How to Host a Karaoke Party
The biggest challenge of hosting a karaoke party is getting guests to sing. While many people enjoy singing along to the radio, crooning in front of a crowd without the benefit of a professional vocal track can be nerve-wracking. Eliminate the potential for stage fright by shifting the focus of the karaoke party from vocal ability to performance panache. Encourage guests to be big and bold when their turn at the microphone comes for a shot to win prizes in a range of outrageous categories. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Invitations
- Karaoke system (includes microphones and a monitor)
- Selection of karaoke CDs
- 3 to 5 song title catalogs
- Karaoke MC/DJ
- Sign up sheets
- Judge's evaluation sheets
- Table tent menus
- Prizes
Instructions
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1
Send out invitations detailing the playful tone of the karaoke party. Include a list of award categories, such as best bad duet, worst impromptu performance and best drag queen impersonation while singing a song by Cher or Barbara Streisand. Add a paragraph to the invitations encouraging guests to bring costumes to change into for their performances, as well as a sentence asking guests to send special performance song requests via e-mail prior to the party.
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Create a short list of favorite karaoke songs that groups enjoy singing together, such as "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge and "Y.M.C.A." by the Village People. Make sure that each song title is available in the selection of karaoke CDs and is listed in the song title catalogs. Also include each song's identifying catalog number next to the song title. Attach copies of the list to both sides of the table tent menus. Set the table tent menus around the event space as enticers to encourage guests to perform.
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3
Design a sign-up sheet with four columns. Label the first column as 'name,' the second column as 'song title,' the third column as 'title ID number' and the fourth as prize contender category. Include instructions at the top informing guests to cross out the fourth column space if they do not intend their performance to be judged for a prize. Print out several copies to ensure the sign-up sheet does not run out of room during the event.
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Select comical prizes that match the outrageous categories, such as a Cher doll or a feather boa for the drag queen category.
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Devise a tentative set list of special performances that guests have committed to performing via e-mail. Give the set list to the Karaoke DJ/MC to aid them in locating the appropriate karaoke CDs and prepping the karaoke system prior to the event. Ask the DJ/MC to announce each performer by their name, the song title and which category, if any, they'll be competing in.
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Enlist several friends to serve as judges for the performances. Give them each their own judge's evaluation sheet which lists the performance categories. Ask them to write down the performers in each category and rate them with either a five-point scale or a simple, 'yes, no or maybe' scale.
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Set up the karaoke system following the included instructions. Make sure to set up in a prominent location in the event space, such as on a raised platform or stage. Display the prizes on a table near the performance area, labeling each prize with the appropriate outrageous award category.
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Mingle with the crowd as the party begins, encouraging them to check out the prizes, look through the song title catalogs and sign up to sing their first songs. Break the ice by performing a number as the event host, either alone or with a group of friends. Trust the DJ/MC to keep the music going and the judges to pick the winners. Hand out the prizes when the party reaches its pinnacle.
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Tips & Warnings
Ask the DJ/MC to play the background tracks to popular songs as the party begins, and whenever there is a lull between singers, singing along to familiar music from their seats will encourage guests to try it in front of the microphone.
Resources
- Photo Credit macro shot of a lady singer image by Peter Baxter from Fotolia.com
