Saturday night's all right for fighting.

Today I cut my hair short for the first time in twelve years, got into the first fistfight of my life, played two shows, made short of a grand, and had two beers with Dezi at Simon's before heading home.  I'd have to say it was a good day.  I didn't even have to use my AK.

Time for a new season of Dueling Pianos @ 

Sluggers World Class Sports and Dueling Piano Bar!

FRIDAY NIGHT,10 p.m. APR. 1 w/ Derire' Irwin

SATURDAY POST-GAME, Apr. 2 w/ Dave Roberts

GOLD COAST PIANO MAN

I’ve played many of the piano rooms in Chicago’s “Gold Coast”, and I’ve held my own bench at a few of them.  There’s The Zebra, The Redhead, The Underground Wonder Bar, Hugo’s Frog Bar, the old Jay’s.  I’ve sat in on rare occasions at the Coq d‘Or room in The Drake, at Grape Street and Vine, only once at Jilly’s on State.

So, what does this make me?  I’m a certifiable Downtown Chicago Piano Man.  The conclusion has become inescapable.  I’ve earned it, I’ve accepted it, and I wear it as both a scar of honor and badge of bad behavior.

Anguilla News ~ Steve Kouba to perform February at The Red Piano in St. Maarten.

Steve Kouba of Chicago will be performing the entire month of February at The Red Piano in St. Maarten.

According to his Bio, Steve says he's living the musician's dream. He's established his reputation as a recording artist and live performer. He makes a living as a piano player and rock entertainer, and his recent callings have been for music soundtracks and on-stage musical theater. Steve performs regionally and even overseas, playing solo piano or with guitar, live bands, and backing symphonic tracks and electronic beats. He’s been called a "bold producer with an ear for the colorful," and his original music has been compared to a wide array of contemporary artists from Joe Jackson, Thomas Dolby, and Cat Stevens to John Mellencamp, Elton John, and Madness.

Born and raised in the Midwest rust-belt city of Lima, Ohio, Steve listened to AM radio and took piano lessons until he was 16. After graduating from Northwestern University, he traveled cross-country to record in New York and play rock music in the San Francisco Bay area. He now calls Chicago home and makes his living as a performing musician. He is known to many in the city's music industry and has performed with some of Chicago's best players, among them members of Poi Dog Pondering, The Bad Examples, Liquid Soul, The Good, Underwater People, Fareed Haque Trio, Trippin Billies, and Quantum Leap. He has recorded music in numerous professional studios, and is currently a co-founder of Chicago Dueling Pianos, Chicago's premiere dueling piano group.

Steve's performances this past year alone have included venues such as House of Blues, numerous street festivals, esteemed Chicago theaters like The Athenaeum and The Mercury, the city's best piano bars (The Redhead, The Underground Wonder Bar, Zebra Lounge) and dueling piano clubs (Howl at the Moon, Rum Runners). His musical tours of Holland, Switzerland, Italy and Germany in recent years further demonstrate his will to achieve at constantly new musical endeavors.

Catch his act Tuesdays through Sundays beginning at 8 p.m.

Norwegian Epic, January 2011 

for "Howl at The Moon"

FIRST PRIZE: 5000 EUROS!

We were south of Amsterdam, driving beyond Den Hague, heading for the North Sea. There's a coastal town called Scheveningen, where Crazy Pianos, a successful dueling piano venue in Holland has its act.  I'd been through there on a previous tour, and wanted to make a return visit, maybe, hopefully, sit in.

As we arrived in our destination town, from a stoned torpor I perked up a little for old landmarks.  Chicago Mike saw the poster first. "Piano Contest!  First Prize 5000 Euros!"

NEW YEAR'S EVE @ SLUGGERS!

w/ partner Eric Stang.  

Dezi and Steve of Chicago Dueling Pianos, 
@ Riverside Casino and Resort, Riverside, Iowa

EDDIE'S EX

Most people would agree that one of the most wince-inducing acts in bar entertainment can be the “guy performing Pearl Jam".  I don't usually perform Eddie Vedder songs, I love them too much to butcher in front of an audience.  But his songs are just beautiful, and I can’t help but play them to myself.  I totally admit to having copped a feel of Eddie in my basement studio, many times.  

Once, a late night solo gig was going great guns…  every song worked, the room was packed, faces were smiling, or singing; dancing happened, people were drunk, tips were good, requests were honored. There was a guy stomping the stage in time to make me a bass drum beat.  One table shouted out "Pearl Jam"!  

Come Home Chicago, Nov. 14, 2010

Reading original stories and playing original music.

Come out to The Underground Wonderbar on Nov. 14!

Savory La Fontaine on Halloween Night!

Halloween Night!  Sunday, Oct 31 at 8 p.m.

@ The Underground Wonderbar!

PIANO BAR PATRIOTISM

There’s hardly a person born in the United States who would consider his or herself anything less than a true patriot of this amazing country.  Of course, there are cynics and sarcastics, consumers and capitalists everywhere you go, but genuinely our communal belief in the sacred history of liberty remains vibrant and strong. Patriotism is a communal strength and it is vital to our country.  Anyone mocking the intelligence behind a human’s love for country is either an elitist or an existentialist.  I’m both, but still I know that patriotism is an expression of our very souls, be they truth loving or twisted.

Troy Neihardt and Steve Kouba ~ Dueling Pianos "Chicago Style"!

Dueling Pianos, "Chicago Style"!

Steve Kouba & Troy Neihardt

Chicago Dueling Pianos are now at 

Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN!

Every Wednesday night at 8 p.m.

Chicago Dueling Pianos at LUXBAR in the Gold Coast!

WHY DON'T WE GET DRUNK AND SCREW?

WARNING: ADULT CONTENT

“Hey everybody, Ashley is twenty-two years old today!  Where’s Ashley?”  A few squeals erupt from behind me.  “Send her up here!”

Always a fine moment, receiving the newest sacrificial lamb.  As a general rule, the younger the offering, the more tender the meat.  What attributes will she have? 

New Business Card!

Steve and Troy play the I.V SUPERBOWL in Peru, IL.

Chicago Dueling Pianos are at "Spats" in Warrenville, IL. EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT!

Steve and Dezire' Irwin on METROMIX!

Chicago Dueling Pianos TV broadcast on Metromix.

Chicago Dueling Pianos are now at AMERICA'S BAR in Hoffman Estates!