Nashville's piano bar scene

Oh my lord. I just walked into the Big Bang, a beautiful second-floor dueling pianos bar on Broadway across the street from all the honky tonk action. I've been in here for less than 10 minutes, and I've already heard two of the biggest clichés.

Oh crap, make that three!

First, Elton John. Somebody requested "Tiny Dancer," and the pianist on the left said he had played it already. But he indulged whoever it was who gave him the tip and played a little bit and segued into "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" and back. And yeah, he made it "Tony Danza."

Second, the piano player on the right played "Gin and Juice" by Snoop Doggy Dogg. And he knew every word of it and let the audience sing parts by themselves.

And third, just as I was starting this post, the piano player who had just played something by Elton John had just received a request for some Billy Joel. I guess things don't change. Anyway, he played all of "We Didn't Start the Fire" and knew every word of it. And he sped up the last verse, impressively.

And if there is a fourth cliché for piano players, it's Ben Folds. Now the piano player on the right is playing one of those Ben Folds Five songs, I couldn't tell you which.

Anyway, good stuff is going on. I walked in to the tune of "Sweet Home Alabama." Now they're doing some Sublime. Yeah, I might not enjoy every minute of work here, but I would definitely fit in and hold my own.