Karaoke Forums

When faced with a new crowd I have a few songs that sound good in any venue that I open with, can sing without the monitor and drift out in front of the mains and check the system.

Two of my favorites are CB Rickey Van Shelton - After The Lights Go Out... SC Life Turned Her That Way.. At another gig where I am not known I might sing these first for initial impression. I can set the whole tone of the show with proper openers. What songs do you open with?

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I like to open with "stuck in the middle " by Stealers Wheel
Sometimes "Much Too Young - Garth Brooks or Horse With No Name - America

I find for me many sing along with those songs

I open with a few songs and drift around the room to be sure the singer lounge in front of the mains is nice and loud while you can talk in the other parts of the room.

I favor "My Life" by Billy Joel, "Follow me" - Uncle Cracker, "Holly Holy" - Neil Diamond and "Shoulda been a Cowboy" - Toby Keith but might pull more for variety.

During set-up I usually scan the room to see what type of guests we have first then go with the majority and try to relate to them First...

for an older mature crowd- i'll start with Runaround Sue or a Beatles or Elvis medley or song

for a slightly middle aged crowd- Only The Good Die Young, Hurt So Good, Sway, or
Folsom Prison Blues

for a younger crowd- Higher, Beautiful Girls, When I'm Gone, Animals, or Sweet Child
O' Mine, or the dreaded Don't Stop Believing or Santeria

for a mixed crowd here in hawaii- Is This Love, Heaven, September, Celebration,
Volcano, Margaritaville, 3 Little Birds, or Ladies Night

Good Topic Ollie!

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Lookin Out My Back Door
Toby Keith - How Do You Like Me Now
Dobie Gray - Drift Away
Alice in Chains - No Excuses

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Amy Wino - You Know that I'm No Good
N. Furtado - Say It Right
Duffy - Mercy
- These ones for great 'beat' and more listeners, or if it is an early show and people are still eating, etc.

P. Benatar - Heartbreaker
J. Jett - I Hate Myself for Loving You
Journey - Separate Ways
Led Zep - Black Dog
- These ones for rockin' crowd

Mummer's Dance
Jolene (Mindy Smith version)
- Requested by crowd most of the time (nobody ever sings these)

Last night it was "Keep Feeling Fascination" (Human League) but that was because one of the early arrivals wanted to sing the female part as a duo. I closed the night with "Hot In Herre" (Nelly) once again by request by some ladies who wanted to dance. And that was it for me last night.

If I get to choose myself it's usually an 80s era rocker... things like "You Got Another Thing Comin" (Judas Priest), "Working For The Weekend" (Loverboy) "We're Not Going To Take It" (Twisted Sister) or if I need to get really familiar "Dirty Deeds".

Okay, Bill, somehow, someway, I'm going to get down to your show ... Judas Priest ... Twisted Sister... Gotta love a man that'll sing that stuff.

If you two make a bike trip east of the mountains this summer let me know! It's pretty gray and miserable out here right now.

In bands I could never belt songs like that all night. The difference in karaoke is that I sing so little. Which is actually kind of nice. Less can sometimes be better.

I too watch the crowd a little bit and try to guess their music taste. Then I go ahead and choose one of these songs:

• Folsom Prison Blues
• The Look (Roxette)
• Hello Mary Lou
• Follow Me
• Beautiful Girls
• When Doves Cry
• Seven
• Purple Rain
• Waitin' On A Woman
• Elvis Medley (Teddy Bear/Don't be Cruel)
• What Goes Around
• Rapper's Delight
• I'm Still A Guy
• Margaritaville
• If You Could Only See

OMG I have dreamed of opening with seven.. I am not a Prince fan but that song will turn any crowd on.. I surprise people when I sing it and usually some one will want to join in. It is one of the best songs ever written..

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It varies for me. For the most part it is a lower vocal ranged modern rock song. LAtely it has been All Summer Long by Kid Rock.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

I try not to sing first, but if I do, I prefer to use Shalalalala by the Venga Boys - everybody enjoys it!

I like doing tunes that were openers for movies... or just very popular tunes that wer for movies. You get a lot of recognition for stuff like that.

High energy (especially rocking songs with pounding drums) really makes the audience sit up and look forward to the start of the show.

"Shakedown" by Bob Segar
"Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo
"It's My Life" by Bon Jovi
"Voices" by Russ Ballard
"Land of Confusion" by Genesis
"Real Wild Child" by Iggy Pop
"Disease" by Matchbox 20
"Magic Carpet Ride" by Steppenwolf

They don't have to be complicated songs... just memorable ones!