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f there was one item on the list I thought I would chicken out on, it was this one. Seriously, if I ranked them from those I was most dreading to those I was most excited about this would be #1 dread and #30 most excited, but just like that I’m done with it. I will say Jukebox Heroes bill it as come be a rockstar and that’s what it feels like when you’re up there!
I’ve been to Live Band Karaoke a few times with my friend Dominic, but I’d never got up the guts to actually get on stage and sing, so when I made my list I knew I had to add this one. I’m a decent singer but rarely sing in public or within hearing range of anyone else. I tried out for a few musicals and music groups in undergrad and always made call backs but didn’t have the confidence to get the role, but either way. I added this to my list because I knew it would pull me out of my comfort zone!
Sometime last year I thought I was home alone and was belting out Swedish House Mafia’s Don’t You Worry Child while vacuuming and turned around to see my roommate. Needless to say I turned bright red and he just responded with “I didn’t know you could sing. It makes me happy your comfortable enough to sing with me here.” And I was like “uh…yeah.”
It was a spur of the moment decision. I’m working late hours these few weeks and I was like now or never. So as soon as I finished at work around 9PM and hopped the T to the bar I knew I was going to and immediately took a shot of tequila and ordered a beer. Before I finished that first beer I’d selected a song, The Killers Mr. Brightside (not the best choice for me) and waited. Thankfully I had enough time to finish my beer and order a second. Then they called my name.
I walked up and immediately thought “Oh shit, this just got real.” They handed me the lyrics and in we went. It wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I thought it would be, but it was still terrifying! I was most afraid they would play me off stage (they do that to the really bad/really drunk singers), but they didn’t! Add in that people came up and started to dance by the end of the song and I’m calling it a success!
If there was one thing I “knew” but didn’t really understand was how little you could actually hear yourself when you’re on a stage with a band around you. I could barely hear myself so have no idea if I was “in tune” or even mostly on beat, but I only missed one lead in at the end of the song and was like meh I’m done and it can be crossed off my list.
Having done it once on my own (yay for no videos existing of it!), I’m confident enough that if friends and I went again I would be able to do it with them there, I just need to find a better (lower register?) song!
Good for you! It’s great to do things that are out of your comfort zone sometimes. I don’t know if I’d have the guts to do that.
Haahaa like I said it definitely took that shot of tequila to get me up there and NOT having any one there I knew.
Karaoke is something I always avoid. Even being near someone else doing it makes me anxious. Congratulations!
I know what you mean. When I was in undergrad I didn’t mind at all but now mike whoa.
Awesome! Good for you!!!!! You are making great progress with your list! I’ve never been to live band karaoke before…I feel like that would be really fun!
It really is a lot of fun! And I am, I’ll be under ten within the next few weeks.
Good for you for stepping out of your comfort zone and owning the karaoke!! That sounds like it was a lot of fun, too 🙂
It really was a lot of fun.