/* Google analytics tracking code */ Milwaukee Karaoke: September 2011

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Your chance to sing on TV!

Kalani's Karaoke Entertainment will host the PBS Channel 14 fund raiser on Monday, September 26, 2011. Flyer is attached. Come out and sing with us and be on TV. Show will air several times in the month of October. It is a Halloween party so come dressed in costume!!!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

New karaoke venue for Sven's Karaoke

Here is a message from my buddy and protege, Sven:

Bay View Bowl
2416 S Kinnickinnic Ave
Wednesday, September 28 at 9:00pm - September 29 at 12:00am
 
Sven's Karaoke is back! This Wednesday starting at 9PM till whenever at Bayview Bowl! You can sing, you can bowl, you can drink, and you can also do all these things at the same time! This is the start of a weekly karaoke show so hope to see you guys there.

Whare to find an older crowd?

I posted a question a while ago: where can you find an older karaoke crowd. I have asked around, and done a little visiting. Here are my suggestions.

China Inn
10539 Forest Home
Hales Corners

China Inn serves up karaoke for an older crowd three nights a week. You can sing there Wednesday (starts at 7:00 PM), Friday (starts at 8:30 PM), and Saturday (8:00 PM). They have a wide collection of KJs, including Kalani, JC and Company, Doug Lee, and A & K Karaoke.

Review

Roma's Lounge
N8416 Cty Rd ES
East Troy

Roma's features "the legendary Kalani" every other Saturday night. He has been running karaoke for 23 years, so he has quite a following. (Dan Fritz of Lights Out Interactive Entertainment runs
karaoke on alternating Saturday's with a slightly more mixed crowd. Dan also runs karaoke there on Thursday night, and someone else runs karaoke at Roma's on Fridays.)

Review

Red Mill
1005 S Elm Grove Rd
Brookfield

Kalani (a familiar name by now?) runs karaoke at Red Mill on Tuesday nights. This is a nice restaurant setting, and what can I say? Kalani is legendary. Look for Kim Marie there when she is in town.

Red Mill will also be trying out Saturday night karaoke with Doug Lee hosting.The first night is October 8, 2011.

Review

Critic's Corner Pub
Country Inn
350 East 7 Hills Rd
Port Washington

If you are north of Milwaukee, Kiki and Rosario of Serenity Now karaoke run karaoke at this hotel lounge every other Thursday and every Friday.

Review

I welcome any comments (good or bad) and of course, any corrections.


Review of karaoke at Sandbar Sports Pub

Sandbar Sports Pub
W278 N2315 Prospect, Pewaukee, (262) 696-4486
7:00 PM
No KJ – just equipment – good system but no emcee’ing – bartendresses run it – song book is NOT useful for any Country singers – really archaic.  Won’t run “your” song off flash drive – not blamin’ them…obviously no guard against bootleg and condoms don’t work on flash drives..just reporting.  I wasted a long drive in last Sat for naught.

Kris

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Extra night of karaoke at the Red Mill

The Red Mill has decided to try out a second night of karaoke. They regularly run karaoke on Tuesday nights, but will have Doug Lee running karaoke this coming Saturday, Oct 8, from 8 until 11. I am sure if they get a good turn out, they will continue the Saturday night offering.
I have not seen Doug run karaoke, but I have met him. He has a nice smooth voice, and he reacquainted me with songs songs from my past. And the Red Mill is a great place anyway. I would expect an older crowd.

Incidentally, Doug is also one of three KJs running Friday night karaoke at China Inn. Look for him on Sept. 23 and Oct. 14, 8:30 - 12:30.

Have fun!  If you do visit, let me know what you thought.
John the Revelator

Monday, September 19, 2011

Review of karaoke at China Inn

I had heard good things about karaoke at China Inn. They run karaoke there Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights, with a selection of KJs that rotate around. I finally decided to visit there for the Friday night karaoke. Summary... a good place for the older crowd.

Let me say this first, if you are looking for a place to get sloppy drunk and sing Don't Stop Believin' with twelve other guys and sing Cee Lo Green with the naughty words, this is probably not the place. As much as I love hearing people laughing because that can't keep up with the lyrics of a rap song, there are times when a fellow needs to get away and hear some of the older stuff. BTW, when I say "older stuff", I don't mean Backstreet Boys.

Karaoke on that night was hosted by JC and Company. Excellent collection of music, Jim was a very affable host, teasing some of the regulars just a bit, but keeping everything friendly. Very easy going fellow and very clearly the crowd has known him for years. After chatting with him a bit, I felt the same.

The crowd was also a good-natured group of folks, and it was also clear that many of them had been karaoke buddies for a long time. Even with that, I was made to feel quite welcome. I sat next to a fellow that I started chatting with and had a grand old time.

The speakers were excellent, being Bose L1. The mics, on the other hand, left a little to be desired. The mics for the singers were Peavey wireless mics.

If I may pontificate on the plight of KJs for a moment... KJs are faced with a dilemma. They want the patrons to sound good, but, let's face it, the mics get a lot of abuse. And wireless mics are great, cuz people are free to wander around and don't trip on mic cords.

But wireless mics are tragically expensive. I ran shows with a wireless Audio Technica mic that cost me about $100. And it was a cheap wireless mic. Which means, it would distort for anyone with a powerful voice or with a lot of overtones in their voice. Ideally, I would have spent the $400 for a wireless Shure SM58. But... this is karaoke.

So... the Peavey mics distorted pretty bad when Big Johnny got up to sing. Big Johnnie is a big guy and has an even bigger voice.

But all in all... I had a great time. And that what counts.

John the Revelator

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Where to sing?

I get a question rather frequently from older singers... where is a good place for an older crowd to sing? Something with a lounge kinda feel, a bit upscale maybe. An older crowd that might do some of the old crooners, old standards, Johnny Cash, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis, Sinatra, Patsy Kline, maybe some Bobby Darin. Maybe some 70's rock?  Not any rap or hip-hip... no dance music with thumping bass.

Does anyone have any suggestions?  Where is a good place for an old fart to sing?!?!?  Post your reply, or email me!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Karaoke contest at Roma's

I just heard about this karaoke contest being run at Roma's in East Troy: