Costco Connection - December 2010

arts &entertainment

Planning the perfect karaoke night

Like the mike

By Scott Steinberg

BEFORE YOU GRAB the microphone and sing your heart out to the masses, there are a few things you should know about karaoke.

• The word comes from kara (meaning “empty”) and oke (“orchestra”) and was originally coined in Japan.

• It is a $10 billion worldwide industry with professional leagues, bestselling video games and millions of fans in bars and living rooms, from Nigeria to Finland.

• It was invented in the 1970s by singer Inoue Daisuke, the manager of a small-time band that played background music for businessmen who wanted to sing in bars. Unable to fill one such request, he sent a tape instead—launching a million Frank Sinatra wannabes.

OK, now you’re ready to croon. But if you want to go beyond “keep it in the shower” status—and even hold an exciting karaoke party—here are some tips offered by leading experts.

Invite your neighbors. If you run the risk of keeping them awake all night with your caterwauling, make sure they’re at least involved.

Employ multiple mikes. People love to sing in groups—it helps them feel less awkward if their best friends can back them up.

Take your act online. Looking for additional songs? Connect your computer to sites such as www.thekaraokechannel.com, www.singsnap.com or www.karaokeplay.com.

—Sarah Lewittin, author, Pocket Karaoke

Track stars FEELING tongued-tied? Brian Raftery, author of Don’t Stop Believin’: How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life, gets singers humming a happy tune with songs for all skill levels.—SS

Beginner

• The Beatles:

Love Me Do

• Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Want to Have Fun

• The Rolling Stones: Start Me Up

• The Temptations: My Girl

• Johnny Cash:

I Walk the Line

Create clever icebreakers. Small competitions where shy and outgoing singers intermingle (try mixing them together into teams) can be fun and can create a great atmosphere.

Pick fun themes. Everybody loves playing
dress-up. To hold an ’80s- or
Christmas-themed party, just
ask guests to bring matching
clothes and songs (“Take on
Me,” “Feliz Navidad,” etc.).
—Maria Saarimaa-
Ylitalo, Women’s Karaoke
World Champion 2010

Intermediate

• TLC: Creep

• Journey:

Anyway You Want It

• Taylor Swift:

You Belong to Me

• No Doubt: Hella Good

• Gladys Knight: Midnight Train to Georgia

Scott Steinberg is the head of consulting firm TechSavvy ( www.top techexpert.com).

Set the stage. Dress a designated performance area with streamers, rock posters, and strobe or Christmas lights. Arrange sofas and chairs to face the stage so everyone gets their three minutes of fame.

Create sign-in sheets. To avoid fights, list the songs you have available with sign-up sheets attached. You’ll always know who’s performing what next.

Designate a host. A KJ (karaoke jockey) keeps tunes flowing. Assign someone to manage songs and rotate singers so everyone has a turn.

—Raina Lee, author, Hit Me with Your Best Shot: The Ultimate Guide to Karaoke Domination

Expert

• Notorious B.I.G.: Juicy

• Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

• Kanye West: Flashing Lights

• Led Zeppelin: Immigrant Song

• Billy Joel: We Didn’t Start the Fire

All karaoke requires is the right equipment, a good song and a dream.

Choose a wide musical selection. It’s commonly agreed that having 1,000 songs on hand makes an awesome party. Be sure to include choices for everyone.

Use the right hardware. TV speakers are fine for video games. But for a proper karaoke party, you need a good sound system.

Mix things up. One fun game is “trick” karaoke, where there’s a rotating singing order. Singers should get their songs from the next person in line—and have to sing them no matter what. It’s hilarious when goth rockers perform Disney jingles.