J| Crooners and squawkers alike
belt it out at karaoke night
BY DAN JONES
FREELANCE REPORTER
In 2004 the Lion’s Den
Lounge in the Eugene Red
Lion Hotel held an unusual
karaoke night. “Will and
Grace” star Eric McCormack,
“Batman & Robin” actor Chris
O’Donnell and actress Erika
Christensen of “Swimfan”
candidly hit the highs and
lows with Eugene residents
while in town during the
shooting of the film "The Sis
ters.” The celebrities were
surrounded by a crowd with
at least one thing in common:
a passion for karaoke.
“All of them seemed
to have a good time,”
Lounge Supervisor Brian
Johnson said.
Karaoke, a form of art, en
tertainment, occasionally self
inflicted embarrassment, and
performance, runs rampant
nearly every day of the week
at various bars and lounges in
Eugene. The 21-and-over set doesn’t need
celebrity credentials, or even a decent voice,
to have a blast.
At the Red Lion Hotel, 205 Coburg Road,
karaoke is held weekly on Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m.
to 2:30 a.m. in the lounge. Dan Henson, of
Dan Henson’s Classic Karaoke, is booked
four nights in a row.
Wednesday is “Wrangler Night,” and par
ticipants are encouraged to pull out their
tightest jeans and cowboy boots and sing
along with the likes of Brooks and Dunn,
among other country music names.
Predictably, Johnson said Friday and Sat
urday are the busiest nights, attracting 50 to
70 spectators and singers.
“It can get pretty packed,” Johnson said.
According to Johnson, college students
are common at the lounge on weekends
and mix in comfortably with older
crowds. Henson knows how to please
all types.
“His music is really eclectic. (He)
does a lot of dance music and will mix
it up throughout the night depending
on what people want. He is very pro
fessional and has a great sense of
what people want,” Johnson said.
At the Black Forest, located at 50 E.
11th Ave., Jared Ritzer puts on a com
pilation that ranges from old stan
dards, courtesy of Sinatra, to new ra
dio spins by modern-day divas. On
Sunday and Monday, beginning at
around 9 p.m. and concluding
around 2 a.m., “scary-oke,” as one of
the bartenders has taken to calling it,
fills the air.
“I know it sounds corny, but I en
joy seeing people having fun and
singing,” Ritzer said.
The DJ has been at Black Forest for
three years and working in Eugene
for 10 years, although he originally
started in Las Vegas 15 years ago.
Ritzer and three others, known as
Caught in the Act Productions, run 11
shows a week.
Jessica Paine, assistant manager at
Black Forest, said typically almost
two dozen singers give it their all, but
nearly that many prefer to just watch
the show.
“About 30 to 40 percent are stu
dents. It is a wide demographic. We
get 21 and up to the 60s. They all
seem to be enjoying it,” Paine said.
The lounge also hosts an annual
karaoke tournament once a year. The
promotional event normally includes
a $1,000 first prize. Participants pay
$5 to “try out" and can re-buy into
the tournament at various times if
they do not qualify for the semi-fi
nals. The last contest was held ap
proximately five months ago, accord
ing to Paine.
Jeb Wilhelm, a bartender at the
Downtown Lounge (Diablo’s is up
stairs), located at 959 Pearl St., said
Sunday nights are kung-fu themed
and attract regulars. The lounge plays
classic kung fu films, such as 1979’s
“Dragon Fist,” which features a
young Jackie Chan.
“Every night we get the same
group of people: A bunch of really
good singers from the U of O. Rough
ly 60 percent are college students,”
he said.
University student, staff member
and DJ Dave Gomez lights up the
party for anywhere between 20 to 60
customers with rock, R&B, rap and
even some seasonal tunes between
10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
“The staff essentially helps people
have a good time. People come in,
have drinks, sing songs and have
fun,” Wilhelm said.
All across town there is consensus
about the vocal qualities necessary
for karaoke: great singers and not-so
great alike are welcome.
“No one ever judges you,” Paine
said. “Even bad singers are
applauded.”
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