Vertical challenge: Girls just wanna have fun in the pole position
By Paige Wiser; The Chicago Sun-Times
November 18, 2005

On Dueling Pianos night at Sluggers, you always can tell who's dying to get up on the pole. She's usually in
the front row, bouncing in her chair, waving her arms and singing along to "Sweet Caroline." It's only a
matter of time.

The Wrigleyville bar believes it is the only one to offer a pole for public consumption. Surely it is the only one
wedged between two pianos. In its down time, the pole houses cable for the bar's sound system. But on
Fridays and Saturdays, limbs tend to be wrapped around it.

Dueling Pianists Troy Neihart and Dave Roberts gamely encourage audience participation -- and tips. They'll
accept a $2 request to play "Piano Man," and just as quickly take $35 to stop playing it. They coax onlookers
to mount their pianos with tambourines, maracas, free Jack Daniels T-shirts, lantern flashlights, shame,
whatever it takes. Most of the time, they don't have to try very hard.

Take 21-year-old Taylor Conroyd. On Friday night, the North Side insurance agent was squirming in her
seat for at least a half hour. It was the song "Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On" that finally did it. She bounced
onto the trunk, up onto the pianos, and greeted the pole like an old, intimate friend. It would be an
understatement to say she did the song justice. And the night was very young.

Dueling Pianos takes place Friday and Saturday nights starting at 9 p.m. on the second floor at Sluggers,
3540 N. Clark (773-248-0055). The cover charge ranges from $2-$5. Photos of "pole positions" are posted
every week at w w w . ~ . c o m .

Caption:
Photo: Jon Sall, Sun-Times / Taylor Conroyd, 21, lets loose on top of pianos Nov. 12 at Sluggers. The
pianists are Troy Neihart (left) and Dave Roberts
Copyright (c) 2005 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.