Kickass Karaoke — twice this week!

Double the karaoke goodness, double the fun

Kickass Karaoke, the best karaoke night in Accordion City, takes place twice this week:

• Tomorrow (Wednesday, May 21st) at the Bovine Sex Club (542 Queen Street West, half a block east of Bathurst)
• Sunday. May 25th at the Rivoli (332 Queen Street West, half a block east of Spadina).

As always, the events are hosted by the Grandmaster of Karaoke himself, Mr. Carson T. Foster.

Some little tidbits of Kickass Karaoke:

• The CityTV piece on Kickass Karaoke (including a short bit of me doing Born to be Wild on accordion). QuickTime required.
• April 2003
• August 2002
• July 2002
• June 2002
• March 2002
• November 2001

In related news: Melisma, or “I will always love you-u-u-u-u-u-u-u…”

While we’re on the topic of singing, you might want to check out this New York Times story on a certain style of vocalisation that’s getting overused by the contestants on American Idol: melisma…

The cover of the new CD “American Idol Season 2: All-Time Classic American Love Songs” features grinning head shots of 11 of the television talent show’s 12 finalists — an attractive, amiable-looking group that could be a high school glee club. Don’t be fooled. Competitive karaoke is not for the fainthearted; “American Idol” contestants do not sing songs so much as attack them. In nearly every verse of every number on “All-Time Classic American Love Songs,” the young singers pursue a strategy of violent Mariah Carey emulation. Their credo is clear: never hesitate to warble seven notes where one would suffice.