I showed up around 7:45 and saw a line out the door. I waited in line for 5 minutes to discover that it was already filled to capacity and it may be a long wait. I just left. How'd it go?

bfields wrote:So did anybody go to this?

Yes. By the end there were like five people left watching Steve's girlfriend Heather stand up on stage and point at her butt while singing some 80s song. Then some asian chick sang "Baby's Got Back" -surprisingly well. You missed out!

Same's description is quite right-on.

Tutku and I also got there around 7:45, and there were maybe 15 people in front of us in line. It was indeed sold out, or rather filled to capacity, so they couldn't let more people in until others had left. While we were waiting in line, Same showed up and jumped the line, that bastard!

We waited in line for probably a half hour or so total. I don't know what time we left, but it was after the whole thing was over and the last drunken encore by a tone-deaf employee had ended. So we were in there for maybe 5 hours or something? My ears are still ringing something fierce.

Making it out for the second of the two sets of performances were such EA greats as Rachael and Christopher Dragon. Hellyes was still there chillin with the band after we all had left.

There were some good performances. I was pretty happy to see that the top 5 that the judges picked were the same set of folks I thought brought it the most. I had the guy who sang "My Girl" winning it, and they had him in second, to the girl who (if I remember right) did the Fleetwood Mac song.

Heather brought the rock moves more, I think, than any of the night's competitors. Maybe the guy who did Search And Destroy was close.

The girl Same mentioned, who did Baby's Got Back, might well have won had she been in the competition. She BROUGHT IT.

The guitar was auctioned off between the two sets of competitors. I think it went for right around $1,200.

The winner of the competition and the winner of the auction got to perform Surrender with the three celebrity judges playing guitar, guitar and bass (along with the band's drummer and keyboard player). I could swear that Steve was playing Watch Song, but I may have been a little tipsy at that point.

Live Band Karaoke has been a fine time every time I've gone. This was no exception! And so nice to see EA forum people out for a good cause!

First, I'd like to thank all who came out...And, it was cool to meet some EA folks in person and no one spit on me or anything. Actually, Rachael and her friend Stacy were both amazingly sweet. Sam was generous enough to roll me a cigarette. Tutku asked my sign, which I pondered about the whole evening. Dragon was far more chill than I had expected, why I had that impression I don't really know. And, Scott was a totally T-Bag as usual.

As for the event, itself. I arrived a little after 9 and only waited in line for all of about 2 minutes. The door people were surprisingly in good spirits and friendly. The band had just started their break before the auction so I gave hugs to my peeps in The Hoots and shortly thereafter brushed shoulders with Rick Nielson as I was walking off the stage and he was entering the stage. It was silly but a small thrill, nonetheless.

Scott is correct, the guitar sold for $1200 to a guy who frequents LBK and is notoriously a HUGE Cheap Trick fan so I was happy to see him win it. He also bought a bandmember a kickass AC/DC shirt once just because he knew she was a big fan. He's a large guy but seems big-hearted too. The contest continued and included just a few more singers. I felt the judging was fair and again was glad to see some LBK regulars make the final 5. The winner, as I recall, sang White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane not the Fleetwood Mac song. But, Scott is without a doubt correct that the girl who did "I Like Big Butts" totally brought it and should have won hands-down had she been in the actual competition. To top it off, she was also wearing a business suit. Heather did an incredible job on "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," as well.

The highlight for me, however, was seeing Rick Nielson playing my best friend's guitar. My bandmates and the drummer are BIG Cheap Trick fans and were absolutely in their glory being in his presence. But, overall, I'd say the singers were about only slightly above average this time around. I've been to enough of shows to have seen some really amazing singers--usually the ones you'd least expect it from--totally tear it up.

Oh, and, I was impressed that Steve deducted 4 points from the guy with the way too tight leather pants but he gave him 10 points because the guy was really into it. Good system!

scott wrote:I had the guy who sang "My Girl" winning it, and they had him in second, to the girl who (if I remember right) did the Fleetwood Mac song.

jefferson airplane dude.

BadComrade wrote:

same wrote: there were like five people left watching Steve's girlfriend Heather stand up on stage and point at her butt while singing some 80s song.

Had to be a Billy Squire song, right?

edit:

hellyes!! wrote:Heather did an incredible job on "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," as well.

Guess not...

Nope. No Billy Squire on the band list that I'm aware of. Here's a songlist for The Hootenanners, if anyone is interested. There are two other bands, The Karaoke Dokies and Liquid Courage who have their own lists as well.

