What is “Dueling Pianos”?
“Dueling pianos” is an ‘event’ that was designed for complete crowd participation of all ages to make each and every attendee become involved or be a part of the show in one way or another. The show itself is full of music, comedy, hilarious crowd skits, dancing, videos and much much more… The music performed during the show is all-requested songs (by the crowd) anywhere from the 1950’s to today of any genre.

How well does “Dueling Pianos” work for a corporate setting?
The majority of events we’ve performed since we began in 2008 have been for corporate events. What makes our show perfect in this setting is because it’s so universally accepted by all in attendance because it’s clean, it’s fun, it’s engaging, and tailored to exactly what is happening in the room RIGHT then and there. We’ve performed for organizations as small as 30 employees all the way to fortune 500 companies on a national scale as well! (Please note, we can provide references or lists of organizations we’ve worked with if needed).

What can your show offer our employees/attendees aside from other entertainers?
Our show is truly one of the most unique entertainment experiences out there today… From start to finish our show brings the crowd in to what’s happening right there, right in the room. It’s perfect for anyone from the simple fly on the wall type of attendee, to the social butterfly that wants to be the center of attention. Each person leaves the event having participated in the way they feel accustomed to leave them with a lasting memory of being a part of such a fun and memorable event!

Can you tailor your show to any age group?
Definitely! We completely pride ourselves on being one of the most universally accepted experiences in the Midwest! We understand the importance for the need to provide ‘clean’ entertainment on behalf of corporations or organizations and part of our guarantee is that our entertainment is for all age groups. The most important part of our experience is to make every person in attendance leave with the feeling of experiencing something fun and unique so be assured that we will tailor your event will be appropriate for all ages, period.

What has been your biggest/most important feedback you’ve received from previous clients?
The most unanimous feedback we’ve received from performing in a corporate event has been two things, 1) How appropriate and fun we were, and 2) How amazed they were that almost everyone in attendance stayed to the very end! We hear a lot of event coordinators tell us that the previous entertainment had been slightly inappropriate or not very crowd friendly, but also that they were unable to keep the full attention of the crowd. We are always very honored when we receive such positive feedback after every show that the crowd were that engaged from start to finish.

Has there been any negative feedback about your performances?
The only negative or constructive feedback we’ve received after events was that not all requested songs were performed during the show. Unfortunately this is something out of our control during our performances due to time constraints. Though we would love to perform each and every request provided by audience members, it is impossible to play every requested song during the show which we do make sure to say this to the crowd as part of our ‘introduction’.

Is the show flexible to change for any specific reason/theme/ or ‘Holiday’?
Yes! The best part of our show is that it is ALL based around the crowd and their participation so we gladly welcome all themed ideas and suggestions from event coordinators to throw into our show at any time! We only ask that if it is pre-planned to notify us at least 1 week in advance so that we can help prepare ourselves and the show to make the theme even more glorious!

Is a contract available and is a deposit required to ‘Hold the date’?
Yes. A contract will be crucial to not only hold the date of the event, but to ensure the security and integrity of the event for both the coordinators and ourselves as professional performers. We also do require a minimum of 15% deposit to officially hold the date as well (and will be stated in the contract).

Do you provide your own pianos and sound equipment?
Yes. We will provide two, modified, electronic 6 ft black grand pianos and a full sound system (including two wireless microphones) at no additional cost. This will also be available for the event staff to use during their portion of the event to make announcements / speeches, etc.. at any point in the evening at no additional cost. (Please note, we do prefer to use our own sound system as we are very familiar with the quality and functionality of it. If the venue has a sound system already, we will still plan to use our sound system as to avoid any possible issues during your event unless previously discussed agreed upon between all parties involved.)

Do you have any stage or power requirements?
All stage and power requirements vary from event to event, so please note a stage is not required for our event but we do ask to be placed in an area easily viewed by all participants, not in the center of the room (as it is impossible to make sound travel at a 360 degree surface). We suggest putting us against a wall so that the sound can travel straight towards the participants involved. In terms of power, we do request that a standard power outlet is available directly in the vicinity of our performing area and at the standard 110 to 120 volt wattage.

Are we required to provide lodging for the performers?
Yes, but it is only required if the event is being held at a distance of at least 90 minutes from Des Moines, Iowa. If so, we require at least 1 overnight lodging accommodation for 2 people.

Do you require meeting with anyone in person before the event?
No, a face-to-face meeting is not required but if a client would feel more comfortable meeting ahead of time, that is not a problem at all. DURING an event, we do request to have all the contact information for the person in charge of the event so we can make sure we are in perfect communication with that representative the second we arrive at the venue.

How long is your performance for a corporate event?
We suggest for corporate events no longer than 2 to 2 1/2 hours for a single performance. Generally in our vast experience with corporate events we notice that a good strong 2 hour performance is perfect for the attention span of a large group/corporate setting. Most patrons attending also appreciate this length as no matter how entertaining one can be, you will start to notice fatigue after such a long event that typically includes a dinner before the entertainment.

Do you play your pianos or perform during a cocktail hour or during dinner?
No. During this time we will play appropriate background music on an iPod and can make sure to have the proper mood of music for any crowd. The reason for this is that in our vast experience if we physically perform any background music beforehand that once the ‘true’ entertainment portion begins the crowd will have already acclimated to us as “background” entertainment and will certainly make for a difficult transition to the high-energy entertainment later in the evening. 

