Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKyzyjfyuPU
So how can I describe to you all perhaps the funniest night of my life, yes that’s right the funniest night of my life. I should have known it would involve Cheap Skate (one of the funniest people I know).
I’ll set the scene, it was Monday night in Austin. We went the training with Cheapie and then decided we would go to karaoke. Last time I went to karaoke with Cheapie we were dogged and some lame dude STOLE our song, so I was on a mission to set things right.
The venue was a bar called Beerland in the heart of Austin and we walked in and the place was semi-deserted, there were about 15 people there. This is the kind of set-up I like, it means you get a go and…more than one. Cheapie turned to me and was a little apologetic, she said ‘so Bam…its kinda quiet tonight…Monday and all’ BUT we all knew it was perfect. It was like we had busted into someone’s private party…we learned later that almost everyone knew everyone else, so in a way we had.
It was like we were in an American movie. The guys running it had this insane computer set up and were sitting to the left of the stage. One guy, bearded, not too tall – John was on the mic, introducing his offsider Bobby D was a classic American ‘geek’. Bobby was not worthy of a mic and would throw in comments using a hand held mini megaphone, on his T-shirt was an image of a tardis and a delorian – you do the math. It took us a while to realize that these were friends of Cheapie’s and that she was plying them with drinks…at which time our songs would magically be next!** Other then the 5 CRDL ladies representing and Cheapie there was a crowd of bearded chaps – several with long hair. We learned quickly they all 8 of them had been fired that day by the record store they worked at – they were all the raddest singers and clearly karaoke experts.
Highlights (there were SO many): 2 of the dudes got up and sang Under Pressure by David Bowie – while one sang Bowie the other rapped Vanilla Ice, it was inspired! A guy called Carson sang Drops of Jupiter in a magnificent Led Zeppelin 70s rock style, unforgettable.
Cheapie and I duet-ed Sweet Child of Mine (the song we were robbed of many years ago). I knew things were going to get good when I said ‘Cheapie, which part do you want to sing? First verse? Second??’ and she replied ‘I’ll do anything’ SWEET. She busted out the worm many time that night starting with backup dancing for our song.
Dr Hell surprised us all and got up on stage for the first time ever in this context and belted out Common People…we have to get her to do it again, she was ace.
Ah, another experience on this trip that I will treasure. These ladies we share a game of derby with, sweat with on the track, become so dear, watching everyone sing, dance and get a bit silly took me back to high school and those early years of uni, when you laugh so hard you have to hold your sides and you can’t believe what you have found yourself in the middle of…oh roller derby.
Xx
Bam
**Here in the US it is fee for service. In this instance we bribed to jump the cue, in another bar we visited a few nights before you could ride a mechanical bull for $5 BUT the bigger the tip the ‘better they would make you look’. Hrm….
