Karaoke one way to get out of your shell
Singing karaoke seven nights a week could be just what the doctor ordered. People in the karaoke world say that karaoke is fun and can be therapeutic.
Illustration: Derek Mange/Calgary Journal
Ducky’s pub is a karaoke bar that runs karaoke all week. Beulah Psichoulis, family owner of Ducky’s, said they started running karaoke three times a week when they first opened 12 years ago; eventually they were busy enough to run karaoke every night. Psichoulis said that Fridays and Saturdays are so busy it is hard to get in without a reservation. Psichoulis also said most people come in for birthday parties, stagettes and pub-crawls.
On a recent Wednesday night at Ducky’s there were few patrons, so the DJ was struggling to get people to sing. Cam Markell, a 25-year-old self-proclaimed karaoke junky, helped by singing every few minutes.
“I just love singing; gives me a chance to let loose,” said Markell, who performs karaoke at least three times a week.
Markell has been going to karaoke bars for 10 years, including three years before he was of legal age to be in a bar. He said his dad used to sneak him into places just so they could sing karaoke.
Having a guy like Markell is really helpful on a slow night, said Gary Hardy, who has been a karaoke DJ for 15 years. Hardy said that he loves his job because he interacts with different people every night.
“The best is when there’s a sing-along-song and everyone sings,” Hardy said. “For some people it can be therapeutic; It helps get them out of their shell.”
However, you don’t need to go to a karaoke bar for karaoke, said Dan Chabot, the owner of Karaoke World, a store that rents and sells karaoke equipment.
“It’s just fun! Have a few pints and everyone will be singing,” he said, adding that you can rent everything you need to hold a karaoke party yourself. You can even rent a host if you want, Chabot said. Karaoke World rents to people of all ages, from little kids birthday parties to weddings.
Chabot went on to say that Karaoke World has 300,000 songs available for people to pick from while karaoke bars usually have up to 30,000 songs with them.
“Watch out at the end of this one, it tends to skip; The CD is getting worn-out,” Hardy said to two women who were preparing to sing Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond.
"That song is one of those ones that everyone sings along with," Hardy said. "It gets played almost every night."
Calgary Karaoke Venues
SUNDAY:
Molly Malone's Irish Pub - 1153 Kensington Cres. N.W.
Tipperary's - 16th Ave & 19th Street. N.W.
Bootleggers - 3444 32 Ave. N.E.
Woody's Taphouse (Castleridge) - 55 Castleridge Blvd. N.E.
Ducky's - 2100 4th St. S.W.
Rusty Cage - 1690 37 St. S.W.
O'Sullivan's - 5809 MacLeod Trail S.W.
Riverbend Station - 40 Riverglen Dr. S.E.
The Shamrock - 2101 11 St. S.E.
MONDAY:
Ducky's - 2100 Fourth St. S.W.
TUESDAY:
Bootleggers - 3444 32 Ave. N.E.
Ducky's - 2100 Fourth St S.W.
Distillery - 634 Seventh Ave. S.W.
Rip's Pub & Eatery - 15 Millrise Blvd. S.W.
Lighthouse - 1140 137 Ave. S.E.
Olive Grove - 240 Midpark Way S.E.
WEDNESDAY:
Pig & Whistle Pub - 8120 Beddington Blvd. N.W.
Bar Local - 1075 Falconridge Dr. N.E.
Black Lion - 5401 Temple Dr. N.E.
Bootleggers - 3444 32 Ave. N.E.
Sunset & Vine - 1820 68 St. N.E.
Juliet's Castle - 440 16 Ave. N.E.
Woody's Taphouse - 55 Castleridge Blvd.N.E.
Ducky's - 2100 4 St. S.W.
Liberty Lounge - Mount Royal University
Vern's - 622 Eighth Ave. S.W.
THURSDAY:
Game Time Pub - 6219 Center St. N.W.
Hexters Pub - 6404 Bowness Rd. N.W.
Blue Lagoon - 5268 Marlborough Dr. N.E.
Bootleggers - 3444 32 Ave. N.E.
Derby's - 834 68 St. NE
La-Zee-Za Pizza & Pub - 12 Castleridge Blvd. N.E.
