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HERE ARE SOME PLACES TO SING TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT IN LAWRENCE AND BEYOND.
// MICHAEL BEDNAR
From sassy gay bars to costume nights, Kansas City and Lawrence offer a diverse array of karaoke experiences, sure to please all those souls who want to spend their nights gulping down drink specials and singing '80s classics. Unsure where to go? Lost in a sea of choices? Haven't yet realized your potential to slay 'em with your rendition of "If I Could Turn Back Time?" Never fear. Here are three starting points for your entry into the world of karaoke.
song variety and friendly atmosphere are what make the experience so appealing.
Need a little camp with your karaoke? Head over to Hamburger Mary's, at 101 Southwest Boulevard in downtown Kansas City, Mo., on Monday nights. The walls are outrageous shades of blue, purple and red, and pictures of gay icons adorn the walls (Liza Minnelli and Donna Summer, just to name a couple). You don't need to sing like Judy Garland to have a good time, though, which is precisely what keeps Garrett Robinson, a senior from Wichita, coming back. He says the bar's intimate setting,
Hamburger Mary's
Although Robinson usually enjoys watching people more than singing, he'll indulge every once in a while. "I've never considered myself a soloist," he says. "I'm more of an ensemblist. But I've done a couple duets and some show tunes to get the gay out of me."
Even if you're not there to sing, you'll likely get a show. "It was pretty wild," Jennifer Stevens, Shawnee senior, says. "Random people would get on the tables. This guy was in a leopard busting it to 'Single Ladies.'"
But the entertainment doesn't stop at singing. Chad Slater, Hamburger Mary's' karaoke DJ, likes to play short clips from Saturday Night Live or from movies to break up the monotony of singing, he says.
no less entertained. Alex Fischer, a graduate student from Jefferson City, Mo., doesn't sing in public, but that hasn't stopped him from going at least once a month. "It's an interesting place in that you can have people in their 50s and 60s and people in their 20s in the same atmosphere,
Wayne and Larry's
You might not see anyone busting a move in a leotard at Wayne and Larry's, 933 Iowa, on Tuesday nights, but patrons are sure to be
and they're all having fun," Fischer says.
On a typical night at Wayne and Larry's you might see anything from spirited renditions of Katy Perry's "California Girls," complete with wild dancing around the room, to the standard Meat Loaf and Celine Dion epics. Wayne and Larry's karaoke DJ Marc Garcia also praises its laid-back, anything-goes atmosphere. Of course, $4 Long Island Iceed Teas on Monday nights may be a contributing factor to that.
Jazzhaus
At Jazzhaus, 926 1/2 Massachusetts Street. every Monday night is like a mini-Halloween, with singing to go along with the costumes. Past themes have included clowns, homecoming, '80s attire, Christmas attire and even a "dress like a bathtub" night. "I like to find creative ways to entertain people," Tanya "McNaughty" McNeely, DJ and Jazzhaus co-owner, says. "Even if you're not a great singer, you can still have fun."
McNeely saw how successful open mic nights were at Jazzhaus and decided to buy the equipment for karaoke, and people's interest has been growing ever since. Maddy Smith, Shawnee senior, says that Jazzhaus' karaoke night is her favorite in Lawrence because of the unique atmosphere and the effort people put into their costumes. The creative vibe extends to people's performances, too. McNeeley recalls one time that a group of boys turned Bob Dylan's protest classic "Blowin' In the Wind" into a hip-hop song.
If you're a first-time karaoke star, trying to find the right song in long karaoke books can be daunting. Here are popular song requests from local karaoke DJs to give you ideas on how to make your first experience successful.
Photo Illustration | Chris Bronson
Photo Illustration | Chris Bronson
Unchained melody: Stretch your vocal chords and cheer on your friends at places like Wayne and Larry's, or explore your options and find a bar with the right atmosphere for you.
Marc Garcia / Wayne and Larry's
Neil Diamond – “Sweet Caroline”
Carrie Underwood – “Before He Cheats”
Grease Cast – “Summer Nights”
Chad Slater / Hamburger Mary's
Garth Brooks - "Friends In Low Places"
Any Lady Gaga
Any Matchbox 20
Ianya McNeely / Jazzhaus
4 Non Blondes – “What's Up”
Michael Jackson – “Beat It”
Radiohead – “Creep”
02
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lakes. Wade "Dancing ons for the spring weather as much, could be a involved," aber said. ward stuhey don't but.