Here's Hoots':

3 DOORS DOWN - Kryptonite
.38 SPECIAL - Hold On Loosely
4 Non Blondes - What's Up (What's Going On?)
ABBA - Dancing Queen
AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
AC/DC - Highway To Hell
AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long
BRYAN ADAMS - Summer of '69
AEROSMITH - Dream On
ALICE IN CHAINS - Man In The Box
B52's - Love Shack
BANGLES - Walk Like an Egyptian
TONI BASIL - Mickey (You're So Fine)
BAD COMPANY - Feel Like Makin' Love
BAD COMPANY - Rock N Roll Fantasy
BEASTIE BOYS - Fight For Your Right
BEATLES - A Hard Day's Night
BEATLES - Birthday
BEATLES - Drive My Car
BEATLES - Helter Skelter
BEATLES - I Saw Her Standing There
BEATLES - Nowhere Man
BEATLES - Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
PAT BENETAR - Heartbreaker
PAT BENATAR - Hit Me With Your Best Shot
BLACK CROWES - She Talks to Angels
BLACK FLAG - Six Pack
BLACK SABBATH - Fairies Wear Boots
BLACK SABBATH - Paranoid
BLACK SABBATH - War Pigs
BLONDIE - Dreaming
BLONDIE - One Way or Another
BON JOVI - Living On A Prayer
BON JOVI - Wanted Dead Or Alive
BOSTON - Long Time
BOW WOW WOW - I Want Candy
DAVID BOWIE - Suffragette City
DAVID BOWIE - Rebel Rebel
DAVID BOWIE - Ziggy Stardust
BREEDERS - Cannonball
GARTH BROOKS - Friends In Low Places
JIMMY BUFFET - Margaritaville
BUZZCOCKS - What Do I Get?
CARS - Just What I Needed
JOHNNY CASH - Folsom Prison Blues
CHEAP TRICK - I Want You To Want Me
CHEAP TRICK - Surrender
CLASH - Should I Stay Or Should I Go
KELLY CLARKSON - Since U Been Gone
CLASH - Train in Vain
PATSY CLINE - Crazy
ALICE COOPER - No More Mr. Nice Guy
ELVIS COSTELLO - Radio Radio
CRACKER - Low
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL - Fortunate Son
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL - Lodi
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL - Proud Mary
THE CURE - Boys Don't Cry
THE CURE - Just Like Heaven
THE DARKNESS - I Believe In A Thing Called Love
DEAD KENNEDYS - California Uber Alles
DEAD MILKMEN - Punk Rock Girl
DEF LEPPARD - Pour Some Sugar On Me
DEPECHE MODE - Personal Jesus
DEVO - Whip It
DEXIE'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS - Come On Eileen
NEIL DIAMOND - Sweet Caroline
DOORS - Roadhouse Blues
DOORS - Love Me Two Times
DURAN DURAN - Rio
FLEETWOOD MAC - Dreams
FOO FIGHTERS - Everlong
FOO FIGHTERS - This Is A Call
THE FOUNDATIONS - Build Me Up Buttercup
ARETHA FRANKLIN - Respect
FUGAZI - Waiting Room
MARVIN GAYE - Let's Get It On
GLORIA GAYNOR - I Will Survive
GENESIS - Misunderstanding
THE GO GO'S - Our Lips Are Sealed
THE GO GO'S - We Got the Beat
GREEN DAY - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
GREEN DAY - She
GREEN DAY - Welcome to Paradise
GUIDED BY VOICES - Tractor Rape Chain
GUNS N ROSES - Welcome to the Jungle
HALL & OATES - Maneater
THE HIVES - Hate to Say I Told You So
THE HUMAN LEAGUE - Don't You Want Me?
BILLY IDOL - Eyes Without A Face
BILLY IDOL - Rebel Yell
BILLY IDOL - White Wedding
INCUBUS - Wish You Were Here
INXS - Never Tear Us Apart
IRON MAIDEN - The Trooper
JOE JACKSON - Is She Really Going Out With Him?
MICHAEL JACKSON - Rock With You
JAMES - Laid
RICK JAMES - Superfreak
TOMMY JAMES - I Think We're Alone Now
JANE'S ADDICTION - Jane Says
JANE'S ADDICTION - Stop
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE - White Rabbit
JET - Are You Gonna Be My Girl
JOAN JETT/RUNAWAYS - Do You Wanna Touch Me
JOAN JETT - I Hate Myself For Loving You
JOAN JETT - I Love Rock and Roll
TOM JONES - It's Not Unusual
JANIS JOPLIN - Me and Bobby McGee
JANIS JOPLIN - Piece Of My Heart
JOURNEY - Don't Stop Believin'
JOURNEY - Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'
JOURNEY - Separate Ways
JUDAS PRIEST - Breaking the Law
JUDAS PRIEST - Living After Midnight
THE KINKS - All Day and All of the Night
THE KINKS - Lola
THE KINKS - You Really Got Me
KISS - Detroit Rock City
KISS - I Was Made For Lovin' You
KISS - Rock and Roll All Night
CYNDI LAUPER - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
LED ZEPPELIN - Communication Breakdown
LED ZEPPELIN - Immigrant Song
LED ZEPPELIN - The Ocean
LYNYRD SKYNYRD - Sweet Home Alabama
LOVERBOY - Working For the Weekend
MADONNA - Borderline
MADONNA - Like A Virgin
MADONNA - Material Girl
MATERIAL ISSUE - Valerie Loves Me
JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP - Jack and Diane
JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP - Pink Houses
MEN AT WORK - Land Down Under
MISFITS - Last Caress
MODERN ENGLISH - I Melt With You
THE MONKEES - Last Train to Clarksville
ALANIS MORISSETE - You Oughta Know
VAN MORRISON - Brown Eyed Girl
VAN MORRISON - Moondance
MOTLEY CRUE - Home Sweet Home
MOTLEY CRUE - Shout At the Devil
MOTORHEAD - Ace of Spades
NENA - 99 Red Balloons
NEW ORDER - Love Vigilantes
STEVIE NICKS - Edge Of Seventeen
NIGHT RANGER - Sister Christian
NINE INCH NAILS - Head Like A Hole
NIRVANA - Breed
NIRVANA - Smells Like Teen Spirit
NO DOUBT - Just A Girl
OFFSPRING - Self-Esteem
THE OUTFIELD - I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love
OUTKAST - Hey Ya!
DOLLY PARTON - 9 to 5
PEARL JAM - Alive
STEVE PERRY - Oh, Sherrie
TOM PETTY - American Girl
TOM PETTY - Breakdown
TOM PETTY - I Need To Know
WILSON PICKETT - Mustang Sally
PIXIES - Debaser
PIXIES - Gigantic
PIXIES - Where Is My Mind?
POISON - Every Rose Has A Thorn
POISON - Talk Dirty To Me
POLICE - Can't Stand Losing
ELVIS PRESLEY - Burning Love
ELVIS PRESLEY - Jailhouse Rock
ELVIS PRESLEY - Suspicious Minds
THE PRETENDERS - Back on the Chain Gang
THE PRETENDERS - Brass in Pocket (So Special)
PRINCE - 1999
PRINCE - Kiss
PRINCE - Purple Rain
PSYCHEDELIC FURS - Love My Way
QUEEN - Bohemian Rhapsody
QUEEN - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
QUEEN - Fat Bottomed Girls
QUEEN - We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions
RADIOHEAD - Creep
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - Killing In The Name
RAMONES - Beat On the Brat
RAMONES - Cretin Hop
RAMONES - I Want To Be Sedated
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - Give It Away
LOU REED - Walk on the Wild Side
REM - Driver 8
REM - It's The End of the World As We Know It
R.E.M. - Losing My Religion
REO SPEEDWAGON - Take it on the Run
REO SPEEDWAGON - Time For Me To Fly
REPLACEMENTS - Can't Hardly Wait
REPLACEMENTS - Left of the Dial
KENNY ROGERS - The Gambler
ROLLING STONES - Dead Flowers
ROLLING STONES - Honky Tonk Woman
ROLLING STONES - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
ROLLING STONES - Paint It Black
ROLLING STONES - Sympathy for the Devil
ROLLING STONES - Waiting On A Friend
ROMANTICS - What I Like About You
RUSH - Tom Sawyer
SCANDAL - Goodbye To You
SCANDAL - The Warrior
SCORPIONS - Rock You Like A Hurricane
BOB SEGER - Night Moves
SEX PISTOLS - Anarchy in the U.K.
SEX PISTOLS - God Save the Queen
DEL SHANNON - Runaway
SHOCKING BLUE/BANANARAMA - Venus
SIMPLE MINDS - Don't You Forget About Me
NANCY SINATRA - These Boots Were Made For Walking
SIR MIX-A-LOT - Baby Got Back
SMITHS - Ask
SMITHS - Bigmouth Strikes Again
SOCIAL DISTORTION/JOHNNY CASH - Ring of Fire
SOFTCELL - Tainted Love
SONIC YOUTH - Kool Thing
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD - Son of a Preacher Man
RICK SPRINGFIELD - Jesse's Girl
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Born To Run
SQUEEZE - Tempted
STEALERS WHEEL - Stuck In The Middle
STEPPENWOLF - Born To Be Wild
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS - Interstate Love Song
STOOGES - Search and Destroy
STYX - Come Sail Away
STYX - Too Much Time On My Hands
SWEET - Ballroom Blitz
TALKING HEADS - Psycho Killer
TEMPLE OF THE DOG - Hunger Strike
THE TEMPTATIONS - Ain't Too Proud To Beg
THE TEMPTATIONS - My Girl
THIN LIZZY - Cowboy Song
THIN LIZZY - Jailbreak
THE TROGGS - Wild Thing
TINA TURNER - Proud Mary
TWISTED SISTER - We're Not Gonna Take It
U2 - Desire
U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
U2 - I Will Follow
U2 - With Or Without You
RITCHIE VALENS - La Bamba
VAN HALEN - Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
VAN HALEN - Dance the Night Away
VAN HALEN - Jump
VAN HALEN - Running With the Devil
VIOLENT FEMMES - Add It Up
VIOLENT FEMMES - Blister In the Sun
WEEZER - Hash Pipe
WEEZER - Island In The Sun
WHITESNAKE - Here I Go Again
WHITE STRIPES - Fell in Love With a Girl
THE WHO - Baba O'Riley
THE WHO - I Can't Explain
THE WHO - The Kids Are Alright
THE WHO - Won't Get Fooled Again
BILL WITHERS - Ain't No Sunshine
X-RAY SPEX - Oh Bondage, Up Yours
NEIL YOUNG - Cinnamon Girl
NEIL YOUNG - Rockin' In The Free World

