Singing Fools

Sick of yet another gaijin bar? Want something new and different? Try something innovative to revitalize your idea of socializing. Steer away from the twenty-something eating and drinking aura. That’s right. Let Karaoke put a little song into your social life …

The idea of karaoke is a cloudy one. Or rather there’s a different definition for its Japanese and foreign clientele. If you’re Japanese, it’s a social class that exists from as young as junior high school. If you finish lessons for the day, you don’t go and hang out at the local mall or go to the park for some underage drinking. Karaoke brings you and your friends closer together. It’s a way of having fun yet improving your voice so much that you could actually give the next pop idol competition a good shot.

For the next generation, the teenagers and the twenty-somethings see nothing better than hiring a room for a couple of hours and belting out a few tunes. And why not? It’s the end of the day, you’re with your mates and you can let your hair down by mirroring your hero or heroine and being the pop star you’ve always dreamt about being. Failing that, it’s bound to be a great stress reliever. I mean where else can you shout as loud as you want and not worry about the neighbours knocking on the wall in disgust?

Turn to the foreign perspective and you have a much different Karaoke idea. I remember the days when karaoke consisted of a stage shoved in the corner of a bar with a TV and sound system that only saw the light of day once a week (or month depending what time of year it was). The old tunes which were sold to us as ‘golden classics’ and the shocking videos that consisted of cornfields, dodgy 70s perms and a lot of running are perhaps the first karaoke memories for many people. It would take hours before anyone I knew would get up on stage and it would certainly take a lot longer to get myself up there.

However, it’s a different story in Japan. Karaoke is a part of everyday life. You can kick and scream and refuse to take part for as long as you dare but one day you will cave in and you will have to go to experience it!

The big night out….
There are a few things that you need to know before taking the karaoke plunge. Here’s our step-by-step guide to a successful karaoke night.

The Before
The first thing you need to do is take a deep breath. Then you need to take another one. The next step is to tell your friends about the next karaoke night that you’re organising. Don’t ask them as the answer will always be ‘no’ (it’s surprising how many people need to wash their hair). This is a big step toward your newfound karaokeness.

Be warned that your enthusiasm will not be infectious at times but you will be able to pull something together. With promises of ‘there will be no Britney or Barry’ and a little perseverance, your karaoke night will succeed!

The Venue
The venue needs to take into consideration some important elements of a good night out. Think of a central location which will make it difficult for people to refuse your kind invitation. Also, timing is essential. After all, we don’t want our karaokees missing the last train home now! A meeting point beforehand is also a good idea so you can bring your friends to the desired singing house. A few drinks before the actual gig is not a bad idea for some Dutch courage so head to a local watering hole to warm up the vocal chords (and those drinking arms ...).

The Package
Karaoke is renowned for its numerous packages. You can choose to sing for 1, 2, or 5 hours (in some cases, a longer session is available!) and get your own room which
is suited to the size of your party. Smaller rooms are cosy for two to four people but bigger rooms are usually available for up to 15 singers or more! Most companies offer
a selection of different plans that are tailored to your singing needs and it can include nomihodai (all you can drink) too. Whatever your reason for ending up at karaoke, with
a package like this, you’re bound to have a good night regardless.

The Room
The karaoke booth is an amazing invention. It consists of a TV, two microphones, a very comfy sofa and two fat looking books sitting on the table. Open the books and you have songs, switch on the microphones and you have sound. The room is well padded so you can make as much noise as you want. The sound system can challenge any boom box in Umeda and it can probably handle the most ear-piercing version of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody!

The Friends
A Karaoke night is not complete without a roomful of willing friends. Whether it’s for the singing, company, drinking or the food, it is essential to include people you want to be with. The exception being the microphone hogger, bring friends who are a combination of shy, willing and party animals. If they are not enthusiastic about the whole karaoke deal, try bribing them with food and drinks. Karaoke places usually do a tasty chicken and chips …

The Songs
Enter any room and you will find an amazing directory of songs from artists all over the world. Granted the first three-quarters of the book is filled with Japanese artists and songs but we are in Japan. There’s also a selection of Korean songs available for the more adventurous amongst us but head towards the back to find an English A-Z of all your favourites to help bide your time in the booth. The selections tend to be quite up to date with any artist from Atomic Kitten to ZZ Top. Whether it’s pop, rock or some Frank Sinatra that you’re after, the choices are endless and ready to be belted out in true karaoke fashion.

The Ordering
Whether you’re a beer monster, vodka hound or closet coke
fan, you don’t even have to leave the booth once you have made an entrance. Each room comes fully equipped with a refreshments telephone, ready and willing to take your food and drink order at any time. After you’ve shouted your order down the line, wait a few minutes and you’ll see somebody appear at the door with your said desires. If only you had one of those at home!

The Singing
There are two types of singers in the karaoke world — the semi-professional and the very-much-so amateur. The semi-professional is usually your mate who can do a Celine Dion or Sting ballad with ease and grab everyone’s attention for the duration of the song. The amateur is someone who imagines they’re Kylie for a day and can actually do ‘The Locomotion’. Tragic but true.

The Microphone Hoggers
These people are the sharks of the singing world. They must be watched and approached with caution. The MH can be recognized by their swift action of scanning the book and knowing the karaoke codes of their favourite songs. There are ways to stop this.
1) Stop the hogging by insisting upon duets.
2) Sabotage any song the MH sings
3) Pick the songs first.
4) If all else fails, cry.

The After
Time’s up and you’ve got to leave. That’s after reception have rung you for the seventh time and you’ve spent an extra 30 minutes you just added on perfecting ‘American Pie’. It’s the end of the evening and you can’t believe that it’s over. You go downstairs and then you have the messy job of sorting the check. Step outside and the cold air wraps around you as you reflect on your first karaoke experience.

Karaoke is a unique experience for everyone who goes. There’s no doubt about it, every experience will be different to the next. The different songs, the mixture of people and the party mood that’s created all make karaoke a new and unusual social choice for foreigners. After you shed it’s daunting aura, let your hair down and unwind to the sound of the songs you sing. There’s only one thing better than Japanese karaoke and that’s being a karaoke foreigner.

Text: Naheen Madarbakus
Photos: Naheen Madarbakus & KS