The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Another Perspective

By Margaret Williams

I. The Good - North County Showcases

I'm not always available to catch the great Showcases being presented each Tuesday night at the Comstock (hosted by Nicole), or the Escondido Country Club (hosted by Alyssa and Mike), but I did hear a fine singer a few weeks ago at the North Bar in Escondido. A rather shy appearing John DeFino did a great selection of tunes like "At Last," "Dream Walkin’," and a most sincere rendition of "Good Morning, Beautiful," followed by "We're Gonna Make Steam," and "Trouble." The line dancers appropriately picked up on "Mendocino County Line," when Fredie joined him! Good job, John, and we hope to hear more from you again.

At the Comstock a few weeks ago Carolyn Thomas did a super Showcase with some of the songs she sings with the Big Daddy Orchestra around San Diego. Selections included "People," "Fever," "Havana," "Hey, Big Spender" (for Ray McCarley), "I Hate You Then I Love You" (a duet with David), and "Big Time," which is always a hit. Her versatile style commands the audience's attention. Don't miss her next performance on Nov. 8 at the Catamaran with the BDO.

The Showcases being presented at these locations, as well as Pete Pattynama's at Quails on Monday evenings in San Marcos, are well worth hearing. The presenters may be neophytes or seasoned performers, but you may be sure that the time they have taken to prepare is a real contribution to a great evening's entertainment - all for the love of singing at a lounge where Karaoke is a featured attraction!

If you'd like a little break from singing but want to enjoy an evening of listening and dancing, there's a lounge nestled in the corner of the Rancho Bernardo Von's Plaza called Carver's. I dropped in to catch the Jackson Three, a great combo featuring Jackson Patrick as lead guitar and vocalist. He uses super sound while the dancers fill the floor.

The lounge in the Welk Resort in Escondido is going strong. Rocky Baldino hosts a great group of singers for the enjoyment of resort visitors Thursday -Sunday at 8 p.m. A seasoned Karaoke singer and innovative interpreter of show tunes is Wayne O. (Don't miss his rendition of "Gitarzan" with his Jungle Band backup.) Wayne and his co-conspirator, Mike R., have a repertoire that has the audience requesting more of these fun songs. Often joined by versatile vocalist, Maryann S. (with her collection of operatic Karaoke), and Mike (with the hat) A., they form quite a team.

II. The Bad - "The Pathology of Karaoke"

Yes, we’ve all been there, and they are bad... but somehow Wayne O.’s clever presentation of the following maladies makes them a bit more bearable! Thanks, Wayne...

Screen Shock: When the lyrics aren't what you had always been singing with the radio. A form of "Mondegreens." (Sometimes due to screen lyrics being interpreted by staff for whom English is a second language.)

Refrain Dropout: The realization when the intro starts on a previously unrehearsed song that you know only how the chorus goes.

Key Failure: No matter what key you try during the first two lines of the song, nothing works!  (Maybe the KJ forgot to punch in your key change.)

Beat Defeat: The chord changes and backup vocals seem to be occurring on different beats than your vocals.

Bubble Interference: A bubble is trying to work its way up your esophagus while you're in the middle of a long line of music.  Who'll win?

Syncopation Attack: You have a fraction of a second to recall how the syllables displayed on the screen fit into the cadence of the song.  (This is especially tricky for songs in Italian, where there are way too many syllables anyway.)

Monitor Addiction: The increasing dependency that, after singing hundreds of Karaoke song, you find yourself reading even the "ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo" passages from the screen.

Mic Dependency: Usually exhibited by KJs, when they speak to a person standing next to them through the amplifier.

Ambient Blanketing: Even though you have the microphone and an amplifier, you can't be heard over the chatty table in the middle of the room.

III. The Ugly - The "Karaoke Virus"

A computer worm known as W32.Klez.H@mm has been making its way through the email systems of the local karaoke community. Worms are malicious programs designed to spread themselves automatically and damage software on your computer, and virtually hundreds of strains exist. But since many singers know and email each other regularly, you need to be on guard for this current threat.

Basically, here is what you need to know about the particular strain: