London Calling – Rockaoke @ Madame Jojos
rockaoke news
ROCKAOKE @ London 2012
The official ROCKAOKE band for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games
@ The Globe, Olympic Village (fri 10 august 2012) and Paralympic Village (fri 7 september 2012)
The road to London 2012 started for ROCKAOKE in July 2011 when we played at the World Corporate Games at Loughborough University. Amongst the heavily fancy dressed crowd that night were a large group of Baywatch bikini clad partiers who sang loudest, danced longest and had so much fun that we thought we definitely wanted to play for them again. As it turns out, those crazy cats were from LOCOGand they were organising the Olympics!
Fast forward 12 months and a run around the houses that would have had Mo Farah gasping for air, we found ourselves in the gloriously lucky position of being invited to play for the athletes, in their village at both the Olympic and Paralympic games and subsequently being crowned the official Rockaoke band of London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
The gigs were brilliant, as we gave competing athletes the chance to let their hair down, in some cases the day before their events, and relax during what in many cases was the most important two weeks of their lives. We turned track stars into rockstars in many guises, with highlights including the improvised rap skills of the Dominican Republic 400 metre champion. There was also the Chinese Paralympian Bozun Yang who won 3 golds, 2 silvers and a bronze in the pool before taking home the Rockaoke top gong for his dominant displays of Bon Jovi classics.
Everyone, from the athletes to the venue staff, LOCOG crew and ourselves had a brilliant time and we were especially chuffed that the LOCOG staff asked us to come back and play at their own, internal closing ceremony.
The whole experience was extremely humbling and massively inspiring. We were honoured to be part of London 2012 and play our little (rock and) role in such a wonderful summer.
Big Stage ROCKAOKE @ CHRIS EVANS’ Carfest!
Carfest South (sat 25th August 2012) @ Laverstoke Farm, Hampshire and Carfest North (sat 8th September 2012) @ Cholmondely Castle, Cheshire.
“…the best thing I have EVER seen!” – Chris Evans
It’s always been a Rockaoke dream to give want to be rockstars the chance to shine on the biggest stages. The ultimate goal of course remains Wembley Stadium, but we continued on our noble quest this summer with a couple of sensational sets at Chris Evans’ SOLD OUT Carfest events.
In late August in Hampshire at Laverstoke Park and then a few weeks later in the glorious surrounds of Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire we played to our largest crowds to date. At each gig we opened for the likes of The Proclaimers, Razorlight, Paloma Faith and Texas and pulled festival goers out of the crowd to front their own band with over 10,000 people chanting their names.
Chris Evans was on hand to co-host, jolly the singers along and crack through a few numbers himself. In fact it was the words of the nation’s most successful broadcaster to the gathered masses that describe perfectly how awesome it was, “That is the best thing I have EVER seen!”. If you have read his autobiographies you will realise the enormity of the statement. He has seen a lot!
Here are some YouTube highlights from Carfest 2012
Rockaoke @ Star of Kings
LAST FRIDAY of every month @ STAR OF KINGS, KINGS CROSS
Fri 30 March
Fri 27 April
Fri 25 May
21:00 – 02:00 – entry is free !!!
126 York Way,
London,
N1 0AX
signup to sing @
www.rockaokenights.com/starofkings
Strap on your air guitar, select your favourite anthem….Rockaoke is here on the last Fri of every Month. Fresh from a string of amazing performances with us, The Star welcomes back Rockaoke for their monthly residency.
Fri 30 March
Fri 27 April
Fri 25 May
21:00 – 02:00 – admission is free !!!
click here – to see photo’s from february’s gig (photos by www.ruperthitchcox.co.uk)
Arrive early to guarantee a seat and singing spot. Booking is advisable via 020 7278 9708.
You know the score. They play the tunes. You sing them. Fame, fortune and the inevitable downfall await you…
Sign up to sing @ www.rockaokenights.com/starofkings
ROCKAOKE back @ The Empire, Belfast
Excited about the MTV EMA awards hitting our Nation’s capital? Worried you might not get a ticket? Reckon you could do a better job than Gaga or the Chili Peppers anyway?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above then have WE got a treat for you……
Strap on your air guitar, select your favourite anthem…..THE One and Only Rockaoke are coming back to Belfast!
A professional rock band consisting of session musicians who have played alongside the likes of Jarvis Cocker and Def Leppard, Rockaoke has revolutionalized the world of karaoke! Choosing to work without a lead vocalist they instead invite members of the audience on stage to perform a set of classic rock covers with a sprinkling of disco and cheese thrown in for good measure.
