled Banner” at the Ryder Cup in 2025, took the leap of faith and opened his intimate 125-seat location after a decade and a half of dreaming when Joel paused touring for health reasons. The mission is to pay it forward to local artists by giving them a space to play their original work rather than covering hits to pay the bills.“There’s so many cover artists on Long Island who write their own stuff, and they’re so good, their material is so good,” he said. “But they’re in the same boat I am — they’re afraid.”DelGuidice, who contemplated quitting music years ago while living in a trailer on a friend’s yard, also owes the eventual launch of his career to covers. He played in a Billy Joel-themed band that caught the attention ...