Quote Originally Posted by boscotom View Post
....But what about piano players who use, say, Band-In-A-Box? Does that go over okay?
I used to work live with a Roland keyboard many years ago where it provided all the rhythm things, bass, drums, brass stabs etc. I mainly used the more simple rhythms (meaning without the brass stuff, just basic bass and drums.) I also used it with acoustic piano. For the situation, it was easier to get people up and dancing or work in a reasonably lively cafe where an acoustic piano would have not been so easily heard. Having the backing certainly made it a different sound for that environment .... more suitable. They could not pay for additional musicians. In some venues there is no room for them (a grand piano taking up quite a bit of room on the stage.)
I am not saying I liked using it, but it gave me more gigs (someone had to do them.) And it was quite nice to have a backdrop to float around. Now we have computers, BIAB ... and irb.

House, Drums and Bass etc. work as new music genres ... mostly sequenced and quantized, but there are some tracks with lovely solos and grooves on Rhodes or sax on top, played by real players.

The other thing related to your gig, it is a Christmas party, so there will be lots of noise, fun and excitement. I think your contribution is more likely to be appreciated in that context (or maybe ignored!) .... but it is not a concert! I think it will be a good chance to try it out, learn from the experience (you can always turn it off during the gig!) without most of the major problems you could be thinking of.
Of course you do not have to use it all the time anyway. Read the crowd and be spontaneous in using it. Maybe approach it as being a highlight for a few tunes, if that makes it easier to ease into using it.

I think you are lucky you play keyboards. Singers often have to use backing tracks (even for auditions!) and solo instrumentalists. At least you have the privilege of doing gigs just on your own without any audio tracks (and anyone else.)