Rockaoke first hit the road in 2003 and have since performed with a staggering 30,000 + individual lead singers. They made national headlines in 2006 when Kaiser Chief, Ricky Wilson jumped on stage with them to sing his very own “I Predict a Riot.” The band are well known on the international music festival circuit having played everywhere from Bestival to V, Latitude to Leeds. They have also toured the UK as house band for the BBC Radio 1 Chris Moyles Breakfast Show (featuring an array of celebrity guest vocalists including Justin Lee Collins, James Corden, Alexandra Burke and Patrick Kielty)
The 12th November marks Rockaoke’s fourth show at Belfast’s Empire Music Hall, having sold out three times before and performed there with some of their favourite singers of all time. Describing the Empire as one of their top places to play Rockaoke can’t wait to return to our shores to take to the stage with old friends and new.
Referred to as “Karaoke’s much cooler, older brother,” the second best thing to do in London by THE TIMES and “the best night out in Belfast in ages” by GO Belfast magazine, with Rockaoke satisfaction is ALWAYS guaranteed. With a firm fan base in Belfast this gig is sure to be another memorable and supersonic occasion. So…whether you are looking for your five glorious minutes of fame or just want to lend your support to those brave enough to take to the stage, make sure you join us for the return of Rockaoke,
Tickets are priced £10 are can be purchased here:
http://www.thebelfastempir e.com/musicHall/rockeoke.html
(Alternatively you can purchase over the bar in the Empire at any time to avoid the £1.50 per ticket online handling fee)
Here’s a video from ROCKAOKE @ THE EMPIRE on 29th jan 2011 – Kerrie smashing “Whole Lotta Rosie”…
Manchester Evening News Diary Party
VIP guests take the chance to become a rock star on stage
(click here to view the article – PDF)
It was a night for all of our guests to show off their hidden skills on stage at our Diary Party. For party band Rockaoke gave our VIP guests the chance to become a rock star for the night by grabbing the mic.
Hollyoaks star Andy Moss had everyone up and dancing with his version of Kings of Leon hit Sex On Fire, while Capital FM DJ Nigel “Wingman” Clucas kicked off proceedings with a swaggering duet of Oasis hit Rock ‘n’ Roll star alongside the inimitable DJ Dave Foran.
Among others showing off their impressive vocals were ex-Emmerdale and Candy Cabs star Danielle Henry, celebrity hairdresser Andrew Barn and yes, even The Diary may have been persuaded up on stage at one point, for a duet of It’s Raining Men alongside Hollyoaks star Nicole Barber-Lane.
Earlier in the night Coronation Street star Bruno Langley showcased his talent for singing, performing a host of swing classics as well as his versions of modern hits with his Wonderland Band.
Music runs in the family for Bruno – as his stunning siblings also performed at the bash, with a breathtaking set from The Langley Sisters of ’40s classics dressed in their elegant floor-length pistachio gowns.
Meanwhile Bruno’s Corrie co-tar Graeme Hawley was a real hit at the party – performing a DJ set of top dancefloor-filling tunes. Graeme took a break from all the dramatic shenanigans of his murderous Corrie character John Stape to head to our bash to show off his skills as a DJ that have seen him play at venues across Manchester.
Click here to see more photos on the MEN website…
Thursdays @ Tooting Tram & Social
Thursday ROCKAOKE NIGHTS @ Tooting Tram & Social!
Starts thursday april 21st 2011. Sign up to sing online @ www.rockaokenights.com/tooting
Free entry!
Band on stage from 8.30pm til midnight.
Japan Tsunami Fundraiser
Please join us in our efforts to raise money for all those affected. We are having a fundraising evening packed full of great entertainment
The massive earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck Japan on 11 March have caused widespread destruction and suffering. More than 8,000 people have died in the disaster, thousands are injured and at least 12,000 are missing. Many people are living in evacuation centres as 14,000 homes have been destroyed and around 100,000 are damaged.
Wednesday 30th March at Karaoke Box Smithfield from 7pm onwards
Kwadjo & the Stars will be back playing their classic blend of funky tunes!
The Rockaoke Band are back for our usual last Wednesday of the month night and are looking forward to helping us raise as much as possible on the night. They will be on stage from 9pm – 11pm ready for you to get up and be the lead singer for a song or two
Sing with the Rockaoke band
A live backline of drums, bass and guitar and you singing vocals from a selection of 200 songs.
Sign up to sing @ www.rockaokenights.com/karaokebox
Band on from 9pm – 11pm
Entrance Fee £10 (includes a drink and some nibbles)
Drinks on special offer on the night! All proceeds to be donated to the relief effort.
For more information about Rockaoke or any of our Wednesday events please contactafandi@karaokebox.co.uk or call us on 020 7329 9991.
