It Was My Birthday And I Sang... Cause I Wanted To

Last Friday was a momentous day for me, my dear readers! If you didn't already know, last Fri was my birthday, and I decided to do something exceptionally rare for me. I threw a birthday party! Now, I know what you're thinking: Me? Party? But, I swear to you, it 's true! A friend of mine (let's call her Ms. Party Planner) was able to find a venue that was close by, available on my birthday, AND free! It's called "El Taller" (pronounced tah-yer) and it's a chill place where you can get some good food, some drinks and be creative. It's a really great place and will most likely become my chill spot in Lawrence.

My Weekend

I love music. I could not imagine a world where there was no music. There is no other medium that engages the emotions and touches the soul quite like music. It can be entertaining, educational, moving and cathartic. This past weekend, I went to karaoke. A friend of mine does some Karaoke DJing on the side and I wanted to support him so I went and brought some friends with me. I love singing karaoke, and I wanted to have a good time because I was feeling a bit more down than normal for the holidays due to a recent dating misadventure (I'll tell you all about it in a future post.).

A Night Out...

This past Saturday I went to one of my old haunts. This great little bar in Haverhill, MA called "Kelley's Pub". Now, I know what you're thinking, dear readers. You're thinking "But you don't drink, why would you be at a bar?" Well, the truth is I was in the mood to do some karaoke and Kelley's was where I started. So, I decided to go back. I hadn't been there in years and it seemed like a good idea to go back and check it out. Interestingly enough, the place really hasn't changed much. They improved the lighting, and added some more doors to improve ventilation, but otherwise it's the same place. Now, as surprising as my decision was to venture out, that wasn't the biggest surprise of the evening for me.

Big surprise #1: When I arrived, there was a birthday party! A girl was celebrating her 30th birthday... at a bar. It's an interesting choice, and one I might actually consider for myself someday. (When I can afford to throw MYSELF a birthday party!) It's a cool idea, and if I do it on the bar's karaoke night, I might even get "free" karaoke at my birthday!

Big surprise #2: The karaoke at Kelley's is still being run by the same lady, a hottie named Danielle. What makest this an even bigger surprise is that she remembered me on sight. And this was after my not showing up to one of her karaoke nights in about 2 years! She actually remembered my name! And not like it took her awhile to remember, I mean right away. She saw me and greeted me right away. And then immediately asked if I was going to sing that night. Apparently, my singing made some sort of impression. I wonder why, I mean it's not like I'm a good singer or anything.

Big surprise #3: It took me while to find a song. Not that I didn't want to sing or anything, but people kept picking the songs I wanted to do before I could put them in. So, I picked one of my "standards", Micheal Jackson's Billie Jean. Now, normally when I pick a song, there really isn't any reaction. People just go about their business. But, this time was different. The "dance floor" was emptying out as my name was called to go sing. I went up to the mic, and as soon as the music started playing, the crowd actually CHEERED and people came back to dance! One girl (and yes, she was very cute!) even told me that my choice of song was "the best song of the night"! She then proceeded to started vaguely threaten me that "I'd better kill this song or else". I didn't really need the additional performance pressure, but it was understandable considering that there were only 3 people in the bar who knew I could do a somewhat passable job at singing. It also added to her attractiveness which I think is a little weird, but par for the course for me.

I hung out till the bar closed at 1, heard KaraokeGirl Danielle sing incredible versions of Rihanna's "S&M" and Adelle's "Rolling In The Deep". I listened to some good music, sang a song, checked out a bunch of hot women who were dressed to kill. In the end, I have to admit, I had fun. It was a good time. And I find myself looking forward to going back.

Karaoke: A new found love...

Honestly, I've been singing karaoke for just about a year. For the past 6-7 months, my karaoke appearances have been more & more sporadic. It started in Haverhill, MA around end of April beginning of May 2009. I was hanging out at this bar, Kelly's Pub Bradford Square, with some friends on a Tuesday night. Didn't realize it was Karaoke night. Needless to say, I chickened out. However, I did promise to return the next week, and perform.

