I'm out there in the clubs and on the streets and I'm livin' it! I am Rock 'N' Roll!
For the past six weeks, they've been running a karaoke contest here in town. It started with five weeks of qualifying--max of ten entrance each night, top two qualify for the seminals, two nights a week. I made it in on Night 2, knockin' 'em dead with a stirring rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way." Even stood up on a table at the end, and the crowd ate that shit up. (I got close, but no cigar, on Night 1, with "Eye of the Tiger.")
Wed. night, they had the semi-finals. 20 entrants in all, with the top ten making it to the finals. I had to leave about halfway through because of work, so they let me go early. I did "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell. I got the confirmation by text message from my friend Heck the DJ--yes, I was into the finals. Woot.
So, tonight. The Finals. Dun dun dun! The rules were: each person did two songs, and whoever had the top combined score would win. You weren't allowed to do any songs you qualified with (so, Sinatra and Soft Cell were out, for me.) I went downtown all pimped out, with suit, tie, and awesome hat. I was ready. Let's do this!
First song was "Ain't That A Kick In The Head" by Dean Martin. Gotta get some Rat Pack in, after all. Had some fun with it, did a pretty good job. Scored well. Not as well as the guy who did Prince's "Kiss," though. We're pretty sure he could tank it on song 2 and still win.
Round 2 began. I got called up, and did my second song, which I think also went well with my fancy threads: Ozzy Osbourne, "Crazy Train." Unleashed my mighty rock hair, did the headbanging, turned that shit OUT (whatever that means. Then came the big guitar solo. I figure, I need to do something awesome! Let's do some air guitar up on the table!
Here is the problem. When I did that the first time, it was on a table that had four posts holding it up and stabilizing it, all connected to a flat base. This one? One post, with four legs. So yeah, I step up on the chair, put my foot on the table, start jamming out...and within five seconds, wobble wobble...boom. Chair and singer (thankfully, not table) all topple to the ground. Got a scrape on my elbow, and a bruise on my thigh (from either landing on my phone or a chair leg.)
I got back up on stage and finished that shit. ROCK AND ROLL!!!
In the end, I think it actually helped my score. Because doing air guitar on a table is awesome...but falling off the table while doing air guitar is legendary. Hell, I even got a free T-shirt for sheer awesome-ocity.
While I recovered, more people came up and sang, and then came the judging. The winner would get $250, 2nd place got $100.
I finished third.
By one point.
Gah.
Can't complain too much, though. I mean, finishing 3rd out of this group, higher than people who were actual chorus majors and shit...not bad. Not bad at all.
Wed. night, they had the semi-finals. 20 entrants in all, with the top ten making it to the finals. I had to leave about halfway through because of work, so they let me go early. I did "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell. I got the confirmation by text message from my friend Heck the DJ--yes, I was into the finals. Woot.
So, tonight. The Finals. Dun dun dun! The rules were: each person did two songs, and whoever had the top combined score would win. You weren't allowed to do any songs you qualified with (so, Sinatra and Soft Cell were out, for me.) I went downtown all pimped out, with suit, tie, and awesome hat. I was ready. Let's do this!
First song was "Ain't That A Kick In The Head" by Dean Martin. Gotta get some Rat Pack in, after all. Had some fun with it, did a pretty good job. Scored well. Not as well as the guy who did Prince's "Kiss," though. We're pretty sure he could tank it on song 2 and still win.
Round 2 began. I got called up, and did my second song, which I think also went well with my fancy threads: Ozzy Osbourne, "Crazy Train." Unleashed my mighty rock hair, did the headbanging, turned that shit OUT (whatever that means. Then came the big guitar solo. I figure, I need to do something awesome! Let's do some air guitar up on the table!
Here is the problem. When I did that the first time, it was on a table that had four posts holding it up and stabilizing it, all connected to a flat base. This one? One post, with four legs. So yeah, I step up on the chair, put my foot on the table, start jamming out...and within five seconds, wobble wobble...boom. Chair and singer (thankfully, not table) all topple to the ground. Got a scrape on my elbow, and a bruise on my thigh (from either landing on my phone or a chair leg.)
I got back up on stage and finished that shit. ROCK AND ROLL!!!
In the end, I think it actually helped my score. Because doing air guitar on a table is awesome...but falling off the table while doing air guitar is legendary. Hell, I even got a free T-shirt for sheer awesome-ocity.
While I recovered, more people came up and sang, and then came the judging. The winner would get $250, 2nd place got $100.
I finished third.
By one point.
Gah.
Can't complain too much, though. I mean, finishing 3rd out of this group, higher than people who were actual chorus majors and shit...not bad. Not bad at all.