The Piano Guys – A Review

If you are unfamiliar with The Piano Guys, they are a group of self-described “dorky dads” that have taken the Internet by storm. Blending popular songs (usually chosen by their children according to The Piano Guys) with classical music and filming their videos at amazing locations like Iguazu Falls or Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue; their YouTube channel currently boasts over 6.3 million subscribers while Spotify hosts nearly 2 million monthly listeners.

Though The Piano Guys enjoy an enormous online following, they remain down-to-earth performers. They love interacting with their audiences and goofing around during shows – creating jokes and stories that appeal to every member of the family; audiences respond with applause and laughter at their shows! Furthermore, The Piano Guys provide lighthearted commentary while showing off their incredible skills on instruments – playing them upside-down, using feet to hit ivories, even making different sound effects on cello.

Highlights of the evening included breathtaking renditions of U2’s With or Without You and Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years; their rendition nearly brought me to tears. But what truly distinguished the evening was their ability to talk directly with their audiences between song sets, sharing personal tales of growth, friendship and faith – sharing stories about families in Utah where they all grew up, growing into new partnerships outside their music careers, as well as building an identity beyond it all.

At the Q&A session following their concert, I asked questions about their journey so far and they provided honest responses. They also spoke of upcoming projects and stressed the importance of remaining true to oneself while maintaining an optimistic attitude in an industry with so many competitors. Finally, they reminded their audience to be kind, considerate, and always have an optimistic disposition.

If you haven’t had the chance to see them live yet, I strongly encourage it. They are incredible talents with incredible shows – I can’t wait until their return!

Jon Schmidt plays piano; Steven Sharp Nelson cello; and Paul Anderson drums, making up The Piano Guys from Utah. Their YouTube videos featuring instrumental mashups of popular songs with classical pieces went viral in 2011 on YouTube and have now amassed over 1.7 billion combined YouTube views; sold out concerts around the globe; achieved six No. 1 debuts on Billboard Classical Albums chart; and have nearly 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

The Piano Guys are an extraordinary musical group that appeals to audiences of all ages. As long as they continue producing quality content, The Piano Guys will remain at the forefront. Their story serves as a reminder of staying true to ourselves and maintaining positive attitudes; The Piano Guys truly are more than a band; they’re a movement.