Inside HILife: Dueling Pianos

FL Morris / flmorris@starbulletin.com

Review by John Berger

A duel is by definition a hostile and potentially lethal conflict between two people, the ultimate example in American history being the duel that ended the life of Alexander Hamilton, and the political career of Aaron Burr, in 1804. The term dueling pianos suggests Ferrante & Teicher taking the stage after a throw-down bust-out fight backstage, each trying to upstage the other with ever-more complicated improvisations and ad-libbed solos.

Traditional definitions of the word aside, the Dueling Pianos Show at the Level 4 Nightclub & Ultra Lounge turns out to be a rock n roll version of the old-time piano bar. Instead of the standard solo pianist, there are two, Jeff Coleron and Rhiannon Kruse, who face off across a pair of grand pianos and work together as a harmonious team. Instead of pop standards and other traditional lounge music fare, Coleron and Kruse play a freewheeling assortment of oldies and mainstream rock. Coldplay, Michael Jackson, Whitesnake, Journey, Otis Redding and Britney Spears were among the artists whose hits were included in the duos two-hour show last Thursday.

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