Who Nose the Rose?
“Let em say we’re crazy, I don’t care about that, put your hand in my hand baby, don’t ever look baaaacccck”
As we valiantly sang those words at 11:32 last night I imagine most people in The Rose, especially those on stage were questioning our sanity.
It had all started 3 and a half hours earlier, when at the beginning of our Red Nose Rockaoke night we rather foolishly guaranteed that everyone who wanted to sing would get at least one song. It’s for charity after all, what’s a band to do. And so we rocked and rocked and rocked until we had squeezed all the sweat and energy from our foreheads, strings, drums, lights, the rockstars, the pub and it’s staff. I’m pretty sure the door said “thank f@*k for that” when I closed it on the way out.
The night opened in style with a huge slice of big bad Jon Bon Jovi. Helena ( the organiser ) and her Red Nose crew set the standard for the rest of the nights rockers by laying down a storming version of Living on a Prayer. This got the crowd going and the first set flew by at ferocious pace with Sweet Child of Mine, Mr Brightside and You Really Got Me building to a Roger Innocenti shaped Simply the Best crescendo to close.
The second set bought around a semi naked rendition of Sex on Fire with Steve George struggling to raise the necessary £10 to whip his top off. Sophie from Surrey came up trumps though and coughed up the cash for him to reveal himself to the audience. She then kindly offered to do a number in the buff for £20. I wish I hadn’t bought all those red noses at the start of the night. We are now very seriously considering making “naked song” a regular part of the show. The performance of the night came from the middle of the second set when Jon caught hold of I Believe in a thing called Love by The Darkness. He grabbed it by the collar, spanked it and sent it home like a naughty little school boy.
By the time the third set came around, the last tube catchers had made theirs moves and we were left with a slightly smaller, unquestionably drunker but nonetheless resolutely rocking red nose massive. They were in for a treat however as we unleashed a volley of dirty rock anthems to tie the night up. Killing in the Name of, Nobody Knows and Whole Lotta Rosie got dusted off and thrashed about, but to be honest, by that point in the evening it wasn’t really a fair fight and we nearly didn’t make it out of the ring.
And so we made it to Helena’s swangsong at the end of a wonderful evening. The might of Starship’s Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now carried us all home on a Red Nose shaped cloud and even now my ears are still ringing. All in all we busted through the best part of 40 songs in 3 hours, raised around £900 for Red Nose Day and agreed that this felt like the start of a beautiful relationship.
This year The Rose, next year Wembley.
Job done.
x
ROCKAOKE @ The Camden Crawl 2011
FRINGE PROGRAMME LINE UP & EVENING VENUE CURATORS ANNOUNCED
In very different fashion from the coinciding Royalist festivities, Gaymers Camden Crawl, scheduled to take place Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May 2011, will celebrate its 10th birthday edition since its inception in 1995 on the May Bank Holiday Weekend.
Swift on the heels of selling out its early bird weekend tickets, the Crawl is pleased to reveal the first stage of its line up announcements for 2011. Over the past four years, the festival’s daytime fringe programme of cutting edge arts and music has continued to flourish on a par with its legendary rock & roll evening extravaganza. During the daylight hours the main thoroughfares of Camden will literally burst at the seams with a vast array of comedic talent, visual art and crafts exhibitions, spoken word and performance theatre, interactive events & games and, of course, live music.
Sprawling across more than twenty venues, the Crawl daytime schedule of events kicks off from midday on both days of the weekend and runs until 6:00 pm when the evening live music scramble begins. Upon arrival at the festival each ticket holder will be presented with an all-access wristband, programme guide, timetable and free download album to help plot his/her day’s adventure. ‘Crawlers’ will be granted unlimited access to all official daytime and evening venues and parties capacity permitting.
The 2011 confirmed daytime fringe line up includes the UKs 2 coolest karaoke shows:
HIP HOP KARAOKE (Saturday @ The Ice Wharf)
Putting a fresh twist on the ancient art of karaoke, the legendary Hip-Hop Karaoke lets you get on the mic and act out your rap fantasies to the fullest. With over 150 songs to choose from the set-up includes everything that an authentic hip-hop live show does,. DJ Rob Pursey and comperes Marc Choice and Bobby Champagne Jnr.. Lose yourself!
ROCKAOKE (Sunday @ The Ice Wharf)
The ultimate rockstar experience that is Rockaoke first hit the road in 2003 and have since performed with an estimated 24,000 individual lead singers. Rockaoke has slowly been taking over the world residencies in some of London’s most prestigious clubs to high profile appearances at festivals and of course the 2010 Crawl aftershow party.