28 February 2019 (gig)
03 March 2019
‘Piano Works, Farringdon’ was soon followed by ‘Piano Works, West End’ both large but welcoming venues with a simple and uplifting concept. Every night incredibly talented piano-vocalists with accompanying musicians form a six-piece band and play songs requested by the audience. The audience book a table for brunch dinner or drinks but the focus is really on singing, dancing and feeling the love in the room. Now ‘SingEasy’ has been born for those looking for a less hectic, more intimate version of the idea.
Through a hidden door in the West End ‘Piano Works’, ‘SingEasy’ is a venue inside the venue with about ten small tables, a grand piano and an attentive team of performing waiters. If you love singing along to musical theatre, Disney, pop classics but prefer something more authentic than karaoke – this is your heaven. There are lots of versions of the dining ‘experience’ around at the moment but ‘SingEasy’ pretty much guarantees you a natural high well before the Prosecco kicks in. The only problem is eating at the same time as singing so I recommend getting your dinner over early to avoid projectile chips.
The food itself is no frills, fish, burgers and pies though it has focussed on vegan options for that growing market. We had an avocado salad starter, fish and chips, vegan pie and elderflower sorbet. You can buy two courses from £21 - £32 depending on which day you go and there’s a bottomless Prosecco option during your 2hr sitting for £20 per person. There’s also a decent selection of reasonably priced wines to choose from. Given the ratio of staff to guests, the stunning vocal talent of hosts and waiters, it really is an incredibly good deal.
The atmosphere is somewhere between a close friends wedding and a West End wrap party. Obviously the songs as chosen by you will be different every night. We started in the realm of Disney’s ‘A Whole New World’ and Elton John’s ‘Tiny dancer’ before hits from The Greatest Showman, Titanic and Avenue Q came thick and fast. Whatever you choose, there’s a host or a waiter ready to take the mic and lead the floor while you sing your heart out and nobody really hears how awful (or brilliant) you sound. The whole room was on their feet waving napkins for a rousing group rendition of ‘Do you hear the people sing’ (Les Miserables) and the harmonies in Bohemian Rhapsody were something to behold!
You can sing or just enjoy the talent in the room and the bar stays open with hosted singing until midnight when a DJ takes over until 2am. But you may well have exhausted yourself with all the fun before then. I should add – cynics would be advised to leave their snarls at the door. Everyone in the ‘SingEasy’ is ready to enjoy a night of unadulterated musical euphoria.
