Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

I watch some TMC films since they are not punctuated every 7 minutes with Diabetes, wheelchair, Mesothelioma, Injury law suits, Cars saving the world because they are crash rate tested and are great for the environment adds................. Well you get the message.

Anyway while watching one I was amazed to see that in the early days a song writer would take a song into one of these places and play it to an interested party for perhaps inclusion in a play or theater.

I have to say what a fantastic idea. Pity they are not around now or are they?

They are not as popular as they once were, that's true. For one thing, you can hardly do a popular rap song on the ivories. For another, bars have moved away from the whole comfortable cozy atmosphere, preferring the fast food model - "get 'em in, get thier money, get 'em out" seems to be thier new biz model.

There's damned few places a guy can go to feel comfortable & have a quiet drink, anymore.

Piano bars were also about ppl joining in...you know, "community"...we don't have those anymore. What we have now is ppl fighting over the juke box, if there is one, or the pool table, if there is one...

Oh? So they still have them for auditioning in some places then? These were 1930's films.
Yeah I do agree the sports bar has just about wiped everything off the planet at the moment. I just thought it was very interesting and a good idea too, perhaps for back then.

philbymon wrote:They are not as popular as they once were, that's true. For one thing, you can hardly do a popular rap song on the ivories. For another, bars have moved away from the whole comfortable cozy atmosphere, preferring the fast food model - "get 'em in, get thier money, get 'em out" seems to be thier new biz model.

There's damned few places a guy can go to feel comfortable & have a quiet drink, anymore.

Piano bars were also about ppl joining in...you know, "community"...we don't have those anymore. What we have now is ppl fighting over the juke box, if there is one, or the pool table, if there is one...

I've seen a cpl old actual "piano bars," you know, with the bar really being built into the piano, but only in ppl's houses. I never see them in bars anymore.

Music today is not good for singing along. There's too much of it. I dunno if you could remember the Tonight Show's old bit about "stump the band." They would dare the audience to pick a song that the band didn't know. You sure couldn't do that anymore. Too many genres. Too much of it all. No one sings along much anymore. I dunno if that's a good thing or not.

Seems more like it's not, though.

Yeah I understand Phil.
The only place I've seen them (Pianos) are in upper class restaurants these days. Not quite the same thing though really is it? Must have been a terrific time to create things though.

philbymon wrote:I've seen a cpl old actual "piano bars," you know, with the bar really being built into the piano, but only in ppl's houses. I never see them in bars anymore.

Music today is not good for singing along. There's too much of it. I dunno if you could remember the Tonight Show's old bit about "stump the band." They would dare the audience to pick a song that the band didn't know. You sure couldn't do that anymore. Too many genres. Too much of it all. No one sings along much anymore. I dunno if that's a good thing or not.

Seems more like it's not, though.

As a teenager, I worked in a bar/restaurant that had one of the old type, with the wrap-around bar on the piano itself. There were ppl who just came in & played sometimes, & then there was the one guy on Friday nights who would entertain every week with a huge snifter/tip jar. I dunno if he even got paid, but he sure was a whiz on the keys! Lots of ppl had fun ending thier work week with him, back in the early 70's. He had the whole bar singing old standard tunes, which I prolly wouldn't even recognize today...

Piano bar? Is that the new snack that Planters came out with, full of fruits and nuts?

Well since you are the indigenous species I would have thought you'd have told me what they were called back then?

jimmydanger wrote:Piano bar? Is that the new snack that Planters came out with, full of fruits and nuts?

There are a few places that are called "Dueling Piano" bars around. Strictly for entertaining and lots of sing-a-longs. Two grand pianos fit together with the piano players facing each other. Audience participation a must! Requests taken (with tip of course). These guys have to know their stuff. Songs are almost anything goes from old stuff to current. They make most of their money from the tips. Even get people to change songs by having the people give them money to stop playing a song LOL.
Howling at the Moon is a piano bar chain. Here in Philly, they have Jolly's Deuling Piano Bar. It is a lot of fun and they sometimes put their own "spin" on songs by adding racy lyrics. A lot of fun especially when people get a little more toasted as the night goes on.

Actually here in Detroit a 'Piano Bar' is what we hit someone over the head with who would go to a piano bar.

I think I preferred Robins reply Jimmeah
See someone has fun...

Ah yes, Piano Bars. Back in the day, 1964, I used to occasionally attend one in, NewPort, Ky. Newport, once had the reputation as being Kentucky's version of(a corrupt) Las Vegas. The Piano was built into the Bar. As I recall, the Black Piano players name was; Maurice

Thanks Groove.
That sort of reminds me o what I was watching thank you.

Groove-in wrote:Ah yes, Piano Bars. Back in the day, 1964, I used to occasionally attend one in, NewPort, Ky. Newport, once had the reputation as being Kentucky's version of(a corrupt) Las Vegas. The Piano was built into the Bar. As I recall, the Black Piano players name was; Maurice

Another thing that I remember, back in the day, EVERY Bar, Dancehall, Lounge, and most restaurants, all had an acoustic piano there on site, for the Band to use, or if anyone, off the street(talented pianist only) came by and wanted to play, on an off night. They were more than welcome. This person would usually receive free rounds of drinks and tips from the patrons.
Nowdays, it seems as though, an acoustic piano in any venue, is a VERY RARE find. Another thing to consider, back in the day, piano was ALMOST, as popular in urban areas as, Guitars are everywhere today. And, there weren't any electric pianos.

Now that might unsettle a few
Thanks fr the insight groove.

Groove-in wrote:Another thing to consider, back in the day, piano was ALMOST, as popular in urban areas as, Guitars are everywhere today. And, there weren't any electric pianos.