The Right Pitch, but a Little Off-Key

Exhibit B: The Piano Bar

I see 1... I see 2... pianists? This isn't the Pat Os
I've come to know and love!

So Bad: For a city that created Jazz and provides endless opportunities to view free live music at bars and by street performers, why the heck are a hundred people crammed into a tiny, dark, dueling piano bar while another hundred people wait in line to get in? And Pat O’s Piano Bar, although equipped with dueling pianos, rarely provides the crowd with a second pianist to create the ‘dueling effect’. And even more grueling is fact that the pianists are so mediocre that it’s uncertain as to whether adding a second one would actually be constructive.

Trying to get in on a weekend night when the pianos are undoubtedly doing their duels? Expect to wait in a stagnant line. And don’t be fooled by this enormous line, I know it provides the illusion that you are waiting for entrance unto something truly special. But you aren’t. And as tourist, unless you’re at Disney World, you should be doing anything but waiting in a line.

One of my favorite views in the entire city

It’s Good: However, even the piano bar has made for a fabulous Sunday afternoon, or ten. Alongside of giving me multiple reasons to shower, Pat O’s piano bar has showered me with: new friends, my favorite round of drinks (Gin Fizzes + Miller Lites), multiple performances of my college’s fight song, swing dancing between tables, and encouragement to single handedly get down on the ground to instruct the other patrons how to do the crocodile rock©.

“Laissez les bon temps rouler”

-        Sir Elton John

Insider Tip:

Around the 6^th order of Gin Fizzes and Miller Lites on a Sunday afternoon, people start getting suspicious. One LOCer overheard the bartender in the piano bar trying to investigate as to “Why all them kids be likin’ this gin, milk ‘n sugga so much”. Really lady, you’re worried about this? We’re currently trying to hold a conversation in Spanish with the Mexican Washboard player on stage about how to get everyone in the bar to learn the proper lyrics to “La Bamba”. We’ve got much bigger fish to fry…

Coming Up: stay tuned for 2 more exhibits on why Pat O’s is So Bad It’s Good…

Yesterday, Pat O’s was officially awarded the coveted SBIG Award (So Bad It’s Good Award). Let's delve right into our second reason why...