By Claire Ruggiero
Here at North, sometimes every day seems like the one before it. Get up. Get on the bus. Fight to keep your eyes open throughout the day. Then finally, home.
However, we get a reprise from our repetitive schedules during spirit weeks. During these special weeks, we get to dress up and are treated to a variety of entertainment during our lunch periods.
Throughout the lunch periods this past Tuesday, September 20th, we got to experience the impressive talents of Dueling Pianos, a two-man partnership of Dave Puszykowski and Rob Steidel that smashes out contemporary covers and classic favorites such as “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Hit Me Baby One More Time”, and of course, “Baby Got Back” (maybe that’s just one of our favorites).
While we listened to them take requests as wild as 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop”, we tried to get a feel for how they were being accepted by the student body.
As expected, the tables front and center – front row, if you will – seated those with musical tendencies and an ear for music. “Really cool,” “They’re very talented” – buckets of compliments.
It seems the occupants of the lunch tables further away from the stage were more apathetic. “It’s boring.” “It’s too loud.” The complaints go on.
We beg to differ. The school is treating us with these lunch time performances; they understand our days are monotonous and dull and they want to liven up our days just a bit.
And these musicians delivered. Yeah, maybe you had to shout your conversations for fifty minutes. And maybe it got a bit awkward when they cut out the music and expected us to finish the lyrics (if you can find a more uncomfortable room of teenagers than our lunchroom mumbling “Single Ladies” together, we’ll be very impressed).
Not only were these men incredibly talented (Rob Steidel doesn’t even know how to read music – he plays it all by ear) they were very friendly and amusing. They actually took on the incredible feat of trying to persuade teenagers to sing out loud. Together. At school.
All in all, we give them an 8 out of 10 for a performance at school. It seems they enjoyed themselves, too. When asked what their craziest request was all day, Dave replies with a laugh, “I think I got a request to take off my shirt. I didn’t do it, though.”
We probably would have given them a 9 if he did.
