ROCKAOKE Sundays @ PROUD, Camden - launch night 23 may 2010
ROCKAOKE NIGHTS return to the home of karaoke’s much cooler older bro’ – PROUD, Camden.
ROCKAOKE are the UKs original karaoke rock band, inviting their audience to live the dream by jumping on stage, grabbing the mic, fronting their own live rock band and getting a crowd going crazy.
The band and the concept made headlines back in 2006 when Ricky Wilson jumped on stage with ROCKAOKE @ IBIZA ROCKS to sing “I Predict a Riot”.
One of the last bands to play the old PROUD GALLERIES back in august 2007, ROCKAOKE became a firm favourite at PROUD over the next few years.
ROCKAOKE have performed with over 25,000 different lead singers – all wannabe rockstars and some actual superstars like Justin Lee Collins, Alexandra Burke, Peter Andre, James Corden, Jeremy Clarkson etc…
Shows with CHRIS MOYLES in 2009 introduced ROCKAOKE to 8,000,000 Radio 1 listeners. In september 2009, the band toured with Chris to celebrate his show becoming the longest running Radio 1 breakfast show ever!
And now on 23/05/2010, ROCKAOKE are launching monthly Sunday ROCKAOKE NIGHTS @ PROUD.
So, if you want something cooler than karaoke but more interactive and hands-on than a live rock band, come down to ROCKAOKE NIGHTS @ PROUD and get your lips dirty!
OM crazy venues G! This is gonna be a right little winner!, as Danny would say.
After a slightly delayed start last night, due to Mat poncing around at a singing lesson, we managed to get on stage at about 8, full of pizza and topped up with Mojitos. What looked like being an intimate affair turned out to be a raucous free for all as the songs came in thick and fast.
Particular highlights included the one and only Roger Inocenti smashing the front and back doors out of Bon Jovi ( the bar tenders had to smother the glasses when he went awol on the top note near the end ). There was also a high voltage rendition of Don’t Stop Believing that nearly made me stop hearing ,and a very excited American contingent who stumbled upon us from their booth and got stuck into a bit of Blink 182.
Good news is that we think this night will be mega if the first one was owt to go by. It’s tough to find a good venue with cool staff and a ready flow of right minded peop’s to get on stage and have a smash, and Karaoke Box at Smithfields is definitely a goer. We just need to keep on telling the city folk that it’s there every other Wednesday and hopefully they’ll come down and help make it a cracker. There are even rumours of a Rockaoke themed Pizza being created especially! What dreams are made of…..I wonder if Kings of Leon have got their own pizza?
ROCKAOKE NIGHTS @ Karaoke Box, Smithfield - launch night 31/3/2010
LAUNCH NIGHT 31/3/2010 and every 2nd & last wednesday.
We are looking forward to our first ROCKAOKE NIGHT at Karaoke Box, Smithfield. It is live band karaoke’s first venture into hardcore karaoke territory in London and it will be interesting to see how we get on. Our nights at OK Karaoke in Leeds were successful – marred only by the tiny stage and the amount of Sambuca that seemed to find its way into our guitarist. Karaoke Box is small too – but the stage is OK and I think we are going to have a great night!
The signs are good. Already 10 songs requested at www.rockaokenights.com/karaokebox – get your song request in quick if you want to sing tomorrow. Admission is free and we will be on stage between 8-11pm.
The really good news is that there are drinks sponsors. Asahi beer – though I can’t help thinking that Singha beer would be a better fit at Karaoke Box. And Bacardi! That’s a dream come true for us. The Mojito is the official drink of Rockaoke as hotel night porter’s throughout the land will grudgingly vouch for. And now we have the name “Bacardi” on our flyers. Happy days.
Well so far this year ROCKAOKE at Punk in Soho has been shit-hot. We have been doing the second and last Fridays of the month at Punk, and ROCKAOKE has seen a packed house every time, with the usual array of weird and wonderful singers/performances. Some more memorable than others – i.e a very strange performance of “Poker Face” which the travelling fans from Sunderland (clearly a new thing to the North East massive) found quite off the wall!! Just a normal night a Punk then!
We have also seen the addition of two new ROCKAOKE boys – Steve (drums), and Al (Bass), to give the legends that are Basil and Jon a wee bit of respite from all the travelling. Jon and Basil must be the hardest working guys in showbiz!
With popularity of the live band karaoke concept growing week by week, Punk really is the coolest place in London to sing with ROCKAOKE.
We played in Brixton for the first time on saturday (27th march – Phil’s birthday). Was a great night @ Dex Club. Only threatening behaviour we encountered was the obligatory jobsworth parking attendant on Danny’s mission to acquire parking tickets in every London borough by the end of 2010. He missed out this time as drummer Steve assumed the mantle temporarily.
I was uncharacteristically on my toes. I sussed out the parking restrictions and parked some way off. Walking back to Dex Club I came across a chap trying to move a piano on his own. A thankless task – I offered my services naturally. And ended up pushing a piano from Brixton Village to the Dog Star.
