Dueling Pianos on the Peninsula: San Mateo, Burlingame, Redwood City and San Carlos

The Peninsula has a little of everything. There are company parties in Redwood City and Menlo Park, wedding receptions in Burlingame and Hillsborough, school auctions in San Mateo and Belmont, and backyard birthdays from Millbrae to Palo Alto. What most of those events have in common is a room full of people who work hard, don't get out as much as they'd like, and want one night where they actually have fun. A dueling piano show is built for that night.

We know the area well, too. Modern Dueling Pianos plays public shows at Faith & Spirits in San Carlos, and co-founder James Michael Day is a former San Jose Sharks organist who has spent years playing for Bay Area crowds. Here's how a dueling piano show fits a Peninsula event and what to plan for.

What a dueling piano show is

Two pianist-singers face each other and the audience, and the guests pick the songs. Requests go up on slips of paper, the players trade songs, harmonize and occasionally fight over who gets to play the next one. There is no set list, so a room of 30-somethings gets Taylor Swift and Usher, and the parents' table gets Elton John and Billy Joel, often in the same ten minutes. It's a concert and a party at once, and nobody has to stand in front of a DJ wondering whether to dance.

Peninsula events that fit

• Company and holiday parties. Teams from San Mateo, Foster City, Redwood City and Menlo Park often want something that gets coworkers talking to each other, not staring at phones. The players can call out departments, celebrate a team that hit its number and keep the content clean for a work crowd. Our corporate dueling pianos page covers the details.
• Wedding receptions. Hotel ballrooms near SFO, private clubs and backyard tents on the Peninsula all work. Requests keep every generation on the dance floor, and we can learn your first dance or a family favorite ahead of time. See dueling pianos for weddings.
• School auctions and fundraisers. A request show doubles as a fundraising tool, since guests tip to hear their song, play it first or stop the other player's song. Some schools turn the tip jar into a paddle-raise warm-up.
• Milestone birthdays and private parties. A 40th or 50th at home in San Carlos or Hillsborough feels like a night out without leaving the house.

Planning tips for the Peninsula

Check the sound rules early. Many Peninsula cities and HOAs have quiet hours for outdoor amplified music, and some hotels and clubs have their own end times. Tell us the venue and we will plan the volume and the schedule around it, so the big finish happens before the cutoff, not after it.

Plan for parking and load-in. Downtown San Mateo, Burlingame Avenue and Redwood City's courthouse square area all have tight curbs. A loading zone or a driveway close to the stage saves time and keeps the setup quiet.

Give us a level spot. The show needs a flat area about 16 by 12 feet with standard power. On a sloped backyard, a patio or a rented stage deck works well.

Book early for December. Holiday party season fills up fast across the Bay Area, and Friday and Saturday nights in December go first.

Solo piano and live piano karaoke

Not every event needs two pianos. For a cocktail hour, a dinner party or a smaller office gathering, James plays a solo piano and vocal show with the same all-request energy at a smaller footprint. We also offer live piano karaoke, where guests take the mic and sing with a live piano player instead of a backing track. It's a great choice for teams and families who would rather be part of the show than watch it.

See a show in San Carlos first

If you'd like to see what we do before booking, come to one of our public nights at Faith & Spirits in San Carlos. Upcoming dates are Friday, November 6, Saturday, November 7, Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5, from 9 PM to midnight. The full list is on our See Us LIVE calendar.

Areas we cover

We play events across the Peninsula, including Daly City, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae, Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo, Foster City, Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City, Menlo Park, Atherton and Palo Alto, plus San Francisco and the South Bay. Pricing depends on the date, show length and production, and every quote is confirmed in writing. Our dueling pianos cost guide explains what goes into the price.

Book dueling pianos for your Peninsula event

Send us your date, the city or venue, an approximate guest count and what kind of event you are planning. We will check availability and get back to you with a quote.

Request a quote through our booking form or call or text (408) 203-5563.