Sing it loud, sing it proud
The City Scene
By Lindsay Sauvageau

Everybody dreams of stardom.

We sing when we shower, we rock out in our cars, we make up catchy little ditties to hum when we're doing our laundry.

Secretly we believe that inside ourselves exists a Madonna, a Beatle, a Rolling Stone, a Clay Aiken just waiting for the moment when, all work finished for the day, we can get up, get down and make our way to funky town.

So is it any wonder we can't pass up a night of karaoke?

The word 'karaoke' comes from the Japanese words 'kara,' meaning empty and 'oke' (short for okesutora) meaning orchestra. Performing karaoke entails mixing prerecorded music with the amazing vocal stylings of a live person. That person can be anyone: you, your friend, your Grandma Shirley. All one needs is a microphone, lyrics and a lot of gumption.

It was first thought to have developed in a bar in Kobe, Japan, in 1972. As it began to gain interest it quickly spread throughout Europe and Asia. It eventually made its way to the United States in the early 1980s where it was wildly accepted. From taped tunes to CD tracks to finally the incorporation of videos, graphics and on-screen text prompts, karaoke was at once a huge bar and restaurant fad. Businesses would often have karaoke contests with prizes and special honors.

Now I have heard that in the karaoke world, there is often an unspoken hierarchy of players. At the top are the "professional" singers, the dedicated men and women performing their hearts out nightly and at the bottom, the newbie. These are the first time/last time performers, your 'average Joe' or college freshman, a little nervous (they've only just turned 18) but ready, stoked, with the words to Hungry Eyes emblazoned in their minds. No

one puts Baby in the corner!

The best part about performing

is the atmosphere. Even if a person isn't singing very well, everyone applauds at the end. Karaoke brings venuegoers together in harmonious fellowship.

If you're looking for something to do with your friends on the weekend, you might not have a bad time singing the blues. With karaoke, a great time can be had by all and there are plenty of karaokefriendly nightspots available. Just to name a few:

For those of you who want to avoid a rowdy audience, Classics Pub, located in the Leominster Plaza on Central Street has karaoke nights on Sundays in their comfortable piano lounge; William's Restaurant and Tavern in Gardner has karaoke every Thursday night; Linda's Sports Bar in Hudson, NH, has karaoke Friday nights from 8 p.m. to midnight; Breakaway Billiards in Clinton has karaoke nights Thursdays and they even give out cash prizes; Partners Pub on South Street in Fitchburg does karaoke every Sunday and Wednesday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. (for you night owls) and the Compound on Lunenburg Street in Fitchburg often throws in a karaoke night each month.

So think about it, mull it over, realize you're only as fabulous as you allow yourself to be and be a karaoke star. And if self-confidence isn't enough, just pump yourself up with Eye of the Tiger, it worked for Rocky.