Karaoke Forums

Ran into this about a year ago, and thought it was pretty cool. A cover band, on their night off of other gigs, does a "band karaoke" night. They've got maybe fifty songs, with lyric sheets printed out. You get up there, grab the sheet and a mic, the guitarist gives you a four-count and you perform as if you're actually in a band. The results are sometimes sketchy, but of course the same holds true for regular karaoke.

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See/hear the serial version of Michael's karaoke novel, "Outro," at outronovel.blogspot.com

We have a band up here that is strictly karaoke format. They are really good too!
www.rockaraoke.com
Most of the singers that get up with them are usually good to better than avg. Rare to hear any really bad singers.

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

That is pretty cool.
Rockaraoke looks to be a great concept.

A lot of "jam nights" also have open mics. But difficult for some regular karaoke singers used to a particular arrangement, etc. Plus a lot of bands not only don't do a proper arrangement, they don't even play the proper chords. This can sometimes really throw a singer off balance. This happened once when my wife got up to sing Crazy with a band that really didn't know the song too well.

I know, I see Crazy isn't too well liked around here cause it's over-done. (source, bad song thread). If the right singer does Crazy, it will get dancers up. My goal, when singing, is to do a danceable song. I agree, and hate songs like PBTDL (Meatloaf).

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My first and only experience with this years ago (only did it because the group I went with all did it and expected me to as well) was that it was a guy band and as usual they didn't know female songs - or enough of them that there was any sort of choice. I experienced the same thing in my own band - guys do guy's stuff, don't bother learning chick songs! It's probably different now - I believe based on my shows anyway that the majority of singers are female so they probably had no choice but to learn the chick stuff.

Most of these bands sequence - usually 3 members and one is controlling the sequencer. I guess for people who've never stood in front of loud stage gear with guitars fighting over who can get the loudest, and inadequately loud monitors, get a kick out of singing in front of a band.

One of the big casinos in our area used to have karaoke but now have whatever this is called with the live band. I don't think it's as popular as it was when it first came out...probably no novelty as it is every week. One of my singers went and was disappointed. To each their own.

I have a lot of Finnish heavy metal DVDs for karaoke and two of them are called "Bandoke" discs - you can actually lift the lead tracks, the bass tracks, and/or the drums - there is a sweep with the chord structure...And you can use these just for straight karaoke too. Kind of interesting. I guess it's HUGE in Helsinki. The musicians that did the Iron Maiden and Pantera DVDs did a very, very good job on the music. Singers love singing to them.

A couple of local bands that I am friends with have let me do songs with them and I find that the biggest problem I have is the tempo. Seems like live rock music ( to my experience ) is usually a half count too fast and it takes me the first verse to get in sync. I did hear a band the other night in Houston and it did seem like they were a little slower on the tempo on a song than usual but that is usually not the norm. Rudy.

I like the idea but the usual drawbacks - limited song list, unusual arrangrements and less they do exactly like the cd/radio cut. and you mostly limited to one genre of music ..I would imagine? Can't see a band doing everything from standards to country to rock pop and hip hop !--

It's funny - as much as I loved doing it, I have not returned - more of a one-time thrill. Just can't beat the arrangements in karaoke, and where else can I follow up Sinatra with Green Day?

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See/hear the serial version of Michael's karaoke novel, "Outro," at outronovel.blogspot.com

We also have a version in my hometown. I need to go over there on a Thursday so I can try it out. I do 7 or 8 of the songs on RockKaraoke's list, and guess i could find at least one or two on most of them that I could do.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

There was a band that did this for a while in my town (Athens GA). They had a list of about 150 songs, mostly in the heavy metal/hard rock catagory.

They had great shows and big audiences, but unfortunately it was hard to get a turn to sing....

In my opinion they were as good or better than many karaoke backing tracks musically, they ran overhead on a projector with they lyrics with a helper pointing the correct point on the lyrics. As for appearance they had so much lycra, leather and mullet wigs and chains that I could not reconize the band members, some of which I met later on.

Unlike KJ karaoke the band had their limits and only did about 2-3 hour shows.

Sadly one of the band members died and they are no more, but their shows were not to be missed.

Supposedly there is a live band karaoke in Atlanta that I have not seen that has good reputation. But to get a turn to sing often requires a tip of over $50 according to rumor.

I think a major problem with live band karaoke is that if they are good and have a wide selection they will attract too big a crowd, and that means getting a turn to sing will be difficult.

The Grand Daddy of them all is here in Portland-----KARAOKE FROM HELL. They've been doing it for almost 10 years now, have a song list of about 400 and are a 5 piece live backing band of TOP QUALITY musicians. They have performed in all kinds of venues and are always packed.

http://www.karaokefromhell.com/

You sing from lyric sheets and the bandleader gives you the "1, 2, 3, 4........

When I go I sing Cream's Sunshine of Your Love, The Kinks You Really Got Me and Van Morrison Brown Eyed Girl.

In fact I might just go tonight!!

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

Hey Swingcat, how's their choice of songs for female voices?

I DID go tonight. Went to thier Thurs night at the Tiger Bar in Downtown PDX. I sang Sunshine Of Your Love and Van Morrison's WILD NIGHT. Rocked the house of course. Nice compliments from the listeners.

Big bonus--ALL OREGON is now SMOKE FREE so no more nasty smokebars!!!!

Maybe can get the wifey to come out now!

But just go to the link I gave for them and look at their song list. Should be plenty there for u to sing. And if your rusty (like I was) they will help you with the 1 2 3 4 or if you get lost half way thorugh.

Thinkin I may drag the wifey out MONDAY at their DANTE's show downtown.

Tiger Bar is a real nice new interior bar. Very clean, nice stage.

Dantes is a much older and more shopworn but has LARGE STAGE and LARGE CROWDS(for me to rock!!!).

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT