As someone who lived in Japan for a year, I like to think of myself as an expert on many great Japanese things. I can tell you the best places in Tokyo to go for sushi (anywhere near the Tsukiji Fish Market). I can tell you where to go to buy the coolest souvenirs (100 ¥ stores are the BEST) But the BEST BEST BEST thing about Japan is the Karaoke. Before living there, I was not a huge karaoke fan. Standing in front strangers and singing was more my idea of a nightmare. But all that changed when I tried karaoke in Japan. You rent a private room with your own machine and many microphones. Now as much as I may like to think my singing voice is like Mariah Carey, in reality it's closer to a tone deaf eight year old, so this type of private room situation is much more relaxing. I know the only people who might laugh or mock are my friends. And I can handle them! We would go to all-night karaoke in Japan all the time. So I was thrilled to discover similar places in Toronto! BMB and XO Karaoke are both located on Bloor Street in Koreatown. Are they as fancy as the places in Tokyo? No. Are they cheap and fun? Oh hell yes! They have great (and fairly large) books of songs to choose from. Here is a list of some of my go to karaoke songs:
- Phil Collins, Against the Odds. Make sure you "air drum" while singing. It really adds to the song. My friend Lindsay and I "perform" this as a duet. And by duet I mean we both sing really loudly at the same time.
- Oasis, Don't Look Back in Anger. A great song for drunken scream singing with a group of friends
- Anything by Guns N' Roses. You have to dance and do leg kicks Axel Rose style
- Bon Jovi, Livin' on a Prayer. No one loves Bon Jovi like people in Japan. I'd never seen so many grown men with feathered hair cuts in all my life!
- Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Anything by these two will do. Nothing showcases my "amazing" vocal range like a power ballad.
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