Simply Amazing

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.

Four Years!

Hard to believe it’s been almost four years we’ve been melting faces with you at the 710 Beach Club every Thursday. It’s pretty amazing when we take a look back to early 2009, when the band was just five members: Colin and Rob (splitting lead guitar), John (rhythm guitar), Rob (bass), and Eric (drums).

Soon after we’d add the wild antics of Bass Dave (um…bass), Stoltz (stunt guitar is his official title), and Matt (drums, charming wit). Then along comes Paulo (geetar), Bass Andy and Drums Shawn. We can’t forget our incredible hosts: Carlos, Chris, Joe, Antonio!

Are we missing anyone? Ah, yes–YOU, the singers! You guys made all this possible, so a big thanks to anyone who has ever taken the stage (or come to see someone) with us.

Back in 2009, no one in the band had kids (that we knew of). Now, we (the royal “we”) have four children (that we know of). Since 2009, the song list has grown from about 60 tunes to our current list of about 200. And we won’t even start to list the growing choreography we keep adding to many of our tunes (lots of kicking, jumping, laying on the ground, wiggling, pelvis-thrusting).

Well, this Thursday, March 7, 2013, we’ll be celebrating our four-year stay at the 710 Beach Club with a big ol’ freakin’ party.

It’s also with mixed emotions that we announce we’re taking a break from Thursday nights at the 710 for a bit, as the club works on going a new direction with their Thursday format.

“I don’t recall saying, ‘Good luck.'”
(Click to play Simpsons clip)

Don’t think for a second that this is goodbye. We’re actually excited at the chance to see what else is happening out there on Thursdays. We’re working on securing a new Thursday night home soon, and you can continue to hang with us at JT’s Pub, the SD County Fair, weddings, company parties, and events around town. Stay tuned for more news on our Facebook page and our email list.

We really cannot thank the 710 management for putting up…er…having us around for all these years, and for all the support — radio ads, drink specials, flyers, chalk boards. Four years is a long time for any gig in this town. And a big thanks to the true Oz behind us all: Sound Guy John, who is the only person to be at every single 710 ROK show. It’s a true honor to have someone as talented and experienced as Sound Guy John, who has run sound and toured with the likes of Metallica, and about every other band you can think of.

Help us end our four year run at the 710 Beach Club with a bang this Thursday night: the party to take us home, send us on our way, and help us reach new heights. Come early for free food, stay all night for drink specials and the ROK fun you’ve come to know and love.

High fives,
ROK

P.S. Show us the love on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Yelp!

We Love Us Some Bass Dave

It is with great sadness that I’m announcing my departure from Rock Out Karaoke and San Diego.

Since September of 2009 I have played over 180 shows with Rock Out Karaoke. That’s probably around 7,200 songs and just as many high fives. Counting all the duets, drunken groups of bridesmaids, and dancing bananas, I’ve been lucky enough to share the stage with possibly close to 10,000 karaoke singers (with just a few repeats and regulars) in the past two and a half years.

I want to thank all the musicians that I have played with in ROK over the years: Skip, Rob R., Mike, Rob W, Matt, Pants, Shawn, Paulo, and Colin. You guys are awesome and make playing music what it’s supposed to be…Fun!

Equally important, I want to thank all the wonderful people that brave the Rock Out Karaoke stage every week. Without you, we’re just another cover band. My favorite day of the week without a doubt is Thursday because I get to share the stage with you all. I will miss you all dearly. Keep on ROK’ing!

My last official show is March 15^th, but watch out for some special guest appearances in April!

Thanks,
Bass Dave

Editor’s Note: We’ll definitely miss Dancing Dave’s stage antics week after week. Dave’s arrival in the band came at a pivotal time, as Bass Rob was busy having kids. Dave was undoubtedly a huge reason why we were able to continue performing week after week — and even growing the number of gigs we play each year. Dave was literally the backbone of the band, shouldering the majority of the load with a smile (and usually a PBR or two). Most of all, Dave is an incredible friend to all of us. We all wish you the best and hope to share the stage with you again soon.

Bass Dave Got His Own Night!

The Local Pub Crawl

What do you get when you mix 550+ rowdy pub crawlers with San Diego’s best live band karaoke on the main stage at the House of Blues San Diego?

An epic, one-of-a-kind, unforgettable stop on the best pub crawl in town.

