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Piano Bar entertainers - who is your favorite?

JPH814

By JPH814,
in Holland America Line

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boze9999

boze9999

Posted
Posted
A previous poster mentioned the small Piano Bar venue on some of the ships and I have to agree with those comments. Almost always, however, I was able to find a seat somewhere in the "hinter lands" of the Lounge. Certainly, not at all the best location for one who wishes to participate in the program of the Piano Bar, but I enjoyed the music and the ambience.

 

In my opinion, the introduction of the MIX concept to some of the ships in lieu of the public rooms that had been in those locations is a positive. The Piano Bar performer has lots of room for an audience plus the area provides for additional entertainment that is different from other venues aboard.

 

I agree the enlarged venue MIX has brought a lot more fans to the Piano Bar. I like that! What I don't like is the concept of dual pianos. The dual pianos are now so "programmed" and non-entertaining, the spontaneity & engagement of the piano player as they team with the crowd is lost and the caliber of dual PB players is weak at best. My advice to HAL - keep the new venue, but lose the dual pianos! Bring back all the piano bar players your customers RAVE about (oh, BTW - none of the PB players raved about on this thread will play in a dual piano HAL environment).

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elycelynne

elycelynne

Posted
Posted
I agree the enlarged venue MIX has brought a lot more fans to the Piano Bar. I like that! What I don't like is the concept of dual pianos. The dual pianos are now so "programmed" and non-entertaining, the spontaneity & engagement of the piano player as they team with the crowd is lost and the caliber of dual PB players is weak at best. My advice to HAL - keep the new venue, but lose the dual pianos! Bring back all the piano bar players your customers RAVE about (oh, BTW - none of the PB players raved about on this thread will play in a dual piano HAL environment).

 

(Bolding is mine) You're probably right. I can't imagine that any of them would want to surrender control of their repertoire to Billboard-dictated set lists,

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Copper10-8 "Live from...." Rare

Copper10-8

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..........................I've looked at schedules for Westerdam posted recently and it just says "piano bar entertainer Anna". Anyone know anything about her? .............................

 

Her name is Anna Vanderheide

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ORCRUISER

ORCRUISER

Posted
Posted

Jim Fischer...I've only been on 3 HAL cruises but he's the only one I've "connected" with. Maybe because he plays mainly in Oregon where I'm from but I really enjoyed his shows and went most nights of a 19 day cruise last summer. Hoping to see him here in Oregon. He'll be on the Zaandam in late July and August.

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RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
Randall Powell was the best, great entertainer!

He was 'FAN'tastic! Lots of fun, full of energy, something new every night. Never the same-ol'/same-ol'.

 

There used to be so many really great ones like that on HAL, but no longer. The greats are few and far between. Can't help but wonder if it's the working conditions at HAL, or if HAL is deliberately hiring people who just don't measure up.

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kevingastreich

kevingastreich

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I've never sailed with him. Can you elaborate on what made him so terrible?

 

In my opinion, Barry from Boston talks too much (mostly about himself) and doesn't do enough to bring the crowd into it. No sing alongs etc. Just Barry talking a lot and playing a little. I've seen him on two different cruises and it was the same on both. I actually walked out once.

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taxmantoo

taxmantoo

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He was 'FAN'tastic! Lots of fun, full of energy, something new every night. Never the same-ol'/same-ol'.

 

There used to be so many really great ones like that on HAL, but no longer. The greats are few and far between. Can't help but wonder if it's the working conditions at HAL, or if HAL is deliberately hiring people who just don't measure up.

 

Randall may have been FANtastic at some point in his career but when we cruised with him to Mexico/Sea of Cortez on the Oosterdam in 2011 he was better described as FLAMBOYANT and ARROGANT. Here's an excerpt from a post I made following that cruise:

 

"...We were on the Oosterdam in April with Randall Powell and were quite disappointed in his performance after hearing good things. He may have been great a while back with his glamourous costumes and extravagant shows. He has abandonned those. Without them, he becomes an ordinary singer and a very ordinary piano player delivering a very ordinary performance. Showed up twice on formal nights with a t-shirt telling us his tux was at the cleaners ??? On the last night of the cruise, he had a trivia game around 9:30 pm and wrapped up immediately after. Never heard of a piano bar closing at 11 pm on the last night of the cruise... "

 

Shortly after that cruise, his contract with HAL was terminated and never renewed.

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RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
Randall may have been FANtastic at some point in his career but when we cruised with him to Mexico/Sea of Cortez on the Oosterdam in 2011 he was better described as FLAMBOYANT and ARROGANT. Here's an excerpt from a post I made following that cruise:

....

What you describe is not at all the Randall I sailed with. I would have been bitterly disappointed, too.

 

From what you posted, I have to wonder if he had been told to lose the flamboyant costumes, and he was acting out because of it??? That T-shirt on a Formal Night sounds so passive-aggressive.

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  • 1 month later...
torybruno

torybruno

Posted
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Just back from the Zaandam, where we made it to the piano bar 6 nights out of 7! Phil Thompson was the Piano Man, http://www.philthompson.com/index-phil-thompson.php

 

He was great! It was a sing along, fun atmosphere. Played everything from Johnny Cash to Adele and Ed Sheeran as well as the Billy and Elton regulars. Impressed he learned two new songs that were requests and played them the next night for the guests.

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tooalto

tooalto

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In my opinion, Barry from Boston talks too much (mostly about himself) and doesn't do enough to bring the crowd into it. No sing alongs etc. Just Barry talking a lot and playing a little. I've seen him on two different cruises and it was the same on both. I actually walked out once.

 

 

I agree whole heartedly about Barry. In addition I found his singing voice grating. He played one night in the Crow's Nest then we stopped in the Piano Bar on another. I also have to add that i was dropping off a reservation card in the Pinnacle when he was leaving and I stopped to say hello. He was very brusque, not in the least friendly. I'm sure it can be tiring but politeness and affability with passengers when you're not performing is part of the job.

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taxmantoo

taxmantoo

Posted
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I'm sure it can be tiring but politeness and affability with passengers when you're not performing is part of the job.

 

I can name quite a few HAL piano players for which politeness and affability is not part of the job but just part of being a nice person :)

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hotzej

hotzej

Posted
Posted

Debbie Bacon far and away, not only a piano entertainer, but the all around complete entertainer. Plays many other instruments, a wonderful singer and a tremendous personality. Am looking forward to seeing her again on the 2017 Amsterdam World Cruise.

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