Vacation Karaoke: Because Nobody Knows Your Name

“Sometimes you wanna go… where everybody knows your name.”

And sometimes, you wanna get tipsy and belt out a favorite tune in public without getting ribbed by your friends the next day. Welcome to VaKaraoke, where everyone’s friendly, and nobody knows your name.

Old Monterey’s Britannia Arms hosts karaoke Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday nights, starting at 9:30 PM. You can expect a 21-plus ID check at the door, no cover charge, and, on Wednesdays, $3 draft beers, of which there are 24 varieties. Please don’t try them all.

The Cannery Row Pizzeria consistently attracts a younger, rowdier night crowd, and hosts Karaoke Fridays and Saturdays, starting at 9:30PM. It’s a 21-plus environment, and there’s a small cover charge.

MIIS Grad student and Karaoke veteran Tamatha Roman shows you how it’s done at “The Brit”, and shares ten selections that “won’t necessarily get you boo’d off the stage, but they’re too overplayed… and usually sung terribly.”

Tam’s Top Ten Played-Out Tracks:

1. Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond

2. Love Shack – B52’s

3. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen

4. Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi

5. Summer Nights – Grease

6. American Pie – Don McLean

7. Hotel Caifornia – The Eagles

8. I love Rock n’ Roll – Joan Jett

9. Hey Jude – The Beatles

10. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor

A Few More Ways to Rock Responsibly

• Plan your safe-passage home, then dive into the drink specials.
• Be patient if the pub’s hoppin’. Larger groups may have to wait to sit together, though they usually opt to get cozy in a smaller space. The awesome servers will do their best to accommodate you.
• If you only know your song’s chorus, even if you know it really really well, you’re on the Midnight Express to Mumbleville. Don’t go. It’s awkward there.
• Shorter is better, unless you’ve planned an amazing dance routine for that two minute instrumental break.
• Silly, outrageous songs are fool-proof. “Like a Virgin”, “I’m Too Sexy”, “Baby Got Back”, and “What’s Up” are always crowd-pleasers.
• Still scared? Dip your toes in the karaoke pool with a group song. And finally…
• Own it. Sing with confidence, and if you’re terrible, own that too! Don’t be afraid of the crowd; get them involved. We don’t heckle, jeer or toss tomatoes around these parts.

Rock on, visitors, and share your favorite VaKaraoke Song in the comments.