For the second consecutive, back-to-back year in a row <grin>, Rock Out Karaoke had the privilege of playing for 90 action-packed minutes as the second stop along the way for the annual Memorial Day “Sing, Dance, Crawl to the Park” put on by San Diego’s own Local Eatery & Drinking Hole.

Click on the image to see all the photos from this event!

Naturally, the party started at The Local. But when the House of Blues doors opened at 2pm, the energy from 550 people had the room instantly buzzing. Starting with the National Anthem (a fitting tip of the cap to the reason why we have the freedom to enjoy a 3-day weekend), the next hour and a half included some of the best karaoke singers we’ve seen in quite some time. Beach balls flew through the air as 500 beautiful voices sang in unison to songs like Santeria, Sweet Caroline, and Livin’ on a Prayer.

Then, just as quickly as they stormed in, the crawlers were on to the next stop.

With no shortage of beautiful women, an energetic crowd, and awesome support from The Local and the House of Blues, this is a party we could get used to playing for many years to come.

See you next year! See all the photos at our Facebook page.

Top 10 Karaoke Songs

Top 10 Live Band Karaoke Songs

We see a lot of top 10 lists out there these days. Things like – top 10 worst karaoke songs, top 10 ways to get fired, and top 7 Tips for Rocking the Stage with a Live Band. We’ve been playing San Diego’s best live band karaoke show since 2006, so we thought we’d create our own top 10 list of tunes that get chosen most frequently. Our list is far from scientific; just a record of the most popular songs chosen at our weekly live shows and private event gigs. Behold, the top 10 most popular live band karaoke songs:

10. Plush – Stone Temple Pilots: Early 90’s grunge wasn’t limited to Seattle. In fact, many people don’t know that STP built a following right here in San Diego (at least according to the stoners who wrote the STP entry in Wikipedia). We hear a lot of great Scott Weiland impressions at Rock Out Karaoke, so this one kicks off our list.

9. Santeria – Sublime: Another Southern California favorite, you simply can’t go wrong with a little Sublime karaoke. Santeria gets the entire crowd singing along with you.

8. You Oughta Know – Alanis Morissette: Nothing says, “I love the 90’s” more than AM’s first single from the 1995 album “Jagged Little Pill.” That’s right, sister. Just let it out. Once upon a time even former American Idol judge Kara Dioguardi rocked this song with us at a private event.

7. Wanted Dead or Alive – Bon Jovi: Rock Out Karaoke fans love this 1987 Bon Jovi/Sambora-written tune that starts with the windy acoustic intro, crescendos into a face-melting guitar solo, and ends back on the signature riff. Anyone with the moxie to tackle this one is frequently rewarded with lots of praise from the crowd.

6. Use Somebody – Kings of Leon: Not all of the most popular tunes are “oldies.” This 2009 smash hit from Tennessee family band Kings of Leon has gotten lots of radio play and gets lots of love from those who take the stage with us.

5. Before He Cheats – Carrie Underwood: American Idol’s fourth season winner, Carrie Underwood, found a hit with this tune about smashing headlights and slashing tires. Guys, watch out for the girl who sings this one…

4. Rebel Yell – Billy Idol: This 80’s classic by sneering, spike-haired rocker Billy Idol is what Rock Out Karaoke is all about. Raw, real, intense rock and roll, led by an energetic frontman from the audience.

3. Hit Me With Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar: like Billy Idol, this one is a staple of our song list and gets lots of love by fans young and old.

2. Sweet Child O Mine – Guns N Roses: Another great rock anthem that lets our karaoke singers really unleash their inner rock star. This tune has been on the ROK song list since day 1, and it’s no wonder why people choose to belt it out week after week.

1. Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey: There are two types of people in this world. Those who love Journey and those who are liars. This crowd favorite is guaranteed to get the entire bar singing along with you. We’ve seen many a bachelorette/birthday groups rock this one and capture the attention of everyone within earshot.

So there you have it, sports fans. The top 10 most-chosen tunes at Rock Out Karaoke. We certainly hope to see you on stage with us soon, rocking one of these songs or one of the other 190-some-odd (and counting) songs on the list.

Honorable mention goes to the following great songs as well: Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash; Alive – Pearl Jam; Love Shack – the B52s; and Possum Kingdom – the Toadies.