Midwest Dueling Pianos Performance

Morgan+Fuerstenberg+graphic

Morgan Fuerstenberg graphic

The Midwest Dueling Pianos are two friends who are going around playing for anyone and everyone that comes out to see them. These two talented gentlemen know how to work a crowd and keep a good time going. Adam Nelson and PJ are two performers who came out and played in the Pioneer Student Center on Nov. 4. The two-hour-long gig that they played was very engaging, entertaining and exciting. Nelson and PJ are pianists who perform to not only have a good time, but also give the audience a night to remember. They are a group who play a wide selection of music, from 90s and piano rock to rap and R&B. 

There is something for everyone to enjoy. Not only do they perform, but they get the audience engaged in their performance from getting the crowd to finish the lyrics and clapping along to getting everyone on their feet to dance. The pair have a great sound and complement each other very well. They not only are great pianists, they are wonderful vocalists. They have quite the range and stamina to sing for almost two whole hours without much rest. 

The night that they were here, they started off with playing “Treasure” by Bruno Mars. Though they performed it well, the audience was not quite up to par with their energy yet. It took the pair a couple of tries to get the audience to finish the lyric, but it kept getting better from there on out. 

There was a nice surprise when the pair played “My Girl” by The Temptations, and PJ busted out a green trumpet and played a wonderful solo. Though it was not too long of a solo, you could tell he was not only a phenomenal pianist, but well versed as a trumpeter. The turning point that really got the audience engaged and hyped up was when they performed “Take on Me” by A-ha. People sang, laughed and were having a great time, which set the tone for the rest of the night. One memorable moment was when Nelson got everyone jumbled up and turned around while counting as he played “18 Wheels on a Big Rig.” He had the audience count backwards, forwards, by even numbers and odd numbers and then by prime numbers. It really showed how people could not count too well in different ways. He even got people to count in different languages. To close out this segment of the performance, Nelson counted in Roman numerals. He counted so fast but so clearly that the audience was left speechless. 

This was a great performance and a memorable moment for anyone and everyone who attended. If they ever come back to UW-Platteville, or if they happen to perform near where you happen to be, I would strongly recommend seeing them. That performance would be one that you would not forget for a long time.