I vividly recall my days at TCU, when our big nights out were spent in and around Sundance Square. We'd often start out at Billy Miner's and then venture down to the Fox and Hound, Jack's Pub, the Library and then Pete's Dueling Piano Bar.
One thing was guaranteed, we'd have a blast -- and my clothes were going to wreak of cigarette smoke no matter which of the bars we spent the most time in.
Tone Bell, a Addison comic with unhurried pacing and killer timing, does a funny bit about a guy eating cake in an airport. In fact, airports are Bell’s favorite place to people-watch. His second-favorite place is Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar. Here’s how Pete’s works: charge $8 at the door. Have four guys and two pianos. Rotate the guys in, sometimes have all four playing classic sing-along tunes from Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.” Have conga lines and bring a bachelorette up onstage. Salute the veterans in the house and make a few sex jokes. Don’t let it get quiet or reflective. Keep the music and the antics up so that folks can party like it’s 1999 (sadly, there were no Prince songs the night I visited).
Corey Levitan recounts his evening as a guest piano player alongside pupil and Pete's house pianist Matt Newbold.
"We worked this out in rehearsal: I answer Newbold correctly on three "Dueling Banjos" volleys. On the fourth, he goes boogie-woogie bonkers and I do my best to keep up."
Pete's Las Vegas is reviewed in Las Vegas Weekly.
"I left my friend Sheena at the table to use the bathroom, and by the time I walked back into the main room, the piano players had pulled her onstage to do the chicken dance."