Ashliegh Lee/KANSAN
Ashley Lee/AMRXZ
Baby Jay and Matt Rodriguez perform Thursday night at the first annual SUA Dancing With the Stars. The pair took first place with a free style dance
Activities. Dancers included Michael Wade Smith, the student body president, Shade Keys Little, Chancellor Grey-Little's husband, and Baby Jay, among many others.
The winner by popular vote was Matt Rodriguez, a senior majoring in dance as well as a member of the KU Dance Company, with Baby Jay performing a free style number. They opened up with "It Takes Two", by Base Rob and transitioned into "Push It," by Salt-
Jay," because "you just have to love Baby Jay."
Rissien's original partner tore her Achilles' heel recently, so Buschini only had a week to learn the complex and fast-paced dance.
Jim MacAuley, a professional dancer at Paramount, said that it would normally take six months for professionals to master these dances; the performers last night had only one. While a few groups admitted to messing up a few steps, overall every group scored well and
edited by sarah Gregory
KUJH TV-News
OFFICER | 3A
For more coverage of this story, check out KUJH's newscast today at 4 p.m.
University hires new officer for non-academic misconduct
POLO | 2A
Nick Kehrwald is filling the newly-created position with hopes of being proactive in student conduct education.
A pair of University alumni and a Lawrencian draw attention to polo by adding bikes to it and bringing it to the streets.
Polo gets a bicycle makeover
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INDEX
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P. M. Showers
A. M. Light Wintery Mix
SUNDAY
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All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2011 The University Daily Kansan
Ben Kirtland, a former head of fundraising for Athletics, pleaded guilty in a Wichita court earlier this morning, said Jim Cross, a spokesman for the U.S. district attorney.
Kirtland's plea differs from the arrangement of the previous six defendants in that he did not enter a plea agreement with the
Kirtland pleads guilty in athletics scandal
TICKETS
BY ALEX GARRISON agarrison@kansan.com
The seventh and final defendant in the federal prosecution of several former Kansas Athletics employees has pleaded guilty to involvement in its ticket scandal.
"Although I do not know the exact value of the tickets I sold, I estimate the total value of the tickets I sold to be in excess of $120,000," he wrote in his petition to change his plea to guilty. "I acknowledge that I was conspiring to commit, and committing, a fraud upon the
In his plea submitted to the court, Kirtland admitted to illegally selling tickets to KU sporting events for his own financial gain from 2005 to 2009.
government, but rather entered a direct guilty plea, Cross said.
SEE TICKETS ON PAGE 3A
MEN'S BASKETBALL | 10A
Which guys are the glue that can keep it together?
Coach Bill Self plays with a lineup to see which combination of players is the most efficient offensively and defensively.
SENATE
Plans for service center delayed
BY ANGELIQUE MCNAUGHTON amcnaughton@kansan.com
One of the major platforms for KUnited coalition — the Student Services Center — won't be met this year because of unexpected delays in the process.
Megan Ritter, student body vice president, said they weren't at the stage they had hoped to be at.
The hope, she said, is that all platforms get done in a year but that isn't always the case.
Originally, Student Senate leaders had hoped to have concrete plans in place for the Student Service Center at the conclusion of the semester. Blaming bureaucratic interests, they said that might not happen after all.
"We just kind of entered into it not knowing really how much work it would be, but it's been a really good learning experience," Ritter said.
The center would encompass a variety of services, such as academic achievement and success, disability services and a writing center, that the leaders of Student Senate believe would
中
The location of the center would ultimately dictate what services would be offered, which still remains a primary concern.
improve student engagement and performance through accessibility. Ideally, the building would include seven to 10 services.
In an e-mail, provost jeffrey Vitter said the Univeristy ultimately had the responsibility to decide whether to proceed with a project and to determine its location.
From the beginning, the top three choices for the site are the Burge Union, Anschutz Library and the parking lot across from the Kansas Union. Renovations or additions to existing structures would accommodate the new building but temporarily displace or relocate staff and faculty.
"I expect that this approach will allow us to plan more effectively and avoid dead ends and that process will more successfully mesh with student initiatives if the relevant discussions happen earlier rather than later," Vitter said.
Student Body President Michael Wade Smith said the University
SEE SENATE ON PAGE 3A