Cheers to a Good Time

I've heard some people call it that "obnoxious bar." Or a friend say, "Even though you work there, I won't come see you." It's Rum Runners, its located downtown and it's pull is the fact that it features "World Famous Dueling Pianos." Two pianists sit facing each other and put on a complete show while patrons put request slips, along with money, atop the pianos.

Working there up to three nights a week, I get to hear the good, the bad and the repetition night after night. Similiar to the way people who work in restaurants eventually can't stand the sight of the food they serve, I've found that being exposed to the same music and jokes all the time has made me roll my eyes as I work with customers, who are taking pictures of the pianists and gushing how amazing they are. The drums are loud, the lines are the same, and I often run into the kitchen and grab my handy bottle of Advil and pop a few, usually after handing a few to a bouncer or server.

However, the other night I was hiding from a drunken crowd behind the bar with another server. A new pianist was filling in for someone else that night. She leaned over to me and yelled "This guy isn't that good, he kind of sucks."

"Yea, Dave's a lot better."

Often times you don't know what's good until you hear what's bad, and that's the way the show was that night. Since then, I've noticed just how good a show they actually put on. The wide range of cover songs that they know is quite impressive; only once in a great while will one laugh into the mike and tell the other pianist, "This is a really good tip; I don't know this song but I'm gonna fake it!" A crowd of 200 plus puts up songs, and they are generally satisfied by having their songs played.

And then there's the show. The "Devil Went Down To Georgia" is played at least once a night, twice if the crowd is large, and features Danny standing on the pianos playing his fiddle and stomping his feet while Marc the bartender will run on stage, down a shot, and breathe fire. If that's not the climax of the night, then it's Jared putting on a top hat, sunglasses and playing the electric guitar while standing on the piano's with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

Yes, they do the same jokes for bachelorette and birthdays every night. One sings "I'm a little teacup, short and stout, so bend me over and ea..." and is interrupted by the other saying "Nooo, you can't say that!" At the same time, for every 21st birthday girl or bachelorette it's their very first time hearing it, especially sung to them, while they sit on the piano.

There are many people who avoid this place, yet the musicians manage to please much more patrons than they don't. Otherwise, there wouldn't be people at 2:15 a.m. chanting "Georgia! Georgia!" begging to hear "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" one more time. So if you can stand a possible headache, bachelorette parties and at times general chaos, I suggest you come down to Rum Runners. I'll bring you a 32 oz. Long Island, maybe a jagerbomb, and you'll get to experience a truly good show.