The Karaoke Effect

On Saturday, Halaliano's played venue to a twice(ish) annual(ish) Karaoke session some people I know organise. The event itself was okay but it wasn't as good as it has been before: paradoxically there weren't enough people yet far too much personality and the set up was all wrong - the speakers were way too loud and positioned so that people had to scream rather than sing. Oh and yes, and I sucked that evening too which didn't help my mood. But as a night out it was as good and as well organised as any other, so I won't complain too much.

Details of the evening aside, Saturday was also a brilliant example of just how personality altering Karaoke can be. I don't think I'd be exaggerating too much if I said some appeared to have become quite drunk on this, their rare opportunity to serenade an audience.

So, we had the usuals: the people who swore that they couldn't (wouldn't?) sing, but ended up hogging the microphones anyway, and we had the otherwise quiet and serious (and, dare I say it, repressed) ones being amongst those who threw their inhibitions the furthest away.

Then we got the slightly delusional bunch; those who were oblivious to exactly how out of tune and time they were. And yes, I usually fall in that last category myself (although even I cringed at some of my missed notes and breaking, so at least I'm not in denial of my lack of ability).

On a more serious note, some people went on to display some not-so-fun qualities. We had quite a bit of control freakery and a lack of fair play, although I would probably put that down to the group not knowing each other as well as they may have done previously.

So yeh, I reckon that Karaoke remains one of the most effective ways to see a different side to a demographic who, largely, do not drink or party "hard". However as interesting as it is to watch, I'm starting to think that Karaoke is much more fun in smaller, more intimate and more familiar groups.

It was obvious to see which guests had done this before, and I'm not so sure I like meeting new people under these circumstances. Although it makes a good enough excuse for people to come together, there's something slightly uncomfortable and not-so-fun about seeing some of us unwittingly let loose our inhibitions.