Happy May!

Happy May to all the Chili’s Karaoke followers out there! It has been awhile since we posted… we apologize. We’ve been hard at work, getting ready for the upcoming summer season.

Wait for it… wait for it…

• warm weather
• graduations
• weddings
• outdoor birthdays
• block parties
• and more!

Chili’s Karaoke is ready to rock for any occasion! Call now (708-243-5530) to book one of our talented DJs for your event.

And don’t forget to check back on Monday for our bar profiles! Summer is almost here, and it’s time to get out and sing some karaoke.

NEW POSTS: Bar Profiles

Here at Chili’s Karaoke, we’re always coming up with new ideas. A lot of our customers frequent one or two bars each week. However, more often than not, they ask us, “Where else do you guys host karaoke?”

With that being said, aside from news, advice and tips, we will now be offering full profiles on several of the bars/clubs where you will find an ASAP Entertainment DJ/KJ.

***Check back the first Monday in MAY to see where you can find Chili’s Karaoke!***

We will profile a new bar every day, as we are hard at work (seven days a week) to bring you the best karaoke shows in Chicagoland!

Musical Advice: Stop. Singing. Picture!

Okay, so this advice is a little less serious and a little more comical (for us DJs, anyway).

To the men and women of the karaoke world… who love to sing duets: PLEASE stop singing Picture by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow.

We understand that:

• It’s easy to sing.
• You can totally fake your way through it if you don’t know it
• Men love to scream the lyric, “I was off to drink you awaaaaaay!”

However, please understand that:

• We hear this song at least 3-5 times a week. That’s almost 250 times a year!
• You don’t even have to write down the number… we’ve memorized it.
• 90% of the males who sing this song are either dragged to the stage by a lady friend, they don’t know the song (except for the “drink you away” part) or they are too drunk to sing it.

There are plenty of duets out there: Summer Nights, I Got You Babe, Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, Cruisin, Endless Love, etc, etc, etc! Stop the insanity!

Back to normal…

PHEW! It’s been about two weeks since the last post and the Finals of the 2009 Karaoke Olympics!

Things are getting back to normal around the Chili’s Karaoke circuit. We’ve got our regular gigs going strong, and we are done with contests… at least for awhile.

The Chili’s Karaoke blog will now get back to business, offering you singing tips and musical tips, as well as providing you with the latest news in the karaoke world. You may even get to read some guest blogs by some of the DJs, telling you some pretty funny stories. Seriously, it makes for good reality TV… stay tuned!

Singing Tip #2: Avoid feedback

This post will be short and sweet.

Many times, singers will be standing close to a speaker, often times directly in front of it. All of a sudden, typically when there’s a musical break in the song, the entire bar is subjected to a loud, piercing screech. Everyone then stares to the KJ with looks of despair thinking, “What the heck are you doing to us?!”

The KJ didn’t do a damn thing. It’s the singer’s fault for holding the microphone close to/up to the speaker.

Be aware of your surroundings, please. If you are standing in front of a speaker, move. And do NOT point a microphone in the direction of a speaker. A lot of people do this on accident once they are handed a mic or while there is a musical break in the song. All you have to do is be mindful of the position of the speaker and everyone will have a grand ol’ time with zero feeback giving them a headache.

And the winners are…

After two-and-a-half months of blood, sweat and tears, here are the Top 3 singers of the 2009 Karaoke Olympics!

Pictured: Ron “Chili” Larson and the Top 3 contestants!

Third Place, taking home a bevy of Budweiser products: Kevin Benson (right).
Second Place, winning over $6K worth of karaoke music/DJ equipment: Don Grillo (left).
First Place, acquiring $5,000 CASH: Kristen D’Andrea (middle).

Karaoke Olympics: Finals tonight at Trio!

Tonight is the BIG night! Come one, come all to the Final Round of the Karaoke Olympics at Trio in Palos Heights! Registration for contestants begins at 5 p.m. sharp! Those competing in the Karaoke Olympics will be admitted free of charge. The contest will kick off around 6 p.m., so get there early to get a good seat!

We’ve got 30 Finalists competing for two fantastic prizes:

• First Place: $5,000
• Second Place: DJ/KJ equipment valued at $5,000+!

