This is the second of a four-part series reviewing and comparing the four dueling piano shows on the Strip in Las Vegas.

Photo by Josh Semans, Creative Commons 2.0

The Palazzo has a dueling piano show in Salute Lounge that starts much earlier in the day than any of the other dueling piano shows on the Strip: It runs from 5:30pm to 1:30 am.  The Lounge is located just off the Casino floor (next to the Jersey Boys Theater), and seems to draw in folks who need a break from gambling (including lots of solos). It also has a video poker bar, so those who don’t want to stop gambling, but would like to enjoy the show, can.

The Lounge has a retro-Vegas feel to it, with lots of zebra stripes in the decor and these overhead hanging lights that reminded me of glowing stalactites.  At the same time, it feels very romantic, because the room is very dark, with tea candles on every table.  Cocktail service was quick and efficient.  The drinks were expensive:  $11 for a small Jack and Coke.  But it did come with a little dish of olives and wasabi peas, which I thought was a nice touch.

I went to this show at around 6pm, not long after it started.  I tell you this because it may be a little unfair to compare this show to those that don’t start until 8pm or later.  Also, I want to add that I have no musical talent whatsoever, so anyone who can just play chopsticks is still one up on me.  That said, this was the worst dueling piano show I’ve ever seen.

Palazzo

In fact, to call it a dueling piano show seems a stretch.  There wasn’t really any dueling going on.  The lounge wasn’t even 1/4 full, and the small audience was pretty subdued.  There was no effort on the part of the pianists to get the crowd into a rowdy mood, and there was no bonding among those of us in the crowd. So it was more like watching a couple of lounge pianists taking requests.

Early on, the requests were few and far between, so the guys played whatever they felt like, and what they wanted to play was pretty lame and always mellow (“Mack the Knife”? Really?).  If that’s a strategy to try to get people to start making requests–it worked. But even once the audience started taking requests up to them, it didn’t help.  Everything they played sounded like elevator music. At one point, a guy requested “Honesty” by Billy Joel–they didn’t know it.  Most pianists would have at least played something else by Billy Joel, but they didn’t do that, either. Someone else requested “Footloose,” which they totally butchered.

I left after an hour because I just couldn’t stand it any more.  It was one of the most painful hours of my life.  Maybe this show picks up steam later on in the evening.  For their sake, I certainly hope so.  As I mentioned in part I of my dueling piano series, pianists at these shows do rotate between venues, so it’s also possible you could hit the show at a time when someone more talented is playing.  Maybe I was just very, very unlucky.  If you’re hell-bent on checking out this show despite what I’ve told you, I would at least recommend that you go later at night.  If I could relive this day, that’s what I would do.

The dueling piano show at Salute Lounge might be for you if:

• You’re staying at the Palazzo or Venetian and don’t feel like roaming further afield for live entertainment;
• You want a break from gambling;
• You want to go to a piano show earlier than 8pm;
• You’re looking for a very mellow piano show with little to no crowd interaction;
• You like snacking on olives and wasabi peas.

Next up:  Napoleon’s dueling piano show at the Paris Las Vegas.

(Photo of piano keys by Josh Semans can be found at Creative Commons.)