Korey Replogle gets the crowd dancing as he sing karaoke to the sounds of Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" at Calico Jack's Saloon.
Local karaoke hot spots
- Calico Jack’s, 8200 W. Charleston Blvd., 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 255-6771.
- Spanky’s Pub, 6720 W. Cheyenne Ave., 9:30 p.m.-3 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 645-5524.
For the uninitiated the symptoms are the same. Palms perspire, throats constrict and the stomach twists itself into more knots than a pretzel.
The prospect of bounding onstage and singing your heart out to a roomful of strangers can be terrifying. The karaoke bar does not offer the comforting anonymity of a home shower. Gazes shift from drinks to stage, conversations are halted and barflies comment amongst themselves on the quality of singing and performance.
But with an audience comes a measure of self-satisfaction and accomplishment not present when crooning into a bar of soap.
For karaoke singers at Spanky’s Pub, 6720 W. Cheyenne Ave., the chance at winning $100 on contest nights drives people to take the stage, bartender Tawna Rushing said.
The pub has been hosting karaoke on Wednesday nights for ten years and recently added Tuesdays to the schedule for ladies’ night. Rushing said the audience numbers have been steady over the years, mostly attracting regular patrons.
Marcel Mirassou A regular at Calico Jack’s, 8200 W. Charleston Blvd., grabbed the microphone July 17 to show off his talent.
“No matter how good or bad you are, people appreciate it when you’re willing to get up onstage,” Mirassou said.
While Mirassou said he sang as a young child under the tutelage of his opera singer mother, he had let his talent grow dormant. Playing in various bands, he preferred a spot behind the drums to a place at centerstage.
However, with a nudge from his now-late wife, he began singing in public again five years ago — karaoke providing the outlet. The experience has been cathartic.
“You let everyone know how you feel without (complaining) about it,” Mirassou said after singing an impassioned version of Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven.” “I’m not the best singer in the world, but I try to put soul on it, take all the hate out of it and put love in it.”
That love has impacted his life in other ways as well. He has curtailed his smoking and takes vocal lessons. He also takes turns singing lead in a local band.
“I work better, sleep better, feel better and play drums better,” Mirassou said. “It’s a chance to rehearse in front of people. It’s all about being true to yourself.”
But the crowd at Calico Jack’s was not filled with musicians like Mirassou. Some were not even regulars. Aaron and Kat Austin appear sporadically — namely when they can find a babysitter.
Aaron Austin has been performing karaoke for 15 years, spurning lighter songs for rarer, heavier karaoke fare such as AC/DC and Alice in Chains. Onstage he mimicked the sneering voice of the late AC/DC singer Bon Scott, singing a song brimming with humorous double entendres.
Kat Austin did not take herself seriously, either. She’s decidedly not self-conscious about her country singing .
“I don’t care,” she said. “I go up there and have fun. I’m not looking for a record deal.”
But whether patrons are lighthearted or emotionally invested in their singing, DJ “Squirrel” Schaefer said the lure of rock star fantasy remains the prime draw. “At a regular bar you just sit there drinking,” Schaefer said. “Here, the energy is up there.”
Dave Clark is a reporter for the Home News. He can be reached at 702-990-2677 or [email protected].
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