karaoke - a retrospective

Jan, Clare, Ali and David doing ACDC's Dirty Deeds, June 2010

Continuing with my Top 10 list of Tokyo people, places and things that I miss the most...

8. SMASH HITS

Yes it's true. The Hiroo karaoke cellar bar that smells like skunked beer and is so frequently overtaken by blotto mic-hogs (who, me?) holds a special place in my heart. As do the guys who work there: Alejandro, at the door and behind the bar, and Saito-san at the controls.

Our Cuban friend does more than serve the drinks. He also turns in song requests, especially helpful when there are several bodies standing (or swaying) in the narrow aisle between the stadium seat where you're sitting and Saito's booth. And he keeps order, onstage and off. Don't let that sweet smile fool you - he'll promptly bounce anyone who makes trouble. Stripping, for example, is a big no-no. (I wasn't there that night, but apparently he tossed out one of the teachers from the kids' school for refusing to keep his shirt on.)

 

My last night at SH, Saito gave me his nylon jacket. It's way too big on me, but I will treasure it, always, even if it's the shade of Skype blue and smells like plastic.

At one point SH stopped giving out their trademark drink tokens - apparently they had run out, with so many patrons forgetting to trade them in for that second drink and pocketing them instead. KT had enough for a half dozen pendants and earrings. 

 AJW scored the Supersize edition. Suits her, don't you think?

 

I could always count on Alison to meet me there, and she could sing anything

 

Terry, Mark and David, June 2012

Russell, in his stage debut (maybe he needed time to recover from the night we lured his parents here and they sang a duet of When I'm 64)

Sean helps Terry with Delilah

Me and KT. BeeGees? Abba? Who can remember

with Clare, Julia, Gabrielle, Susie, Kate and Tash, June 2010

 Alejandro, when he used to wear a headband

Mark singing with Claire on tambourine

 Terry often had trouble getting me to leave

 Terry, Rupert, David L., Rory

 
with Clare on my 39th birthday

Clare, Julia, Zoe, Gabrielle, Ali, Susie, Kate, Nicole, Victoria, Victoria's niece, me and Tash (with Rory paying close attention from the stands)


 Terry, Scott, Rupert, David L., David D. and Rory, June 2010

Read more about this wonderful establishment here.

Smash Hits 

5-2-26 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan 

81-(0)3-3444-0432

Kaaaaaaan!

The other night I finally had a chance to check out where they filmed the karaoke scenes in Sofia Coppola's 2003 film Lost in Translation. It's a Karaoke-Kan in Udagawacho, just off Center Gai and a few minutes walk from Shibuya station. Aside from the fact that a few of the rooms - like 601, where the movie was shot - offer amazing views of the street outside, the place is nothing special, really, one of a generic national chain of establishments where, like Shidax and Big Echo, you pay per hour and per person for a private room. I do like the direct telephone line to the bar, and when the waiters stoop on bended knee as not to block your view of the screen. But I need to ask: why are so many karaoke-box tunes accompanied by video footage of the Brooklyn Bridge?

Alas, our small group of four women, arriving at this Karaoke-Kan around 11:30pm on a rainy Friday night in November, could not book 601 (or 602, another room the filmmakers used), but were instead escorted to a windowless space down the hall, so we could have been anywhere. And the song selection fell short - no Adele! can you believe? - which surprised me, especially when just a couple weeks before I had spent half an hour in a karaoke room with the kids at EST, also in Shibuya, on the east side of Meiji dori across from Miyashita koen, and they had everything. EST also has ping pong, billiards, bowling and a videogame arcade - a post for another time. (And is it pronounced "est"? or "ee-ess-tee"? Anybody?)

As we were leaving to go home around 1 a.m., we saw that 601 was vacant and so stepped inside to snap a few.  I've been hearing Bill Murray singing Elvis Costello in my head ever since: "What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding..." 

Ya think Bill stood right here, in this same spot?!??

Karaoke-Kan, 30-8 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. (Located northwest of Shibuya station and the big scramble crossing, on the same road as the big Coach, Loft, HMV and Zara stores; if you are walking with Coach and Loft on your right, HMV and Zara on your left, the building will be ahead on the left hand side before the police office/koban, where the road bends to the north toward Tokyu Hands.)
Tel: 03-3462-0785
Open 11 am to 6 pm