When do you arrive for set up?
We generally arrive at least 2 hours before “doors open” to ensure we are set up and properly sound-checked for the event before any attendees arrive at the venue (this time frame is included in the overall fee charged).

How far in advance do we need to notify you of any changes to the event?
We prefer to be notified of any changes or updates to a schedule/event within at least 1 week of the performance. As we are both very flexible, don’t be alarmed if something changes on the spot, we are more than accommodating for any ‘issues’ that may pop up after arriving at the event. We are more than willing to step up and help you make the night as perfect as it can be!

Do you allow any special guests on stage?
Yes, we love participation in any capacity but do note that we will not let the night turn into a karaoke night. If there is to be any scheduled special guests or presentations, just let us know prior to the event so we can plan accordingly. Otherwise, we encourage any and all spontaneous participation on an appropriate level.

Do you require any breaks?
Andy and Mike may require at least one 15 minute break during duration of a corporate performance/event. Please note that we are very aware of the attention span of a crowd so though we like to have the option for a break, we will play to the crowd and events needs required for the maximum experience.

Do you have any music playing during break times?
Yes. We have put together a great playlist of entertaining dance music to play during the breaks as it is crucial for the dueling pianos experience to keep the energy and momentum of the night going from start to finish.

Is a deposit required to ‘Hold the date’?
Yes, we do require a minimum of 15% deposit to officially hold the date.

What is “Dueling Pianos”?
“Dueling pianos” is an ‘event’ that was designed for complete crowd participation of all ages to make each and every attendee become involved or be a part of the show in one way or another. The show itself is full of music, comedy, hilarious crowd skits, dancing, videos and much much more… The music performed during the show is all-requested songs (by the crowd) anywhere from the 1950’s to today of any genre.

What can your show offer our attendees aside from other entertainers?
Our show is truly one of the most unique entertainment experiences out there today… From start to finish our show brings the crowd in to what’s happening right there, right in the room. It’s perfect for anyone from the simple fly on the wall type of attendee, to the social butterfly that wants to be the center of attention. Each person leaves the event having participated in the way they feel accustomed to leave them with a lasting memory of being a part of such a fun and memorable event!

Can you tailor your show to any age group?
Definitely! Andy and Mike pride themselves on being able to tailor each show they perform to any and all age groups in attendance. The most important thing is to make every person in attendance leave with the feeling of experiencing something fun and unique so be assured that your event will be appropriate for all ages.

Do you provide your own pianos and sound equipment?
Yes. We will provide two, modified, electronic 6 ft black grand pianos and a full sound system (including two wireless microphones) at no additional cost. Please note, we do prefer to use our own sound system as we are very familiar with the quality and functionality of it. If the venue has a sound system already, we will still plan to use our sound system as to avoid any possible issues during your event.

Do you have any stage or power requirements?
All stage and power requirements vary from event to event, so please note a stage is not required for our event but we do ask to be placed in an area easily viewed by all participants, not in the center of the room (as it is impossible to make sound travel at a 360 degree surface). We suggest putting us against a wall so that the sound can travel straight towards the participants involved. In terms of power, we do request that a standard power outlet is available directly in the vicinity of our performing area and at the standard 110 to 120 volt wattage.

Are we required to provide lodging for the performers?
Yes, but it is only required if the event is being held at a distance of at least 90minutes from Des Moines, Iowa. If so, we require at least 1 overnight lodging accommodation for 2 people.

Do you require meeting with anyone in person before the event?
No, a face-to-face meeting is not required but if a client would feel more comfortable meeting ahead of time, that is not a problem at all.

How long is your performance for an event?
We are generally the first to arrive and last to leave at and our fee covers all the time in between, however our standard time frame of a performance is typically 2 to 3 hours for most events. Any additional performance hours would require a fee of $500 per hour.

When do you arrive for set up?
We generally arrive at least 2 hours before “doors open” to ensure we are set up and properly sound-checked for the event before any guests arrive at the venue (this time frame is free of charge).

Do you perform during a cocktail hour or during dinner?
No. During this time we do play appropriate background music on an iPod and can make sure to have the proper mood of music for any crowd. Otherwise the crowd will acclimate to us as “background” entertainment and will make for a difficult transition to the high-energy entertainment later in the evening. 

Do the clients have any input on the kind of music that is played and performed?
Definitely, yes! We fully encourage clients to provide as much input on the music being performed as possible. Though we do know what songs work and what do not work for any audience, we also know the importance of ‘traditions’ and what certain songs mean to certain persons in attendance so please note that any and all suggestions are invited. A master song list can be sent to you upon request as well.

Do you emcee during events?
Yes. Andy and Mike can provide all emcee duties from start to finish for any event.

How far in advance do the special songs need to be chosen before the event?
We do require that all special songs to be played and performed during the event be provided no later than 1 week from the date of the performance

Do you allow any special guests on stage?
Yes, we love participation in any capacity but do note that we will not let the night turn into a karaoke night. If there is to be any scheduled special guests or presentations, just let us know prior to the event so we can plan accordingly. Otherwise, we encourage any and all spontaneous participation on an appropriate level.

Do you require any breaks?
Andy and Mike may require two 15 minute breaks during the 3 hour duration of the performance/event.

Do you have any music playing during break times? Yes. We have put together a great playlist of dance music to play during the breaks as it is crucial for the dueling pianos experience to keep the energy and momentum of the night going from start to finish.