BAND-EOKE?!? Anybody ever tried this?

[funkingroovin]

I was going to post this in the worst gigs thread,but in hindsight,realized it actually went pretty well.

We had played 4 nights in a row(good week,got new toy) and our singer's voice starts cracking during first set break. Second set,third song,it goes.He's left with 'nary a whisper.The rest of us step up to cover,we each sing a few so the rest of the set went fine. Problem is,we still have 2+ sets to do.

We're about to panic and 'girls night out' table says"I wanna sing kareoke!We should go to ___'s! My GF says,"Hey,These guys'll probably let ya sing a couple,you're hot,you should ask!"

I could have killed her. Slowly.

We were setting up for ?next set?,the girls come up."Hey,we were just wonderiiing, if we could sing a soong,could we,I sing kareoke alll the tiiime etc... Did I mention Slowly...

I got a shrug from the guys and gave them our song list(no lyrics,just list). "Oh my gawd,you know_!Can we do_!"

Next thing we know,it's the end of the night,the crowd's lit, congratulating each other,telling us we rocked,etc..In the end,it came off as if we had planned it!

Yes,we were EXTREMELY fortunate that the mood of the people/place allowed it to happen,but it did,and left me wondering...Has anyone ever tried this on purpose?

[Double Agent]

There is an entire bar dedicated to this very concept in Orlando, in the tourist areas. It's called Rising Star Karaoke in Universal Citywalk.

http://www.universalorlando.com/Nigh...PageId=10292#5

It's a full band with backup singers and everything. A bunch of people I work with went down there after work on a Friday night, but I wasn't able to attend (had an ACTUAL gig ). I saw some video of the event, and the band was pretty professional and brought a LOT of energy. Looked like everyone had a great time. I've actually thought about doing something like this before I heard of this place, even if it was just for a set. We are entertainers, first and foremost, and there to give people a good time. Besides, it could be hilarious.

[MNAirHead]

I was played $200 to play Friends in Low Places with my 60s band for doing it... one song.. they supplied the PA.. I now love the concept.

[ric stave]

A local band (friends of mine) did a 'live karaoke' show, with books of songs put out and everything (no monitor though). The called the band "The Jukes" (kinda like 'jukebox').

Get a bunch of talented cover people who can learn and keep 200 some songs ready to go, and it's a hit. Another good concept is when doing this at a weekly place, have a suggestion box of some sort, and for the regulars who keep coming back, learn a new song or three each week. It's a money maker.

[fdeck]

http://beeftone.com/gomers.html

[funkingroovin]

I should add that the owner of the bar asked if we'd consider doing it again,this time planned and advertised,and the manager of another establishment gave us her card.

@ Double Agent--I agree,we are entertainers. And believe me,it was entertaining! EVERYBODY was a rock god that night!

@ ric stave-- a big +1 to showing up w/new stuff! That alone has kept us booked solid for the last 6 months(current band is 8months old,aaawww) Every week we get 2-4 new songs down,so its not always the same ol'.

[walterw]

it's called "rock-y-oke" or "rockeoke", and it's happening all over the country.

the same crowd that will politely ignore your flawless rendition of a great coldplay song or something will go apes**t when suzie from accounting gets up to sing "kissed a girl" off-time and off-key

my band ("spin city") is one of the very few in our area who can really pull it off, and it's a blast! we have a big book with lyrics to like 200 songs (most of which we can actually play ) and we set up a wedge monitor and "guest" mic or two (we're all on in-ears).

you need to be able to think on your feet as a band, whether by pulling a request out of your collective butts or by knowing when the guest singer has come in off-time and will never get back on and being able to "skip a groove" to line back up with them again.

it also helps to have an "MC" type out in the room to organize the sign-ups and announce people, and it's important to be able to gently "coach" folks who've never stood in front of a loud-ass drumkit and behind a loud-ass monitor with a mic in their hand before.

fortunately, our bass player has the "gift of gab" and is great at whipping up the crowd, cajoling folks to sign up, and then helping them with cues and lines during the song while making them feel comfortable on stage.

+1 to making it a recurring thing and taking suggestions for songs to add. it's a good way to get folks to come back next time.

sometimes it's amazing (we get the occasional "ringer" who nails a journey song or two, and there's this one guy who plays charlie daniels-style fiddle and just kills), often it's hideous, but if you can make it work it's actually a lot of fun.

