The Dueling Pianos

Yes, I, BB have now been to my first Dueling Pianos Bar. It was an experience, let me tell you.

The concept: there are these two piano players that, over the course of the night, play any song you request (with monetary donation, of course). For this to successfully work you must have the following:

1. Money. Specifically, you should have an assortment of bills; some fives, ones, a ten and at least one twenty. You write your first and second choice of songs on a slip of paper and take your money and request up to the pianists. You can put it on the piano or (depending on how much you have had to drink) hand it right to them so they are forced to address your request.

2. Some really good song choices. Say that you don't have much money but you want them to play your request. You need to pick a song that one of these 2 pianists is going to love playing and that everyone in the bar would want to hear. Then you're guaranteed your song played with even a small tip.

3. Awesome piano players. The two guys were the best possible mix of comedy and musical talent. They kept us laughing all night and they could both sing and play the piano like pros. I didn't regret the money I spent on their tips/my song requests.

4. The best company ever. We went for Nicky T's Birthday celebration. She was awesome, the people she invited were awesome and I was awesome. We all worked together to ensure this to be a Birthday she would never forget.

5. Guts and Glory. They did this thing called "out bidding" someone else's song. For example, say John Smith (not from Pocahontas) gave them $15 to play a horrible country song that no one recognizes and no one wants to. You can run up with $20 and a different request and they will immediately stop playing John Smith's song. That's exactly what happened when I ran up with my $20 and the song request "Renegade" by the STYX. Allow yourself to be the center of attention for less than a minute and you will feel much better about ruining someone else's song request.

Besides, I did the world (especially that bar) a favor by stopping that song. "Renegade" is so much better.

6. (Optional) Alcohol. We had some that were drinking and some that weren't, and we all had a ton of fun. We had the most fun watching the antics of one Birthday girl, Jamie, who was not a part of our party but that was seriously entertaining to watch drunk dancing on the stage for the last half of the night.

Also, I have to give props to the gay guy that convinced his shwasted friend to remove her bra (underneath her shirt, so no nudity, thank God) on stage in front of a whole bar of strangers. Then convince her to swing it around above her head and throw it into the audience. Good for you.

There you have it. Dueling Pianos = Awesome.

I leave you humming "Piano Man" (like I could pick anything else).