Best practices for a sizzlin' summer karaoke party

The days are longer and the sun is shining, what better way to take advantage than a summer karaoke get together. Here are some tips for making sure your karaoke soirée goes off without a hitch.

Think of the neighbors

• Not everybody is on holiday at the same time as you, so avoid weekdays and stick to a Friday or Saturday.
• Notify them. A karaoke night is bound to get things moving and grooving so be as respectful as possible with a quick note on a building door. Even better, a knock at the door alerting them to your party could be a way to not only make nice, but to add one more to the mix. The more the merrier, no?

System set-up
A karaoke session worthy of the name requires a few prerequisites in terms of hardware, otherwise it’d be known as a cappella and a sheet of paper ;-p So make sure you’ve checked the following off your list:

• A screen ( TV, computer, video projector, tablet or smartphone )
• A sound system ( home cinema, hi-fi system or computer speakers)
• One or more microphones (wireless if possible)
• KaraFun and it’s Party Pass (2 days) is perfect for 48-hours of singer’s delight (did we mention it’s only $ 5.99)

Connect beforehand and test it out just to be safe. Wouldn’t want any unpleasant internet surprises on D-Day.

Make room
Plan a wide enough space around the sound system. Wouldn’t want Great Aunt Bertha’s porcelain bowl to get smashed, so make sure you’ve got enough room when guests improvise the Macarena or YMCA.

Food and Drinks
Hungry guests make for unhappy soirées even when karaoke is involved! Make sure to have munchies on hand but try to avoid the following: spicy foods, throat irritants, soft drinks (they can interfere with the course of a song because of reflux) and oily finger foods, (this one is only assuming that you care about your mic). Instead, serve up cocktail drinks. They have been proven to be liquid courage and just may help loosen up the mood!

Dress up
While not mandatory, a costume-themed party can certainly jazz up your karaoke night. Imagine Michael or John sauntering around your living room! Here are a few ideas: 80s, disco, western evening, Rock out, Artists starting with the letter ‘....,’ tropical, etc.

The Playlist
This is probably the most important of all. Your playlist should be well thought out:

• Don’t add only songs that you like! Choose instead popular songs that everyone knows, likes and can sing together.
• Vary it up in genres and artists keeping your guests on their toes.
• You know your guests and you likely know what they like. Be sure to sneak a few of their favorites in to put everybody at ease.
• Surprise! Imagine your manly-man friend singing along to a little Britney.
Sneak in some funny songs for some good times.
• Time it out: don’t choose a group of slow songs followed by a group of faster ones. Mix them up to keep the pace and soirée going.

Events

• To break the ice and not let the shy ones off the hook and the extroverts hog the mic, opt for a draw. Place the names of the participants on slips of paper in a bowl and songs in another.
• Arbitrarily pair up guests helping them make new friends and making them feel more confident.
• Top off the session with a prize for the best singer or the worst if your guests are not afraid of self-mockery.