London’s Cuckoo Club is not typical of the venues we have played. For a start, it costs about £25 to get in. Incredibly exclusive. So not exactly the class of punter that we started to out playing to in Sheffield and – errrr – Glasgow!
We did about 6 great shows at Cuckoo Club in 2009. There was usually a lot of hanging about. Then, turned midnight when everyone was ready, 45 minutes of rock mayhem! Rockaoke, casually straddles all boundaries of class, race, gender etc… And of course everyone loved it! They wanted to see more of us. But we were dead busy doing other gigs that happened to be paying better fees at the time. So I believe they even got another band in at one stage.
We almost landed a dream gig in Brindisi. One night we met this guy who wanted to fly us out to his villa and for us to spend the week there hanging out, rocking out etc… Sounded great to us. Less so to my wife. It didn’t come off though. I think I was just a bit too northern to take the guy seriously. It sounded a bit too good to be true. Maybe the other band went.
Anyway, we got a great article in COMPANY magazine’s october 2009 issue. “A Night Less Ordinary” was a very good description of our nights at Cuckoo Club. See the full article at https://www.rockaoke.com/company_oct_2009.pdf.
Last month we landed a gig at the prestigious Brits 2010 Aftershow. And the guy who booked us saw us at Cuckoo Club. So, no surprise we are keen to play at Cuckoo Club again in 2010. Because things happen down there…
Television stars are to front a live rock band for the first time in their careers.
And clear the Christmas decks for a battle of the bad boys, when Emmerdale’s Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) and Coronation Street’s jailbird John Stape (Graeme Hawley) go head to head as DJ’s for a night.
The star studded get together is to help raise much needed funds for BLESMA (British Limbless Ex Servicemen Association) and Macmillan Cancer Support, with stars from stage and screen coming together for one night only.
The celebrities will belt out rock, pop, funk and punk, followed by the DJ showdown at Manchester’s Moho Live venue, organised by Vital Management on December 8th 2009 .
Confirmed singers on the night include from Coronation Street: Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre), Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster), Shobna Gulati (Sunita Alahan), Lucian Laviscount (Ben Richardson), Sasha Parkinson (Sian Powers), Emma Edmondson (Mel Morton) and from Hollyoaks: Gerard McCarthy.
Also performing on the night will be Xfactor 2008 finalists Bad Lashes, Britannia High lead singer Marcquelle Ward, front man from Little Volcanoes Philip Quinn, Poppy Rush from hot Manchester band The Sticks, and Liverpudlian songstress Alison Crawford.
Presenting and attending VIP’s include Coronation Street beauties Helen Flanagan (Rosie Webster), Nikki Patel (Amber Alahan) and Hollyoaks hunk Anthony Quinlan.
Actress Michelle Keegan said: “I am really excited to be performing, but also a little nervous as I have only sung at home or at Karaoke with my friends. I think I will bring them all along for moral support!”
And Helen Flanagan said: “ The charities that will benefit from this special night do such an incredible job,and they really need support. I am happy to get involved and can’t wait to see all my friends from Corrie take to the stage.”
Organiser Laura Graham from Vital Management and Public Relations said:“This event will be totally unique and I hope all the guests will get in the mood for Christmas as well as raise some money for two charities that are very close to my heart.
“The support I have had from the stars and various companies who want to get involved has been amazing.
Top Backing band “Rockaoke” have played with some of the UK’s biggest stars. They performed with BBC Radio 1’s Chris Moyles for his summer tour and stars such as Justin Lee Collins, Peter Andre, James Corden, Davina McCall and the Kaiser Chiefs’ Ricky Wilson.
Laura added: “It’s the chance for people to live the dream…singing with a live band, with all the equipment and technology you get with a major concert.”
Michelle Keegan has turned rock chick ahead of taking to the microphone for a night of singing for charity.
Michelle Keegan will sing for charity
Michelle Keegan has turned rock chick ahead of taking to the microphone for a night of singing for charity.
The actress, who plays Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street, donned spike-heeled ankle boots, a blue minidress and a Flying V guitar ahead of joining a host of other soap stars to sing karaoke, accompanied by live band Rockaoke.
Michelle’s co-stars Helen Flanagan (Rosie Webster), Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster), Shobna Gulati (Sunita Alahan), Sasha Parkinson (Sian Powers), Nikki Patel (Amber Alahan), and Graeme Hawley (John Stape) will also show off their vocals at the event, which raises money for Blesma (British Limbless Ex-Servicemen Association) and Macmillan Cancer Support.
Other stars getting involved include Emmerdale’s Jeff Hordley (Cain Dingle), Hollyoaks actors Andrew Moss (Rhys Ashworth) Gerard McCarthy (Kris Fisher) and Helen Pearson (Frankie Osborne), along with some surprise guests.
They will be singing a mix of pop, rock, punk and soul classics.
