For all you Karaoke fans.....

This appeared in the DNA Bangalore edition on May 16th 2014.   Come, sing along

Clear your vocal chords and head out for a night of karaoke where it doesn’t matter whether you can sing or not

Shilpa Bansal and Riya Patel @dnaofblr

Bangalore: Would you believe it if we told you that a large population of Bangalore’s music lovers plan their week according to where the next karaoke evening is at? It is, in fact, one of the most popular musical events in the city and has been so for quite a few years now. With time, the venues have only increased, giving amateur and professional singers the chance to have an evening of fun where music is key and no one is judging. Martin D’Souza, DJ and a popular karaoke host, says, “Karaoke has made professional singers out of people and while the city has quite a few of those, what’s encouraging is the increasing number of new participants each time. I’d say the ratio between old and new singers is almost equal,” adding, “In fact, there are quite a few competitions that are held in the city, and these have helped people find a platform to sing. Karaoke definitely motivates an aspiring singer.” Why does he do it, we ask? “I really enjoy it. I started off as a karaoke singer myself, so I know how it feels when one is trying it out for the first time. Now, as a host, the whole vibe and atmosphere just makes me extremely happy,” he says. Apart from the playlist, the success of such an evening also depends on who’s conducting it. According to D’Souza, some of the best hosts in the city are, “Carlton Braganza, Sabrina Price, Sheridan Brass and Kamal”. Incidentally, all these hosts have their own fan following as well. One cannot think karaoke without the mention of Opus, a mecca for most of Bangalore’s music enthusiasts. Carlton Braganza, who, with KroakNights, changed the way people looked at karaoke, says, “When we started, we thought we will take it slow and make it just a fun event. But over the years, it has become popular because of its credibility. We had people who wanted to sing, and wanted an audience to hear them, coming in and the whole thing adapted itself into a rock show format than just a karaoke room. And one of the main reasons why it is so popular is because it’s a great social do that allows you to have fun with friends and relive your rockstar dream. Everybody wants to be heard and wants to bring out the singer in them.” Braganza knows about the other karaoke nights that are held in the city. “I know venues such as Love Shack, Hard Rock Café, and Take Five host karaoke nights which are quite popular, but I haven’t really been to them. Our Opus boys Martin and Sheridan Brass are good hosts and are taking the trend forward well. And if you ask me about my favourite singers, I’d say Sheridan, Mark Lazaro, Benny Dayal and Avril Quadros are very good. Sometimes, we have actors such as Rajshri and Vinay Rai dropping by to sing, and they do it quite well,” he says. mybangalore@dnaindia.net

Published Date:  May 16, 2014