As I mentioned in my blog post ” Trip To Vancouver ” we made plans to meet up with some close friends that I used to work with, later in the evening, back in Vancouver. Everyone thought it would be fun to go to Karaoke, since many of us love to sing.
A lot of people hear the word ” Karaoke ” and automatically have visions of drunk people who can’t carry a tune in a paper bag stumbling up to the stage, slurring their words, and literally making you despise a song you may have once loved. O.k., sometimes this is fairly close to the truth, but it is really unfair to imply that this is always the case. I have been to many, many Karaoke nights at a lot of different clubs and pubs all over this country over the years, and there are a lot of people who can really sing. I’ve heard a lot of good singers, and quite a few great singers. More importantly, if people enjoy singing ( as in, it brings them real joy ) Karaoke is the perfect opportunity for them to get up and do something that makes them happy. You don’t have to pay musicians, or pay for a rehearsal space, and you get an audience, and experience, every time you do it. Most people that go are very down-to-earth, kind, supportive people who encourage pretty much everyone, whether they are experienced singers, or not.
This night was no exception. We met up with my friends at the pre-arranged time, spent some time chatting and ” catching up “, and got right to looking at the Karaoke Book. We started making our lists early on, as the guy running it mentioned it was a Long Weekend, and therefore, would be packed. He wanted to make sure everyone got a chance to sing, who wanted to.
Some of us ladies were asked to get up and do a group number with some gals from the next table, so we happily obliged. That was a good way to get over any nerves, and to get a feel for the crowd. It was a lot of fun, and the audience was very nice to us.
A couple of my friends had their turns at singing, and both did really well. These are both people I feel should be sharing their wonderful voices more often with others – they have real talent. ( and, lucky for them , neither of them is shy )
Once my name was called, I started my night with a song I feel very comfortable with – Jo Stafford’s version of ” You Belong To Me “, which just happens to be the version I recorded on my 1st CD . I always like to start with a song I know well, as that helps me relax a little. I was amazed when the noisy crowd settled down, and some couples came up to dance – it made me feel really good. I received a lot of positive response afterwards, ( thanks in part to my loyal friends/cheering section ) and it just reminded me how much I really do love to sing. As hard as it may be to go up there, once you are singing, it just feels amazing.
My friends got up and sang some more, and wowed the crowd, and we all just enjoyed hanging out together again, after several months apart. It was so good to see everyone. There were some really entertaining vocalists in the crowd, and the pub was full of energy. By the time I sang my last song, it was way past my bedtime, and one of my friends gave me his “spot”, telling the guy in charge that I was from “out of town “, so I was allowed to take his place. ( that was very sweet !!! ) I sang a Madonna Ballad from the 80’s, which is another song I know quite well, and another genre I adore. Again, the crowd was very kind to me, and for that, I am very grateful.
It was a great night – we got to spend a lot of time with our close friends, we supported each other when we sang, we met some really nice people, and we were reminded that Karaoke can be a lot more fun than most people think. I enjoyed being there with so many good friends – thankyou all for making our time in town so special ! It was so good to see you – I love you and miss you all, but as I’m well-known for saying: ” Time and distance can’t change a real friendship “, and I absolutely know we will not lose touch. You guys are the best !
