As my first season with NKL comes to a close this Thursday, I have absolutely no complaints. I've made some amazing new friends, and have some awesome pictures that are sure to be a conversation starter. Ego's is a WONDERFUL host, and everyone involved is just the friendliest down to earth group of people I know. I will definitely be coming back next season!
Review Source:I've been involved in the NKL for several years now, and it's one of the most fun activities around with an amazing community of people involved in it. Â Well worth your valuable time.
The basic idea is that you get on a team with people and, as a team, do three songs each week. Â You can have a team already, or come in as an individual and let them set you up on a team. Â It's very friendly to newcomers, and each team generally has a few new people on it. Â The audience will vote for their favorite performances, and over the course of the season, eventually a champion is crowned. Â But it's way more than just singing. Â In fact, singing ability isn't even a major factor. Â There's costumes, performances, and choreography in addition to the singing, and it's an environment where enthusiasm counts for more than ability.
They have two divisions in town: one up north at the Canary Roost and the other down south at Ego's, so you have options as to where you want to go. Â There are three seasons a year, each lasting about two and a half months with weekly competition.
But as much fun as it is to perform and see what everyone else comes up with (and, believe me, it's really amazing to see what gets done), what I really love about NKL are the people involved. Â It's a really diverse crowd where you really can't predict what kinds of folks you'll encounter. Â The quality that unifies them, though, is that they all like to perform and they all like to have a good time. Â The folks that I've met through NKL are insanely fun and interesting and awesome.
Bottom line is that there's really never anything boring in NKL, and you're sure to meet a ton of cool people. Â Participating has been one of the best things I've done.
Since no one has provided commentary for the last year, I would like to contribute my personal experiences with NKL.
First of all, I am a newbie--and after a year and a half of wandering around Austin trying to find a local hang out where I could meet people, I happened to stumble into Egos on a Thursday night in desperate search for Karaoke and a good time.
With me was my friend Patrick.
We look around, there's two people at the bar with afro wigs. Another patron walks in with chaps on. I look at Patrick and say, "I guess we missed the notice that it's wig night..." and then I look over and notice Master Shake in the corner.
After being rebuffed by the Karaoke Jocky with a snort, "Karaoke's only for NKL until 10!" we decided to grab a booth and watch.
We snag someone in a white lab coat (now my teammate) and ask  what is going on: "It's National Karaoke League! It's the last night of the regular season. We're all on teams and we take turns singing--it's a lot of fun. Excuse me, I have to go." The young man runs up to the stage and proceeds to strip off his lab coat--and is wearing a full S&M harness underneath. As he hoods himself and unzipps his mask to let his voice be heard on the mike ("I wanna sex you up" I believe), Patrick reminds me to close my mouth (my unhinged jaw is on floor in shock).
We watch the rest of the performances in awe--"Maniac" from flash dance, where I wait to see a nip slip as she bounces up and down on the stage in a full run-in-place with only a bandeau bra and a homemade leotard, a full corseted drag performance of "No More I Love Yous" where the man singing has a full beard and the best Annie Lenox voice I've ever heard.
Then we are treated to "Thriller" replete with zombie costumes and of course, the signature dance.
After that number I Â run to the ladies room, and when I open the door, I find the bartender (who I now know as Laura) mopping up the floor covered in water and muttering, "fucking zombies."
As Patrick mounts the stage at 10 to sing his signature number "I want it that way" the zombies break out into their dance at his feet, and I look at him from the crowd, and he looks at me, and we both know.
We have to join.
My first season at NKL has not disappointed in the least. From seeing "The Human Centipede" in front of my eyes, to witnessing two "births", and spending countless hours with Patrick and 7 other people I didn't know, I have made wonderful friends--and even better memories. There's a picture of me dressed as a little boy, munching on a cupcake while the creepy old Herbert from Family Guy croons "Somewhere that's Green." There's pictures of teammembers half naked--almost totally naked--cross dressed, in the throes of passionate performance that we will have to one day explain to our kids. There's been drama and paranoia and politics and a whole lot of laughter.
And I cannot wait for next season.
Seriously, people.
Wednesday / Thursday nights are hands down my favorite nights of the week. Coming together with various groups of like minded people who just want to get together to provide the best, most ridiculous show they can? Yes, always.
Pay attention, Yelp. This is some of the best fun you could ever have. Come out. Have fun.
Ok, this is fun. It is not karaoke as you think of it, It is organized team competition. I imagine the folks that join and do this are the same crowd you will see in front of the screen at The rocky Horrror Picture Show. Always high on energy I recommend you either join this league or go what the competition if you want to have a good time.
Review Source:I participated in the first season of the National Karaoke League (NKL) and I have to admit that it was definitely an awesome way to start off the year! I love beer, karaoke, and meeting interesting people and the NKL fulfills plenty of this.
Whitney pretty much gave the run down of how it all works so I will skip that part. This is an event where you can enjoy yourself whether or not you are actually participating in the league. So I definitely recommend checking it out a night or two and bringing some friends.
Some people may think "I love karaoke, but I don't sing very good." Well, it's time to ditch that thought, because the NKL is not exclusively about having a good voice. Sure, the crowd may give a standing ovation to anyone who can perfect "Total Eclipse of the Heart", but this isn't American Idol, so there are plenty other ways to please a crowd without doing a perfect rendition of a song. Below are the different ways the crowd has been pleased during the spring season:
1) Good use of props. Guitar Hero guitar, rock gloves, and roses to throw worked awesome!
2) Energy and excitement. The table tops were not just for beers!
3) Crazy/Silly/Fun dance moves. You can't beat disco fever!!!
4) Costumes and hilarious impersonations of singers.
5) Backup dancing/singing.
6) Crowd participation. Nothing like starting a Conga Line at the right moment!
7) Good voice. Yes, this can work, but the first 6 are definitely more exciting.
The NKL delivers great entertainment for no charge if you are a spectator. If you wish to join, the sign on price is ridiculously low for all the fun you will have. Plus, the drink specials make up for your registration fee and then some!
As Whitney mentioned, the choice of establishment isn't exactly the greatest for large group karaoke. However, it was the best that could be done for the time being. I can definitely see the NKL taking off and becoming a well known event and maybe even ending up with it's own establishment some day in the future! Heck, even rock star bands start out taking what they can get!
As I said before, it is fun to just watch and vote for your favorite performance, but if you want to get the full effect you should join up! The summer league registration actually opens up today at noon and there is now another location up in North Austin. More details are on the official web site. Hope to see ya there!
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