176 Keys Dueling Pianos

Dueling pianos is: FUN!

The 176 Keys Dueling Pianos show is a rockin’ good time for the audience and the performers. We play the fun songs you want to hear, and encourage you to sing, clap, and laugh along. At your request, we will also make time to give a few light-hearted roasts to friends and family.

176 Keys singalong dueling pianos shows are a unique form of entertainment you can’t find anywhere else - music, comedy, and crowd interaction tailor-made for your audience. Rated anywhere from ‘G’ to ‘R’ as specified by the client and dictated by audience requests, this show is a hit for every event - from corporate parties looking for an extra punch to fraternity parties seeking a raucous good time. Our players adapt to crowds from ages 18 through 80 - with any taste in music. More impressively, we can play for audiences with a mix of all ages. The shows are tailored to your audience, by your audience.

Dueling pianos is not…

Dueling Pianos is not two piano players trying to out-perform each other. Rather, the two players work together to provide a high-energy show in which the audience is as much a part of the entertainment as is the performers. The show may be better termed ‘duo pianos’. By any name, you won’t find another form of hired entertainment that can match what we do.

Dueling Pianos is not a concert. The 176 Keys show takes popular songs, requested by the audience, and encourage singing along and other participation. You will hear comedic lyrics in place of some standard lyrics, fun with audience members on and off stage, and a high-energy mix of music and comedy.
Whether you’re 18 or 80, a rocker or a redneck - you’ll have FUN with a 176 Keys show.

Evolution of Dueling Pianos

The original: The first dueling pianos show is at Pat O’Briens New Orleans, started in the 1930s. Here, the players read from books and will try almost anything. While singalong is encouraged, it’s not quite “in your face”, and the show is relegated to song-playing. There is little comedy in this show and few or no occasions for bringing audience members on stage for some fun.

The two-piano rock & roll singalong & comedy dueling pianos show: This concept started almost 30 years ago in Texas. This is what 176 Keys prefers to do. In this show, the magic and skill of two pianos and two piano players leads the audience through a show of energetic singalong, comedy, and audience participation on stage and from the audience. This version of dueling pianos has the most audience participation, and is (to us) the most fun.

The dueling pianos band show: Many dueling pianos clubs chain’s are quite popular and involve singalong. They also have drums and guitar(s) throughout most the night and don’t do a lot of comedy. There is some variance from this from club to club. Often times these shows turn into a dance-club feel more than audience participation.

Traveling dueling pianos shows: While there have been a few regional acts that would travel for corporate parties, in 2005 176 Keys took it to another level, providing high-energy singalong comedy dueling pianos shows to corporate parties, weddings, and clubs anywhere in the lower 48 states at competitive prices. In the years since, many agencies have jumped on the bandwagon, including some that boast 150+ players, and that their status as “international”.  We are not a talent agency.  We book dueling pianos shows, period.  There are only 20 or 30 players in the country that are very good at entertaining in this concept, some of whom are locked into house gigs at their clubs, while even fewer have extensive formal party experience.  Because of this, we will stick with the dozen or less guys we know will do a good job for us and for you…or we won’t take the contract. No other major traveling dueling pianos show has been started by a veteran dueling pianos player, is currently run by one, or is dedicated solely to dueling pianos. 176 Keys is all three.