Have had my first experience of karaoke Asian-style, and I think I’m hooked.
Here in Malaysia everyone sits around the edges of the booth, looking at the screen and singing along – a choral performance rather than a solo, with several microphones in every booth. So, as long as someone knows the tune, you’re in with a chance of being able to warble along too.
With as much or as little drama as you like –
The gin and fags took me back to my student days …
… when smoking bans hadn’t been invented, and the economy of scale mentality kicked in whenever you were given the choice between a single measure of spirits or a whole bottle. Of course, a bottle is sooo much cheaper in the long run … well, it is if you’re planning to have 40 shots over the course of the evening.
I did a bit of booth stalking while I was there, and the place is enormous – at least fifty booths filled with couples, families with kids, birthday parties, rowdy groups of drunken teachers … everyone singing lustily in their soundproof boxes.
After a quick look at the website –
I found that you can even pop in during your lunch-break for less than £1 an hour.
Now that the physical and psychological benefits of group singing are being extolled by all and sundry, I think that employers should be required to organise a weekly sing-along lunch-hour for all staff – compulsory attendance required.
You’d have to bring your own instruments, obviously.