Keegan said: “Rockaoke is going to be so much fun and I can’t wait to see all the various stars performing and enjoying the night.
“Rockaoke is a newish concept and the band who are playing have performed on stage with some pretty big stars such as Peter Andre, James Corden, Justin Lee Collins and Davina McCall so yes, I am a bit nervous!”
She added: “I have not decided what I will sing yet, but it will probably be a pop song with a rock edge, and I might have to rope in a friend or two for moral support!”
Charity Celebrity Rockaoke takes place at Manchester indie club Moho Live from 8pm on December 8.
Coronation Street star Michelle Keegan turns sexy rock chick for Manchester gig
Coronation Street star Michelle Keegan has turned rock chick ahead of taking to the microphone for a night of singing for charity in Manchester .
The actress, who plays Tina McIntyre in the ITV1 show, donned spike-heeled ankle boots, a blue minidress and a Flying V guitar ahead of joining a host of other soap stars to sing karaoke, accompanied by live band Rockaoke.
Keegan’s co-stars Helen Flanagan (Rosie Webster), Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster), Shobna Gulati (Sunita Alahan), Sasha Parkinson (Sian Powers), Nikki Patel (Amber Alahan), and Graeme Hawley (John Stape) will also show off their vocals at the event, which raises money for Blesma (British Limbless Ex-Servicemen Association) and Macmillan Cancer Support.
Other stars getting involved include Emmerdale’s Jeff Hordley (Cain Dingle), Hollyoaks actors Andrew Moss (Rhys Ashworth) Gerard McCarthy (Kris Fisher) and Helen Pearson (Frankie Osborne), along with some surprise guests.
They will be singing a mix of pop, rock, punk and soul classics.
Keegan said: “Rockaoke is going to be so much fun and I can’t wait to see all the various stars performing and enjoying the night.
“Rockaoke is a newish concept and the band who are playing have performed on stage with some pretty big stars such as Peter Andre, James Corden, Justin Lee Collins and Davina McCall so yes, I am a bit nervous!”
She said she is keen to help Blesma because she knows someone who serves with a bomb disposal unit in Afghanistan . Every day he risks his health and life. He told me just how much this charity needs help so I was more than happy to do what I can.”
She added: “I have not decided what I will sing yet, but it will probably be a pop song with a rock edge, and I might have to rope in a friend or two for moral support!”
Charity Celebrity Rockaoke takes place at Manchester indie club Moho Live from 8pm on December 8.
Coronation Street actress Michelle Keegan will sing Celebrity Rockaoke in aid of injured British soldiers.
The 22-year-old heads up the event at Manchester’s Moho Live and will belt out songs alongside Corrie co-stars Helen Flanagan (Rosie Webster) and Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster) to raise money for BLESMA (British Limbless Ex Servicemen Association) and Macmillan Cancer Support.
Speaking of the event, Keegan – who plays Weatherfield’s Tina McIntyre – said: “Rockaoke is going to be so much fun and I can’t wait to see all the various stars performing and enjoying the night.
“I’ve not decided what I will sing yet, but it will probably be a pop song with a rock edge – and I might have to rope in a friend or two for moral support!
“BLESMA is an underfunded but vital armed forces charity that really needs some help,” she continued. “I know someone who serves with 11 EOD REGT RLC Bomb Disposal Unit in Afghanistan and every day he risks his health and life. He told me just how much this charity needs help so I was more than happy to do what I can.”
She added: “Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer. They provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care. This is a charity very close to my heart.”
Other Corrie stars expected to take part include Shobna Gulati (Sunita Alahan),
Sasha Parkinson (Sian Powers), Nikki Patel (Amber Alahan), Graeme Hawley (John Stape). Emmerdale ‘s Jeff Hordley (Cain Dingle) and Hollyoaks actors Andrew Moss (Rhys Ashworth), Gerard McCarthy (Kris Fisher) and Helen Pearson (Frankie Osborne) will also be in attendance.
Charity Celebrity Rockaoke will be held at Moho Live in Manchester on Tuesday, December 8 from 8pm. Tickets are available online from Skiddle, Ticketline and SeeTickets.
Our next gig is in Stoke-on-Trent with The Chris Moyles Show. How exciting is that! About as exciting as it gets for us. Cos we’ve done it before and it was so good last time that we know it is going to be an absolute blast!
We’re lucky to have done lots of exciting stuff. But sometimes events don’t live up to the hype or our expectation. Whereas the Chris Moyles Show event we did in Milton Keynes back in april was great. Everything went really well – the show was good, everyone enjoyed it, we got to perform with Jo Whiley and Greg James as well as the Chris Moyles Show team, and technically (at the risk of putting the kybosh on tomorrow) everything went very smoothly. Basil and I needed a piss mid-set which wasn’t part of the plan but Chris and Kirsty did a drum n’ bass number to fill in.
And at the end, we all went back to the hotel for beers, pizza’s and a chinwag.
