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 of the Piano Man himself. Joel loved DelGuidice’s stuff so much that he brought the Miller Place native on tour and became a No. 1 supporter.
The hitmaker made sure the world saw DelGuidice’s mighty talent on center stage since they became bandmates in 2013, whether it was the guitarist belting opera like “Nessun Dorma” or Led Zeppelin classics for encores.
Joel even had DelGuidice do a Live on The Porch session on his Facebook page to draw more attention and greatly celebrated his hole-in-one of the National Anthem at Bethpage Black.
It was those virtual shows that helped DelGuidice see how much appetite viewers had for his originals and broke down the invisible barrier that people do love hearing more than just the hits of a half century ago.
He was inspired to carry on the momentum in person.
“Over the last 20 years I could never seem to find a venue that really suits doing just my own music, where I’ll feel comfortable. I’m like, I think the only way I’ll feel comfortable is if I just build my own place.”
“So here I am — torched a ton of money, whatever savings I had, to try and build this place for local people and for local talent and original music.”
DelGuidice took over a farm stand-turned-hot tub store on Route 347, completely gutted it, and added a second floor to the one-story property, creating a mezzanine that also features Max’s dedicated corner.
He’s running the business with his family, as the DelGuidice clan is giving a full-court press to get fellow Long Islanders their days in the sun, even to the point of hosting fun competitions like “Porch Idol” for locals to prove their moxie.
“It would sure be great one day when your last breath is taken that you’re remembered as being you, and what you brought to the table,” he said.
“What your voice was like, what you had to say. I want that for everybody that comes through here.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
