Heritage Park is about to sound a little different this Sunday. Instead of a single band or soloist, two pianists will go head-to-head in an interactive, request-driven show when the City of Slidell's Bayou Jam concert series hosts Felix and Fingers Dueling Pianos on Oct. 25 from 5 to 7 p.m., with free admission for anyone who shows up.
It's a first for the fall concert series, which usually leans on local bands and orchestras rather than a traveling piano act. According to myslidell.com, the performance will feature two pianists trading songs, taking requests from the crowd and leading singalongs, essentially turning the park into an open-air piano bar for the evening. The City of Slidell, Louisiana posted a reminder about the show on Facebook, with a poster listing the event's basics: Heritage Park, 5 to 7 p.m., free admission, plus a city phone number and website for anyone with questions.
What to Expect From the Dueling Piano Show
The setlist is billed as a grab bag built for crowd participation. Expect selections that touch on Billy Joel, Elton John, Journey and Neil Diamond alongside country favorites, oldies and hip-hop, according to the city's announcement. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets and settle in with family and friends, while food and drinks will be available for purchase on-site.
That setup tracks with how Bayou Jam has run its other fall dates. Back in June, a concert at Heritage Park featuring Bobby Ohler and the Harbor Band drew a similar picnic crowd, with concertgoers told to bring lawn chairs, blankets, ice chests and picnic baskets while concessions handled the food side. Bayou Jam concerts are generally scheduled for Sundays from 5 to 7 p.m., making this weekend's timing consistent with the series' usual rhythm.
Weather Watch and Series Wrap-Up
If storms threaten the Sunday evening slot, the city says it will make a cancellation call by 1 p.m. that day, with updates posted to its website and social media pages. No changes to that plan have been announced as of this writing. Anyone with questions about the concert can call the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs at (985) 646-4375.
The dueling pianos show isn't the finale. The fall Bayou Jam series wraps up Nov. 8 with a Veterans Day concert from the Northshore Community Orchestra at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium, a shift in both venue and tone from the outdoor park setting. That show starts at 4 p.m., with doors opening at 3:30 p.m., and like Sunday's piano performance, admission will be free.
