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At the end of June, I went to a birthday party for a friend at Fred’s in Tigerland. Yes, the culture corner guy was actually at Fred’s. One of the unexpected highlights of the party was karaoke. At first, I thought it was going to be pretty cheesy, but it turned out to be lots of fun and an interesting showcase for hams like me who will sing at the drop of a hat.

Karaoke, for those of you still living in the stone ages, is a form of entertainment in which singers and wannabe singers perform songs live for an audience with the background music and vocals played on a track and the words projected on a screen. Karaoke originated in Japan, and quickly spread all over the world. The rules are simple: pick out a song you like, get onstage when your name is called, grab the microphone and let loose. The more popular your song is, the more likely the audience will join in and help you out.

Baton Rouge has plenty of places where you can get your karaoke fix. Bars, clubs, daiquiri shops, you name it. Or you can bring the karaoke to you like my friend Jamie did for her birthday. There are plenty of karaoke deejays around who can provide music and karaoke entertainment for your party.

So you don’t think a karaoke venue has your kind of music? Think again. Whether your tastes lean to rock, blues, R and B, pop, show tunes, or standards, you’d be hard pressed to find absolutely nothing to perform. Let’s say you can’t sing? Well, that’s never stopped any of my non-singing friends. My advice to any non-singer is to just relax and remember that you are there to have fun. You don’t do karaoke hoping the nation will phone in their approval of your performance.

So the next time you feel like impressing someone with your vocal skills or just blowing off some steam with song, make time for a little karaoke. No matter how good or bad you sound, you’re guaranteed to have a good time.

Until next time...