Daily Loaf

I had low expectations for Stump’s Supper Club and Howl at the Moon at Channelside. I thought about all the half-hearted piano-based lounge acts that I saw in Vegas and New Orleans, and I wasn’t exactly excited to go. After wrestling with the idea, I decided to give it a try and I’m glad I did.

I went on Thursday night, met up with the piano men and got a front row seat while I was waiting for them to start. The place was pretty dead at 10 p.m., but people began trickling in as the set started. It’s important to note that this isn’t your granddad’s piano bar. The songs they play are all pop hits from the last 40 years, and they draw on the crowd for suggestions.

Some of the songs are obvious choices, like Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Jim Croce’s “Bad Bad Leroy Brown.” Others, such as their piano rock renditions of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” and Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” were stunningly powerful and funny renditions. Since this is an 18+ venue, the language took a turn for the blue during some of the songs, often parodying the lyrics of the pop song. For example: “I want to poke her face, pa-pa-poke her face.. with my weiner.”

You can thank Ty Chaney for that little ditty. His showmanship is nothing short of Vegas quality and his attention to detail and honest interactions make him the kind of performer I wish I could see every night. His accompanying piano man, Dan Slyker, is all the wingman a piano-playing entertainer could ask for. When he’s not on the ivories, he would hop behind the drums to fill out songs as needed.

The fun of Howl at the Moon is being an engaged audience member. You’ll find yourself singing along at full volume. You’ll have a pile of song suggestions scrawled out and passed up to the piano men, who will gladly take tips to play your tune. You’ll most likely be surprised at exactly how much fun this all is.

These pianists’ stories need to be heard. Anyone who can start out “White Rabbit” loud and get progressively louder only to follow with the most insane version of “Welcome to the Jungle” is worthy of praise and attention. Stumps Supper Club and Howl at the Moon, 615 Channelside Dr., Tampa, 813-226-2261.

Denis Baldwin can be seen crashing events and taking photos all over the bay area on his own site, MyTampaLife.com.

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