Karaoke seems to be the buzz word among youngsters these days, with bathroom singers and amateur vocalists taking to the stage to sing to their heart's content.
On various days of the week, venues like Opus, Pebble, Xtreme Sports Bar,
Firangi Paani and Love Shack don the host hat for karaoke nights, with Opus even conducting an annual karaoke competition to crown the City's best singer.
But the best part about these weekly nights is the lack of competition.
For most crooners, it's just about letting your hair down and having a good time!
"My friend forced me to try it out in January and I'm extremely grateful to her for that. Karaoke is a great way for people of all ages to come and unwind. I see the office crowd, students and even a 60-year-old uncle every
Friday — and everyone exchanges friendly smiles. It's actually like a community built around the regulars," says Andrea Aruna, who is a frequenter at Xtreme Sports Bar, which has free entry.
She also confesses that she's had her bad days, where she ought to have felt
embarrassed, but doesn't really care about the audience's reactions.
"Nobody jeers if you're bad — but they will cheer if you're even slightly good. But if you're going to be a professional singer and go up, it takes the fun out of it!" she adds.
Nowadays, there seems to be an entire culture developing around karaoke, with the cultivation of 'regulars' and the fact that the World Karaoke Championship is held in Bangalore to scout for new talent.
Twenty three-year-old Arjun Bolangdy agrees to the existence of this trend.
"There's certainly a culture building around it. The fact that you can go up and sing is quite exciting. Moreover, you can't make a fool of yourself. So, most people think about what song they're going to sing quite a while before they actually go for karaoke night," shares the young karaoke-goer.
"It's quite important to choose the song that's easiest to sing, and one that everyone knows and likes."
Another thing everyone seems to agree on is that a little alcohol in the system can go a long way in making the experience more enjoyable.
"Everyone gets a little bit more liquid courage after a shot of booze. Earlier, there used to be just a couple of places with karaoke, but now everyone is getting in on the action. Nightspots have realised that people rarely go to karaoke by themselves and so, it's a
good way to get large groups to visit and spend money on food and drink," explains Madhu Menon, a chef and restaurant consultant, who knows the tricks of the trade.
When asked about his personal experience with karaoke, he smiles and says,
"I enjoy going to karaoke every week because I love singing and it's a great way
for me to de-stress. The essence of karaoke is that you don't have to be a professional singer to get up there and belt songs. It's not a contest and you can just have fun!"
If you're bored at a family dinner or want a change from the usual pub-hopping session, this is definitely something you should give a try!
On various days of the week, venues like Opus, Pebble, Xtreme Sports Bar,
Firangi Paani and Love Shack don the host hat for karaoke nights, with Opus even conducting an annual karaoke competition to crown the City's best singer.
But the best part about these weekly nights is the lack of competition.
For most crooners, it's just about letting your hair down and having a good time!
"My friend forced me to try it out in January and I'm extremely grateful to her for that. Karaoke is a great way for people of all ages to come and unwind. I see the office crowd, students and even a 60-year-old uncle every
Friday — and everyone exchanges friendly smiles. It's actually like a community built around the regulars," says Andrea Aruna, who is a frequenter at Xtreme Sports Bar, which has free entry.
She also confesses that she's had her bad days, where she ought to have felt
embarrassed, but doesn't really care about the audience's reactions.
"Nobody jeers if you're bad — but they will cheer if you're even slightly good. But if you're going to be a professional singer and go up, it takes the fun out of it!" she adds.
Nowadays, there seems to be an entire culture developing around karaoke, with the cultivation of 'regulars' and the fact that the World Karaoke Championship is held in Bangalore to scout for new talent.
Twenty three-year-old Arjun Bolangdy agrees to the existence of this trend.
"There's certainly a culture building around it. The fact that you can go up and sing is quite exciting. Moreover, you can't make a fool of yourself. So, most people think about what song they're going to sing quite a while before they actually go for karaoke night," shares the young karaoke-goer.
"It's quite important to choose the song that's easiest to sing, and one that everyone knows and likes."
Another thing everyone seems to agree on is that a little alcohol in the system can go a long way in making the experience more enjoyable.
"Everyone gets a little bit more liquid courage after a shot of booze. Earlier, there used to be just a couple of places with karaoke, but now everyone is getting in on the action. Nightspots have realised that people rarely go to karaoke by themselves and so, it's a
good way to get large groups to visit and spend money on food and drink," explains Madhu Menon, a chef and restaurant consultant, who knows the tricks of the trade.
When asked about his personal experience with karaoke, he smiles and says,
"I enjoy going to karaoke every week because I love singing and it's a great way
for me to de-stress. The essence of karaoke is that you don't have to be a professional singer to get up there and belt songs. It's not a contest and you can just have fun!"
If you're bored at a family dinner or want a change from the usual pub-hopping session, this is definitely something you should give a try!