Performances will be judged on a scale from 1-10 for vocal ability and 1-10 for stage presence. We don’t have Randy, Kara, Paula and Simon… we have a better group of music moguls:

• Derek Slep, President of Sound Choice (flying in from North Carolina).
• Tony Walstra & Tom Viveros of Stellar Records/Pop Hits Monthly (flying in from Massachusetts).
• Eric Godfrey of Starz Entertainment (flying in from Arizona).

After all contestants have performed, the audience will be asked to cheer for their favorite. The contestant with the most applause will be awarded five additional points to his/her total score.

Come out and support your favorite singer! Perhaps he/she will share the $5,000 with you? You won’t know unless you come to Trio tonight to find out!

Last chance to get in the Karaoke Olympics!

Tonight is your last shot at getting into the final round of the Karaoke Olympics, where you could walk away with either $5,000 or a full set of DJ/KJ equipment that is valued at $5+!

Head to the Dirty Sock in Hickory Hills!

Look out for these Dirty Sock employees… they love the Karaoke Olympics!

Registration begins at 9:30. Once the contest starts, no one may enter, so get there early! Two people will be named Wild Cards and advance to the Finals being held this Sunday at Trio.

Become a DS Wild Card and join Dana (Zante Semi Finalist) at the Finals!

Are you going to the Karaoke Olympics at Trio on Sunday? The event starts at 5 p.m. sharp! Bring some cash, as there is a cover. And don’t complain… we gotta get the prize money somehow!

Musical Advice: Song choice is key

Chili’s Karaoke is here to offer a valuable word of advice for all those finalists competing in the Karaoke Olympics on Sunday, March 29 at Trio in Palos Heights… and to all those who decide to enter a karaoke contest, for that matter.

Song choice is KEY!

Have you ever heard some of the critiques that Randy, Kara, Paula and Simon offer the contestants on American Idol? You might hear something like, “That wasn’t the right song for you,” or “You picked the wrong song.” Although not everyone in American may agree with these music moguls, the American Idol judges know what they are talking about.

How to pick a song for a karaoke contest:

• Keep it short and sweet: You don’t have to sing a TV-theme song or anything. But stay away from songs that last longer than 5-6 minutes. If you pick an 8-minute song like Ted Nugent’s Stranglehold, the audience (and the judges) are bound to get bored.
• Try to avoid ballads: While it does showcase your vocal talent, a ballad may also result in a snooze fest out there among the crowd. Try and pick something with the beat, something the audience can get into.
• Stay in your vocal range: If you do pick a ballad, make sure you’ve got the pipes! You don’t want to showcase a Peter Brady puberty-sounding scream.
• Don’t sing a genre just because you like it: Just because you like heavy metal doesn’t mean you can squeal like Vince Neil. If you’re a chick, and you are dressed like the girl next door, singing something hard may confuse people. Make sure you sing something that fits your vocal ability and your appearance.

Got any more ideas? Share them with us!

Singing Tip #1: Don’t eat the mic!

All too often, a lot of karaoke singers hold the microphone extremely close to their mouth. For very quiet people, this is a little helpful. But for those who have the pipes and can really belt it out, this is a disaster!

Attention loud singers! You’ll always have a KJ there to adjust your volume. But even if the KJ can turn your down, the quality of the sound will still seem, for lack of a better word, crappy. Here’s why…

When you eat the mic, you distort the sound. Your voice is muffled. This makes it seem like you are mumbling through a song, and patrons may not even be able to understand what you are saying.

~* Take some tips from DJ Carrie! *~

Holding the mic about 2-3 inches away from your mouth can correct the problem. Keep in mind, though, depending upon your natural power and your ability to project, you will have to experiment with this:

• Gradually move the mic away from your mouth as you sing.
• LISTEN UP!
• Once the vocal sound begins to fade, remember that as your furthest point

Also remember that, depending on the song you choose, you may use more/less volume when you have to hit higher/lower notes. Practice using different distances. Once you get it down, it will be a natural tendency. You’ll be able to correct the volume problem all by yourself, without the aid of a KJ!