ENTERTAINMENT

Sing Along atOrlando’s Dueling Piano BarsIt’s been more than 50 years since New Orleans musicians popularized the interac-tive, sing-along music show known as duel-ing pianos, a craze that’s since seeped into cities like Orlando, now home to four duel-ing-piano venues. With sassy showmanship and an endless arsenal of tunes from Billy Joel to Billy Idol, these participative perfor-mances deliver unfaltering fun all night long. —By Kristen Manieri

WHERE NOW Orlando

Gettin’ into the right rhythm at Howl at the Moon

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I-DrIve

Howl at the MoonDive into this rowdy, boisterous venue for an outrageous good time perfect for the “drink-beer-by-the-buckets” party crowd. Howl at the Moon doesn’t just suggest guests get off their butts and sing their guts out; it out-right demands it. After a couple of Jell-O shots, most inhibitions are lost anyway. Armed with pianos, drums, guitar and even trumpet, these maestros pit the crowd against each other with college fight songs and boys-versus-girls showdowns for constant interaction that fuels the feisty festivities. This “piano bar with attitude” is packed most nights by 9 with an all-ages crowd (21 and over) that lets loose like nowhere else in Orlando. 8815 International Drive, Orlando/407.354.5999, www.howlatthemoon.com

Downtown

Baby Grands Dueling Piano BarThe historic Church Street District in downtown Orlando is home

to the recently opened Baby Grands, an upscale interpretation

of the dueling piano bar. At least four players rotate nightly on

the stage, best viewed from the plush VIP party booths lavishly

embroidered with “Baby,” the bar’s namesake pin-up girl. The

kitchen serves a steady supply of pub grub, and bartenders at

the 40-foot bar mix enormous, shareable, fish-bowl cocktails

and DIY vodka towers. Monday is open-mic night when the

musicians back Orlando’s burgeoning amateur talent.

54 W. Church St. Orlando/407.849.1911, www.babygrandsduelingpianos.com“Baby” the pin-up girl

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Universal CityWalk

Pat O’Brien’sAn authentic reproduction of the original legendary New Orleans pia-no bar, Pat O’Brien’s flaunts its bayou heritage with Cajun fare, famous Hurricane cocktails and a brick-walled piano lounge that oozes an “every-day-is-Mardi Gras” vibe. Guests can expect a rock-’n’-roll reper-toire with a distinct Dixieland jazz flavor that’s true to Pat’s Bourbon Street roots. Requests, which according to Pat O’Brien’s are most likely to be “Piano Man” followed closely by “American Pie” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” are made by dropping tunes and tips on one of the cop-per-top pianos—invented so that coins would not dent the instru-ments. Don’t forget to wander outside to the courtyard bar and sip a Fuzzy Leprechaun by the famous flaming fountain. CityWalk, Universal Orlando/407.224.2100, www.patobriens.com

Disney’s BoarDWalk

Jellyrolls Named after late ragtime pianist Ferdi-

nand “Jelly Roll” Morton, Jellyrolls offers

a grown-up piano show with amazing

talent behind the ivories. The four play-

ers who rotate in twos onto the raised,

mirrored stage represent nearly eight de-

cades of collective experience and a com-

bined knowledge of literally thousands of

songs. Piano, tambourine and sometimes

harmonica lull the 21-and-up crowd with

a darkened room solo one minute and

then entice everyone into a raucous sing-

along the next. It’s a new and unexpected

performance each night, thanks to the

request-driven format. And, by the way,

requests are best received with a couple

of bucks, but the popcorn is free.

2101 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena Vis-

ta/407.560.8770, www.jellyrolls.us

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Jellyrolls is named after the late, long-time ragtimer “Jelly Roll Morton”

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