Author: Skipper

ROK Supports AJ’s Kids Crane

When we were asked to support AJ’s Kids Crane this year, there was literally no discussion. Of course we would love to participate in this annual event where a local radio DJ (AJ Machado of Energy 103.7FM) literally lives atop a crane in the Ikea parking lot in San Diego for an entire week. The event is held each year to support Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego.

Naturally, we were even more excited when they announced we’d be the backing band for a karaoke competition.

As if that wasn’t enough, they also let us know that there would be several of San Diego’s finest food trucks in attendance that evening as well. Heaven.

If you weren’t able to join us, you totally missed out. The winner of the karaoke competition took home a sweeeeeet Sony 4K TV for being the best singer. See? It pays to be a ROK fan, so thanks to those of you who came out to participate!

Be sure to tag us in your online photos + videos if you were there!

San Diego Named Top Meeting Destination

File this one under “Duh!”, but San Diego was recently named one of the top 10 meeting destinations in the United States. The list was produced by Cvent (a leading event management software company) and puts San Diego with the likes of Orlando, Chicago, Vegas, and well ahead of places like New York, LA, and New Orleans.

Here’s what they had to say about our fair city:

“With 70 miles of beaches, 92 golf courses, over 100 culturally diverse neighborhoods, 120 meeting hotels, Rock Out Karaoke, and an abundance of event venues for groups of 10 to 30,000, San Diego is an ideal meeting destination.”

Ok, so we may have embellished the description just a bit, but you get the picture. San Diego is awesome, and even better with some live band karaoke. We love the fact that our hometown plays host to so many great conventions, conferences, and meetings all year long. Give us a ring if we can make your next meeting rock a little harder.

Six Fun Event & Wedding Ideas

Over the years, we’ve played a lot of San Diego weddings, corporate events, and parties. If you’re struggling to find ideas to make your next bash unforgettable, look no further – here are some of the best we’ve seen:

Themes
This one might sound obvious to some, but you can’t beat a good ol’ theme party. Whether it’s a rock star theme, a 1920s flapper feel, or a Woodstock music festival – people love to dress up. Pro Tip: make sure you put the word out well in advance so people have time to shop for their outfits.

Photo Booth
Most of the parties we play these days include a photo booth or a step-and-repeat, and those things stay busy from start to finish. A photo booth can produce party favors for your guests (that you don’t have to put together) and can also serve as a way to commemorate your event online. Today’s photo booths have taken on a completely different look – green screens, props, flipbooks, and more – making them a great option for your next event.

Performers
We’ve seen lots of performers over the years – groups that can warm up the crowd for a band are great. Performances have included traditional Chinese dragon dancers (think Chinese New Year parade), synchronized swimmers (for a poolside party), hypnotists, and acrobatic / juggler / variety performers — they can all spice up your event and make it more memorable.

Other Specialists
One wedding we attended had cigar rollers – how cool is that? Hand-rolled cigars while you wait! Another corporate event featured an artist who was etching commemorative wine glasses with names and short phrases. Caricature artists are always a hit, too. Although we haven’t experienced it, we’ve heard about henna tattoos at some weddings – another great idea!

Food Trucks
We played a backyard party last year for Food Network star Melissa d’Arabian that featured food trucks. We also played a recent party in Beverly Hills for a large retail company that included the In-N-Out Burger truck, a Sprinkles Cupcake truck, and more. Double-double animal style for everyone, please!

Music
Ok, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention live band karaoke as a way to spice up your next corporate event, wedding or birthday party. But really, where else are you going to find entertainment that is truly interactive? If you’re a bride, imagine the memories of having Dad on stage belting out Journey like he was back in high school. Or Grandma doing her best Katy Perry impression. Seriously, we’ve seen some awesome family moments on stage with us over the years, and those moments will live forever.

So there’s our rundown of just a few interesting and different event ideas. What did we miss?

More Holiday Karaoke Fun: San Diego Reader

When one of the most respected and widely read publications in San Diego first called Rock Out Karaoke to play their staff holiday party, we were certainly excited. I mean, these are some of the most influential people in the region: writers, editors, bloggers for the San Diego Reader — they all have opinions and they have the forum to share those opinions. We knew we would have to make a great first impression.

Our friends at the House of Blues set us up in the Delta Room, a private space that is great for these types of events (probably holds around 100 people comfortably). It’s got a lot of great seating (read: cushy couches) and, of course, has its own private bar. On this particular night, Reel Big Fish was playing in the music hall, so the party guests had access to that concert as well. From what we can tell, they all opted to stay close and rock out with us instead.

We cranked up the volume and it was on! Talk about a karaoke crowd – these guys pulled out everything from Lynyrd Skynyrd to the Proclaimers, complete with props and costumes! The free-flowing open bar helped warm up their vocal cords, and by the end of the night everyone was singing along. I think it’s safe to say we NAILED IT, but of course we couldn’t have done it without help from the fun-loving staff from the Reader. Many thanks – and we hope to see you all again next year!

Rock Out Karaoke is San Diego’s most dynamic and interactive cover band, combining the raw power of a live rock band with the fun of karaoke, where individual singers take center stage with the live band! Complete with lyrics displayed on a monitor in real-time with the music, nothing is missing from this unique karaoke show! Call us today, and let’s talk about how we can make your next event one for the ages.

Sustainable Karaoke Energy

Our San Diego private event season continued to completely rock in December as we played another corporate karaoke event for the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE). When they thought about how to recognize all the rock stars within their organization at their holiday party, naturally they called Rock Out Karaoke – where their guests can live out their dreams on stage with a live rock band.

The House of Blues provided the unforgettable atmosphere and food – and we provided the experience! From the very start, all the guests were excited about joining us for some live band karaoke. There was never a dull moment, as CCSE employees and their guests (many dressed in festive attire) rocked the karaoke stage until the bitter end. There were prizes for best dressed / most festive, and of course, for best karaoke performance of the night.

The photos (generously provided by Jay Yun) tell the full story. Drop us a line if we can help make your next corporate holiday party a complete live band karaoke experience!