While the person I made that promise to never actually showed, *I* held up my part of the bargain, and made my public karaoke debut with Weird Al Yankovic's "One More Minute". To my HUGE surprise, the crowd loved it!! (Which only goes to show that I could be the best singer in the world... Now, if only I could figure out how to get the world drunk!) What was even more surprising is the fact that I had fun too! Which, of course, meant that I had to return! And I did! I even got a small fan base! (Like 4 people..) Men wanted to be me! Women LOVED ME!! I even got to sing Godsmack's Voodoo and dance with an old friend who even though I hadn't seen her in awhile was still SMOKIN' HOT! That was the highlight of the week for me.

Dude, Voodoo is a hard song to sing and I made it through the song AND danced with a hot girl at the same time!!!

Life moved on, and I had to stop showing up at Kelly's. A couple of months later, I make it back there, and found out that karaoke night was still going strong. Still run by ACG Productions, and I was still remembered. That last bit I found out when I was forcibly pushed onstage to sing by one of the staff of the bar. I was so surprised, I didn't even think to "negotiate" a free beer out of it....

After that, my karaoke days were over. Until this past Sunday, when I got to hang with my old peeps from Best Buy 419!!! Hung with my peeps, met new peeps, got my groove on and got back on the karaoke bandwagon thanks to Young MC's "Bust A Move"!

Some might say it's cheesy, but I like it. I've been trying to find new regular spot for karaoke here in Manch, but without wheels it's almost impossible.


Bust A Move
Young MC

This here's a jam for all the fellas
Tryin to do what those ladies tell us
Get shot down cause ya over-zealous
Play hard to get females get jealous
Okay smarty go to a party
Girls are scantily clad and showin body
A chich walks by you wish you could sex her
But you're standing on the wall like you was Poindexter
Next days function high class luncheon
Food they're serving, you're stone-cold munchin
Music comes on people start to dance
But then you ate so much you nearly split your pants
A girl starts walking guys start gawking
Sits down next to you and starts talking
Says she wants to dance cause she likes to groove
So come on fatso and just bust a move

You're on a mission and your wishin
Someone could cure your lonely condition
Lookin for love in all the wrongplaces
No fine girls just ugly faces
Some frustration first inclination
Is to become a monk and leave the situation
But every dark tunnel has a light of hope
So don't hang yourself, with a celibate rope
Your movie's showin, so you're goin
Could care less about the five you're blowin
Theater gets dark just to start the show
Then ya spot a fine woman sittin in your row
She's dressed in yellow, she says "Hello,
come sit next to me you fine fellow."
You run over there without a second to lose
And what comes next hey bust a move

In this city ladies look pretty
Guys tell jokes so they can seem witty
Tell a funny joke just to get some play
Then you try to make a move and she says, "No way"
Girls are fakin goodness sakin
They want the man who brings home the bacon
Got no money and you got no car
Then you got no women and there you are
Some girls are sadistic, materialistic
Lookin for a man makes them opportunistic
They're lyin on a beach perpetrating a tan
So a brother with the money can be their man
So on the beach you're strollin real high rollin
Everything you have is yours and not stolen
A girl runs up with somethin to prove
So don't just stand there bust a move

Your best friend Harry has a brother Larry
In five days from now he's gonna marry
He's hopin you can make it there if you can
Cause in the ceremony you'll be the best man
You say neat-o, check your libido
And roll to the church in your new tuxedo
The bride walks down just to start the wedding
And there's one more girl you won't be getting
So you start thinkin then you start blinking
The bridesmaid looks and thinks that you're winking
She thinks your kinda cute so she winks back
And now your feelin really firm cause the girl is stacked
Reception's jumpin faces pumpin
You look at the girl and your heart starts thumpin
Says she wants to dance to a different groove
Now you know what to do just bust a move