What about Bob's? - 1107 33 St. N.E.
Woody's Taphouse - 500 Country Hills Blvd. N.E.
Ducky's - 2100 4 St. S.W.
O'Sullivan's - 5809 Macleod Trail S.W.
Weaselhead Bar & Grill 4604 -37 St. S.W.
Woody's Taphouse -1919 Southland Dr. S.W.
Border Crossing - 1814 36 St. S.E.
Denim Suburban Pub - 950 Queensland Dr. S.E.
Glenn's Job Site (SE) - 5269 Memorial Dr. S.E.
Governors Restaurant - 675 Acadia Dr. S.E.
Regal Beagle Pub - 180 94 Ave. S.E.
Stonegate Pub - 7640 Fairmont Dr. S.E.
FRIDAY:
Manhattan's Spirits & Eatery - 34 Edgedale Dr. N.W.
Pazzer's Pub - 5032 16 Ave. N.W.
Point & Feather Pub 735 - Ranchlands Blvd. N.W.
Silver Point - 5920 Silversprings Blvd. N.W.
Regal Beagle - 410 14th St. N.W.
Rips - 38 Crowfoot Cr. N.W.
Black Lion – 5401 Temple Dr. N.E.
Bootleggers - 3444 32 Ave. N.E.
Derby's - 834 68 St. N.E.
Glenn's Job Site - 2681 36 St. N.E.
Juliet's Castle - 440 16 Ave. N.E.
La-Zee-Za Pizza & Pub - 12 Castleridge Blvd. N.E.
Shotz Bar & Grill - 3350 34 St. N.E.
What about Bob's? - 1107 33 St. N.E.
Boston Pizza - 12445 Lake Fraser Dr. S.W.
Ducky's - 2100 Fourth St. S.W.
Money pennies - 1742 10 Ave. S.W.
On the Rocks - 1065 Canyon Meadows Dr. S.W.
O'Sullivan's - 5809 Macleod Trail S.W.
Weaselhead Bar & Grill - 4604 37th St. S.W.
Boston Pizza - 7 Heritage Gate S.E.
Deerfoot Inn - 11500 35 Street S.E.
Glenn's Job Site 2 - 5269 Memorial Dr S.E.
Stonegate Pub - 7640 Fairmont Dr S.E.
St. Vivians - 16666 McKenzie Lk. Blvd. S.E.
Kokonut Kove - 3309 17 Ave. S.E
SATURDAY:
Game Time Pub - 6219 Center St. N.W.
Manhattan's Spirits & Eatery - 34 Edgedale Dr. N.W.
Point & Feather Pub - 735 Ranchlands Blvd. N.W.
Rip's Eatery - 838 Crowfoot Cr. N.W.
Silver Point - 5920 Silversprings Blvd. N.W.
Stolo's Pizza - 6219 Center St.N.W.
Black Lion - 5401 Temple Dr. N.E.
Bootleggers - 3444 32 Ave. N.E.
Derby's - 834 68 St. N.E.
Glenn's Job Site - 2681 36 St. N.E.
La-Zee-Za Pizza & Pub - 12 Castleridge Blvd. N.E.
What about Bob's? - 1107 33 St. N.E.
Ducky's - 2100 4th St. S.W.
Gators - 2525 Woodview Dr. S.W.
Garrison Pub - 2040 42 Ave. S.W.
O'Sullvan's - 5809 Macleod Trail S.W.
Plato's - 2835 37 St. S.W.
Shuckaluck's - 11440 Braeside Dr. S.W.
Weaselhead Bar & Grill - 4604 37th St. S.W.
Woody's Taphouse - 1919 Southland Dr. S.W.
Baja Bar & Grill - 460 Erinwoods Dr. S.E.
Deerfoot Casino - Deerfoot & Barlow Tr. S.E.
Glenn's Job Site 2 - 5269 Memorial Dr. S.E.
Lighthouse - 1140 137 Ave. S.E.
The Spillery - 2016 Spiller Rd. S.E.
Stetson Saloon - 10002 McLeod Tr. S.E.
Stonegate Pub - 7640 Fairmont Dr. S.E.
List provided by: www.karaokecalgary.com
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