[Mekanic]

local band (in fact my favorite local band) does this all the time. They're called "Mad Hatter"

If you want to sing a song, or even play one of the instruments for a song, go on up.

Saturday they had a guy who looked like an old wino get up to play guitar and sing one song. HE WAS AMAZING!

Its a lot of fin seeing curtis hand off his bass to someone and go have a beer haha

[plankspanker13]

Yep, I play such a gig every Friday, and it is expanding.

Check it out: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/...1312241&ref=ts

[funkingroovin]

Yes,I too,am the motor-mouth of the group ,and my gf is obviously willing to work the floor..I gotta admit..I think it would work well here,and I know we could pull it off.

I mentioned we are about 8months old or so,but this band was put together from the dissolution of 3 practiced bands,with all the "normal/expected" covers done. We know the music,but when we put this group together,we decided we wouldn't play the from the same list as every other cover band around.

I think it would be a good thing,once in a while,done properly, but I wouldn't want to do so regularly..I'm gonna bring it up tomorrow at practice..we'll see..

[plankspanker13]

You need a more sizeable repetoire. We have about 200 songs, and add 3 more every week. This is not for everybody; the train-wreck potential is magnified, and after enough of those, it grates on your soul. The money's good tho'.

[derrico1]

Every week for about two and a half years.

Some tips here: Karaoke set?

. . .and here: Live Kareoke???

[T-Bird]

Hi.

We did it back in the day and it was (would have been?) a success.

Unfortunately our singer didn't have a clue (even after quite a few reminders) that HE was the one who's supposed to help the singers (no prompters obviously), not just roll his eyes and wander aimlessly on the stage, killing the mood.

One of the biggest technical obstacles was transposing the songs to suit male/female range, in which we failed miserably . That, and our singers reluctance to have any part in it was the reason we decided to stop doing it. We still get requests for rock-a-oke, and since the primadonna ain't with us anymore, we do it if we can.

It can be done without a keyboard player (we did), but with a keyboards, the job becomes ten times easier IMHO. If the kbd player is good that is .

Regards
Sam

[Phalex]

There's a guy that does this around here. He was kind of a big deal about 40 years ago, but now he does a solo act mid week. He plays guitar and bass pedals, and knows every song ever written. If he doesn't know it, all you have to do is hum a few bars and he'll pick it up.


He's always a good time!

[caeman]

Originally Posted by plankspanker13

You need a more sizeable repetoire. We have about 200 songs, and add 3 more every week. This is not for everybody; the train-wreck potential is magnified, and after enough of those, it grates on your soul. The money's good tho'.

Money helps to assuage ripped souls, ya know.

[bigfatbass]

There is a great music room in Utica NY called The Electric Co. that does this every week to great success.

[Luke warm]

We practice in the back room of a pub (BTW great location, trouble is, the beer's too easily come by), and last week a girl wandered in from the karaoke session out the front. We went from having one bad singer in the room to having two, but it did get us thinking ...

With about 90 years' experience between us, I reckon we know a few songs.

[muziktyme]

Most people with ninety years of experience in music and songs are too old to remember the songs and music!~

lol

But hey, my granpa lived to be 102 and could play a banjo to rival Earl Scruggs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4sqishGuYw). He just could never remember where he left it.

Kinda like Buck Owens and Roy Clark back in the "Hee Haw" days.

Originally Posted by walterw

it's called "rock-y-oke" or "rockeoke"

I've always referred to it as:

"YuckyOkie from Muskogee"

Originally Posted by Phalex

knows every song ever written.

Sounds a lot like what my first wife thought.

Heck, she couldn't even say who wrote Linus and Lucy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN5tpSjOyOo)

Much less Bugs Bunny's The Barber Of Seville "El Barbero de Sevilla" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j97EJQ1z7nY) - Overture!

[funkingroovin]

Well, I brought it up at practice,and I think it's a go. We've decided to combine it with something we do called "Fan Appreciation Night",where we take what we would have been paid(or half),and buy kegs from the bar. Then,during set breaks,we mingle and hand out drink tickets.

"C'mon out and let the band buy you a round" will pack a house,let me tell ya!

We figure 3-4 "guest appearences" per set would be better for all than full sets of "Rocky-Oke"

What do you guys think?

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by funkingroovin

What do you guys think?

I think I want to see the video!

Sounds like it should be fun!