Karaoke Forums

Hope this is ok. Not promoting myself.....
I've been keeping a list of unique nights worldwide on our site and thought you guys might have some folks I'm missing. Let me know!!

If someone has a HUGE amount of songs or their host is sooooo funny, that's not enough. We're looking for something REALLY different.

UNITED STATES

CALIFORNIA
*Costa Mesa, Kevin: Karaoke Host To The Stars
How much oxymoronic irony does it take to be a Weird Al impersonator? I dunno but this Kevin guy has the rare combo of wacky, funny AND good taste in music. Plus his Kermit the Frog is better than Jim Henson's son (who must be stopped) and his "Glycerine Medley" is simply genius. Enjoy. myspace.com/karaoke_host
* Los Angeles, Coreyoke. We weren't going to list any live karaoke bands but when Corey Haim, Corey Feldman and Corey Hart form a live backing band, you MUST represent. We're shocked (and jealous) we didn't think of it first. http://www.myspace.com/corey_oke
* Los Angeles, Ground Control. An innocent Google search on "goth karaoke" led us to something supercool, practically in our backyard! Lotsa cool homemade tunes slike Bauhaus, Louis XIV, Soul Coughing, Dresden Dolls & Hedwig! We need to roadtrip. http://www.myspace.com/groundcontrolkaraoke
* San Diego, Laura Jane Rocks Karaoke. Jazzblues singer who can namecheck local hipster bands and sing everything from AC/DC to Arctic Monkeys while she's at it. Every Wednesday at the Wit's End, 420 Robinson in Hillcrest 8pm-midnight http://www.myspace.com/LauraJaneRocks
* San Diego, Rock Out Karaoke. We weren't going to list any live karaoke bands but we had to give a shout-out to the guys doing it best here in sunny San Diego. They actually play along with video screens so you don't have to deal with a beer-soaked lyric sheet. Nice. Don't forget we made a group for live karaoke bands HERE (click). http://www.myspace.com/rockoutkaraokesd
*San Francisco, Britpop Bill's Karaoke. Bill does karaoke at a few places in the city, including a UK-styled karaoke room at Leisure, an offshoot of longtime Britpop club Popscene. He's got an ace collection that rivals the "Melody Faker" list back across the pond. Every Monday 6-9pm at the Knockout SF (Mission at Valencia) and every other week at the Lingba Lounge (1498 Eighteenth Street) plus monthly at Leisure at Annie's Social Club, 917 Folsom Street @ 5th. http://www.myspace.com/PopsceneMusic http://www.myspace.com/theknockoutsf http://www.myspace.com/IHumpRocksLikeMorrissey (one of the best Myspace URL's we've ever seen)

GEORGIA
*Athens, Dr Fred's Karaoke. New incarnation of long-running indiekaraoke nite now administered by an actual doctor. Thousands of great songs including a few homemade gems (Gang Of Four, Nirvana, Postal Service, Patti Smith & more). Do notable local musicians show up? Sometimes. Every Thursday at Go Bar, 195 Prince Ave Myspace link

NEW YORK
*New York City, Karaoke-Dokey! Continuing on a long tradition of hyper-hipster karaoke-dom at Pianos started by the legendary Karaoke Killed The Cat. Every Monday at Pianos Upstairs Lounge, 58 Ludlow & Stanton. http://www.myspace.com/karaokeydokey

NORTH CAROLINA
Citizen Karaoke Longtime Athens indie karaoke host now living in NC and occasionally doing shows in Chapel Hill and back in Athens. Tons of cool homemade tunes. Check page for dates: http://www.myspace.com/HipsterKaraoke

PENNSYLVANIA
* Philadelphia. Karaoke Obscura. The best name of any karaoke night on earth and an unreal songlist of indie classics painstakingly created by removing vocals from the coolest songs on earth. 8 Velvets songs, 17 Sleater Kinneys, 12 by Pavement, almost *50* Smiths & Morrissey songs and you can even sing "Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken"! And the flyers....oh, the flyers. 1st Thursday of every month at 12 Steps Down, 9th & Christian St. http://www.myspace.com/KaraokeObscura

SOUTH CAROLINA
*Columbia, Mr. B's Goodtime Karaoke Explosion. A young man in black with a hysterical Myspace page keeps Devo references alive down South. We like. Every Wednesday at Art Bar, 1211 Park St. http://www.myspace.com/KaraokeExplosion
*South Charleston, Karaoke Chris
Chris out-punked everyone by making way cool homemade Rancid, Bad Religion, The Misfits, Iggy Pop, The Faint, Weezer, Social Distortion, NoFX, Fugazi, Nerf Herder, L7 and Piebald tunes. WAY WAY cool! Check his page for his schedule round town. myspace.com/karaokechris

TEXAS
Austin, Karaoke Underground. Currently on hold (all the good karaoke hosts are having kids this year) Incredible list of homemade indie faves including lotsa Devo, GBV, Minutemen, Wilco and more! http://www.myspace.com/KaraokeUnderground

