Two pianos face each other on the stage, the spotlights gleaming off their polished surface. Two pianists take their seats. The audience is also ready to request their favorite songs as the exquisite pianists prepare for a high-energy musical showdown complete with fun and banter.
This is a dueling piano show. It's far more than just a musical performance, though. These are immersive experiences where no two shows are alike. Let's explore what makes them so fascinating.
What Is a Dueling Piano Show?
A dueling piano show is when two pianists face off on stage and play songs at the audience's request.
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Whether these songs are shouted out or written down on a napkin doesn't really matter. What matters is that the performers, both of them, create an unpredictable and energetic performance.
The pianists can encourage the audience to sing along, add jokey twists, and play pianos with a back-and-forth that guarantees as much laughter as it does applause. Since the audience requests the music, these shows can include everything from rock and roll classics to modern pop hits, country ballads to hip-hop anthems.
Dueling piano shows are popular at bars, weddings, corporate events, and private parties. Typically, the shows last between two to three hours.
The History of Dueling Pianos
Dueling pianos date back to the golden age of American jazz and ragtime, which occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The precursor to dueling pianos likely began in New Orleans, with jazz pianists engaging in playful musical battles that showcased their improvisational skills. Eager crowds would gather in speakeasies or jazz clubs to see musicians try to outperform one another.
Pat O'Brien's Bar in New Orleans, which opened in 1933, is often said to be the original home of dueling pianos or the first dueling piano bar.
Though the concept likely predates this, Pat O'Briens Bar popularized having two grand pianos face-to-face where performers would accept requests and perform against one another.
The playful rivalry of two talented pianists, combined with audience requests, quickly became hallmarks of the dueling piano experience.
100% audience-driven requests: no setlist, just pure spontaneity.
A blend of live music, comedy, and crowd interaction.
Every performance is unique. No two shows are ever the same.
Perfect for weddings, corporate events, and nightlife entertainment.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the dueling pianos concept started spreading across the United States. Dedicated piano bars started popping up in major cities, and chains like Howl at the Moon and Jake Ivory's helped popularize the format by combining music, comedy, and audience interaction.
Nowadays, dueling pianos are also a popular choice for weddings, corporate events, and private parties. Digital media like streaming and social media have helped bring it to a broader audience with popular TikTok and YouTube videos.
How Dueling Piano Shows Work
A dueling piano show needs spontaneity and crowd participation. It's a fairly simple concept: two grand pianos on a stage, facing each other, with professional pianists ready to play. Unlike a concert with a setlist, dueling pianos rely almost completely on audience requests.
The Setup and Format
A dueling piano stage is designed for energy and visibility. Both grand pianos need to be the focal point. After all, the pianists will serve as musicians and entertainers in the broader sense. They often crack jokes, encourage sing-alongs, and banter with the audience.
Audience Requests
A dueling piano show gives the audience control over the music. They can write their song requests on a napkin (often attaching a tip) and pass them up to the stage.
Much like a jukebox, the more a person tips, the more likely the pianists will play their song. Audience members can out-tip one another to override previous requests.
Performer Banter
The pianists will take turns trying to outdo one another with creative improvisation, mash-ups, and humorous renditions of the classics. They'll also often employ high-energy banter, ensuring the friendly rivalry pushes each pianist's playing further while raising the stakes.
Sing-alongs and Clapping
Unlike more traditional piano concerts, where audience members are often expected to sit in silence and listen to the music, often only applauding at specific moments, guests at a dueling piano show are expected to sing along, clap, and get up and dance.
Popular hits like Piano Man, Sweet Caroline, and Don't Stop Believin' often spark massive sing-alongs!
Unique Experiences
Since the audience will often be different, so will the dueling pianos show. Every show is a one-of-a-kind experience, and the setlist will almost never be the same.
Whether you watch dueling pianos at a piano bar, a corporate event, or a wedding, your next show won't be the same!
