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Weekly Guitar Hero and Rock Band nights are popping up at bars all over the city, but there are still plenty of karaoke nights to let you prove to a roomful of drunken yahoos that you’ve got the pipes of Mariah Carey, the heart of Freddie Mercury or the flow of Maestro Fresh Wes.
Just south of Eglinton, at Kramer’s Bar and Grill (1915 Yonge, 647-724-3425), the karaoke stage opens up every Friday and Saturday to welcome all you untelevised Canadian Idol hopefuls. For the undiscovered starving artist, Mayday Malone’s (1078 Bathurst, 416-531-8064) lets the spirit (if not the actual talent) of rock and roll take centre stage every Thursday. The Bovine Sex Club (542 Queen West, 416-504-4239) holds live karaoke with the Raclones late on Wednesdays as part of their totally racy Rock ‘N Roll Pornography nights. Of course, there’s the Gladstone’s Melody Bar (1214 Queen West, 416-531-4635), where little dreams come Thursday through Saturday. The prize money helps validate someone’s silent notion that “Hey, I could be a star, too!”
Taking the Japanese entertainment form one step beyond, Hip Hop Karaoke at the Boat (158 Augusta, 416-593-9218) has been steadily growing. It will celebrate its first anniversary Thursday, April 10, at – note the venue change – Revival (738 College, 416-535-7888). Expect a lineup, so go early if you want to see Masta Ace host the engaging event (and possibly perform some Black Moon classics).
And starting Tuesday, April 22, Tattoo Rock Parlour (567 Queen West, 416-703-5488) begins its weekly Live Band Karaoke, in case singing along to a bouncing ball and a fuzzed-out recording isn’t good enough for you.