WASHINGTON
Tacoma, Bob's Java Jive A San Diego friend told me about this place (Ruby!). Not only is it in a coffeepot shaped building but they have Undertones karaoke and on other nights, it's live band indierock heaven. Good enough for us! Sunday, Monday, Tuesday 9pm-1am myspace.com/bobsjavajive

GERMANY
Berlin, Monster Ronson's Ichiban Karaoke The infamous Dr Dot mentioned this seven-day-a-week karaoke crazyhouse and ten seconds later, I was looking at a naked guy shaking his dreds onstage. Who'da thunk!? http://www.myspace.com/monsterronson


SPAIN
Madrid/Barcelona, Anti-Karaoke. Possibly the craziest karaoke atmosphere on earth. Crowd surfing, nudity, celebrities from the Cult to LA Guns and sexy host Rachel Arieff in outrageous costumes pouring drinks into the crowd's mouths from a bottle onstage. PLUS they're picky about what songs they'll add and use lyric sheets instead of a tv screen "just like Napoleon, Mozart, and Picasso used to do when they did karaoke." If you can't quite visualize it, check out the 500+ videos on Youtube. Viva Anti-Karaoke! http://www.myspace.com/antikaraoke

The only thing unique about this place is the coffee pot shaped building. The karaoke is laughable with an older Peavey 100 watt mixer amp with a spring reverb, last I was told by the host that works there a completely burnt library on disc - complete with graphic artifacts & skips, not to mention small library.
I also ran sound for bands there as well on occasion & it's even a chore. The stage is approx 4'x8' and that is before the karaoke system & a stand up piano that sits up there permanently that the entire band has to squeeze up on.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I guess I'm not a good karaoke host then !!!!!!

Either that or "Austin" excludes the surrounding areas (Del Valle, Bastrop, Smithville).

Then again, I wouldn't say I have anything particularly unique, nor do the venues I play at.

Jonn
Austin, TX

Actually Oscar the karaoke Cat has a bar in spain and by the looks of the pics it rawks. He closes over winter and heads back to the UK but in season it is an amazing place...I want to go there simply to snog him in person instead of via facebook actually I have known him longer than facebook but we have recently caught up with each other again

Climaxx Karaoke in London...dunno that its particularly standout but Lee's got a great sense of humour and runs a good show, and yeah I have personally been there and sampled his hospitality.

So as you can see toocool, life doesnt revolve around the USA

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Hey I never noticed that our host is in Tacoma!

Karaoke's weird enough as it is, I just love finding folks who take things a step further. For us, that usually means specializing in unpopular/indie music. That's too bad about Java Jive, though i'll keep 'em up just cos their crowd is mostly indie kids, which is what we love but big thumbs down if all their discs are burnt. As far as the small stage, the weird shape of the building is the kind of thing I love most!

I am ALL for finding cool international karaoke! So far I've only had people tell me about ones in Germany & Spain that are listed above. There's some cool live band stuff out of Sweden & England but i'm not listing most liveband stuff. I'm sure there must be some crazy stuff in Japan. Anyone?

Isn't there some karaoke themed restaurant somewhere!? I swear I saw some insane karaoke palace online....

Actually the stage (entertainment) isn't actually in that part of the building, the built on to the back of it so they caould actually get more than 10 people in it. I think it caps at about 50 MAYBE 100 if they sardine people, still doesn't hold too many. Like I said, the ONLY thing unique about it is the shape of the main building.
The band nights draw various age crowds, karaoke not so much, lot of older crowds that sing the old music, nothing newer than maybe 2000 I am told by the host - she comes to my shows on her nights off. The discs aren't hers, she just works the bars system/music.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Ah well. Are you sure you can't humor me and tell me it's all cooler-than-you 16 year olds singing homemade verseions of Radiohead Yugoslavian b-sides?! Because obviously nothing beats that.

Whaaat????
I've always been told it did!

Thanks for the 'shoutout' Toocool! Yes, I try to bring a little something different to the karaoke show. I play electric guitar licks over some of the songs, I bring Kermit, I play rare karaoke tracks you can't find anywhere else, and other stuff like that. Life is too short for boring karaoke.

Toocool has a terrific show, a great venue and offers a unique twist to karaoke that I have not seen before. What I like most of all is he presents his show in a very professional way but never takes himself or karaoke too seriously, it's all about FUN! I know that his show will become even more successful! Adam, you ROCK!

Kevin

I have to 2nd this! I've heard many great things about Kevin's shows. Kevin was voted KJ of the year in the OC. I'm still waiting for him to come out to one of my shows, but I guess I should get out and check out his as well. What can I say, we are both busy guys!

Don't feel hurt mate, he didn't even mention Dallas

Where in the Austin area are ya? I swing through there a few times a year and am always looking for something fun.