Top Songs Played at Dueling Piano Bars
Though you can imagine which classics will likely be played at a dueling piano show, remember that you can request almost anything.
Over the years, however, there has been a trend in the songs that have become fan favorites. Here are just a few of them.
Classic Rock Anthems
Classic rock remains a cornerstone of most dueling piano performances. You can request these, but if you want the pianists to play something they don't play almost every night, you could avoid them, though somebody else will probably still request one of them.
- Piano Man by Billy Joel
- Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
- Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey
- Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
- Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty
Pop and Modern Hits
It's not just the older classics that are often played. There are plenty of newer hits that dueling pianos will often perform on request.
- Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
- Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars
- Rolling in the Deep by Adele
- Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
- Happy by Pharrell Williams
Country Favorites
Country music often gets its share of the spotlight, particularly in the parts of the country where the genre is most popular.
- Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks
- Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver
- Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton
- Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker
Party Classics and Sing-Alongs
Certain classics, like those that get everyone singing in a bar or at a wedding, have also become popular in the dueling pianos experience.
- Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
- Hey Jude by The Beatles
- Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
- American Pie by Don McLean
Examples of Dueling Piano Bars
There are plenty of dueling piano bars worldwide, and there are also dueling piano shows for hire.
Here are just a few of the most popular venues for dueling pianos.
Pat O’Brien’s: New Orleans, Louisiana
Considered the original dueling piano bar, Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans opened in 1933.
It may or may not have invented dueling pianos, but it did popularize the format, shaping it into what it is today.
Its courtyard piano bar is a must-visit destination for tourists and locals alike with its nightly two-piano sing-alongs.
Howl at the Moon: Multiple Locations
Howl at the Moon is a chain of dueling piano bars with locations in major US cities, such as Chicago, Boston, Orlando, and San Antonio.
It has a party-like atmosphere, interactive shows, and popular drinks served in oversized buckets.
How to Hire Dueling Piano Performers for an Event
Hiring dueling pianos for your next event is easier than you may think. You can get dueling pianos for weddings, corporate events, or private celebrations.
Many popular dueling piano bars offer performers for hire or even have traveling divisions or versions of their shows.
Booking agencies and online platforms can also be used to hire musicians, with dueling piano hire typically costing between $1,500 and $5,000, depending on the type of event and where you are.
Bring Cash for Requests: Tipping ensures your song gets played.
Get Ready to Sing Along: Classics like Piano Man and Sweet Caroline are crowd favorites.
Expect Banter and Laughs: The pianists are as much comedians as they are musicians.
Request Boldly: Don’t be afraid to throw in unique or unexpected songs!
The performers will provide a unique showcase of versatility and improvisational skills. This isn't like a traditional concert with a setlist, and the performers will make all the difference. These pianists are entertainers who'll banter with the crowd, crack jokes, and encourage sing-alongs.
The Future of Dueling Pianos
Dueling pianos have been around for a while, but that doesn't mean it's an outdated concept. If anything, dueling pianos are seeing a resurgence.
Social media like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok have introduced a new generation of fans to the format in a way that wasn't possible for the first 100 years of dueling pianos.
Now, performers can broadcast their dueling piano shows while also taking requests from streaming audiences who tip using Venmo or PayPal.
Virtual events and corporate streaming skyrocketed during the pandemic, and dueling piano events quickly adapted. Many can now offer virtual shows for corporate events, team-building activities or virtual weddings, which gave many dueling pianists their first experiences of how they could adapt the shows to digital audiences, too.
The widespread reach of the internet has made this traditionally American concept more accessible worldwide. In particular, cities in Europe, Asia, and Australia are embracing the format. You can now find dueling pianos in Amsterdam, Sydney, and Tokyo.
Who knows what will happen to dueling piano shows in the future, but it could involve further technological integration. People are already discussing including virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) experiences in the show.
However it evolves and grows, the dueling piano show will continue to captivate audiences regardless of how they experience it.
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