BadComrade wrote:Fuck. That's gonna be the most impressive band in Chicago. I honestly can't think of another band in the world who can play that many songs at the drop of a hat. Unless of course they have sheet music on stage...

No, never had sheet music. Just years and years of being huge music fans, lots of talent, and having a bazillion shows under their belts. Check out the website for the other bands' songlists. Karaoke Dokies is very impressive, as well.

http://www.livebandkaraokechicago.com

BadComrade wrote:Fuck. That's gonna be the most impressive band in Chicago. I honestly can't think of another band in the world who can play that many songs at the drop of a hat. Unless of course they have sheet music on stage...

I believe I saw a moment occur last night... when they were playing War Pigs, and Laurie was nailing the guitar, every detail, the right chords, the right trill, everything, and it looked like Rick was visibly impressed. Laurie noticed and got shy. It was a really cool moment.

They don't always play every tiny subtlety of every instrument of every song, but they always know the songs in the right key, and they nail the key elements, be it a little bass fill here or a drum accent there, etc...

It is very easy to not think about it, as a spectator. But to think about it... they know an absurd number of songs, and that includes knowing what tone to use when, what the key elements of the guitar solos are, what the words and melodies of the backing vocals are, all that kinda stuff. To think about it, it's really quite nuts.

Yes, you are correct. Rick pointed at her as she nailed the War Pigs solo, she saw him and immediately flubbed. She commented to him about it later to which his response was, "Oh, I know all about guitar flubs. I do it all the time!" That was cool.

And, yes, they don't have every little nuance of every song down but they come pretty darned close...definitely close enough that the average musician/spectator (ie, not Scott who over analyzes everything) would never even catch it.

As for the amount of songs, just a reminder that they've been doing this professionally for over 4 years now and all of the members have been in bands and playing covers since they were in their early teens. After awhile the songs just add up.

Hey everyone! Just wanted to say hi and that I am definitely enjoying the pizza from Piece that I won at this event.

I was the girl that sang White Rabbit from Jefferson Airplane. One of my fav songs to sing.

I'm also now addicted to Live Band Karaoke since that night. I had only done that once before.


Thanks to Steve, Bob and Rick for their time and patience and raising money for a good cause.

I'll be here reading all the great info because recording is in my near future!

Cheers! Alma