Idol time

Sing to your heart’s content with 7 nights of karaoke
By Ira Brooker


If Wednesday's "American Idol" season finale leaves you jonesing for amateur interpretations of pop chestnuts, fear not! Chicago's expansive karaoke scene allows you to spend seven nights a week in search of the next Carrie Underwood--or at least the next Sanjaya.

MONDAY
Sidetrack
Tune in: show tune sing-along, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.
The scene: Not ready for a solo showcase? Dip your toe in the karaoke waters at this Boystown video bar that offers a twist on karaoke. The spot tunes its 47 TVs to movie musicals, and invites you to sing along as lyrics scroll across the screen.
Song selection: The bar boasts having tunes from every musical ever.
Staging: Stay seated and belt it out with the rest of the room.
Crowd participation: The emphasis is on group vocalizing, not individual performances. Regulars often employ "Rocky Horror"-style cues and responses for familiar songs.

TUESDAY
Karaoke Restaurant
Tune in: $5 per person per hour; karaoke box at, 5 p.m.-3 a.m.
The scene: Remember in "Lost in Translation" when Bill Murray and pals rented a tiny room and sang the night away? The Japanese call that a "karaoke box"-- and so does this Korean joint.
Song selection: Endless--if you speak Korean. Also, several thousand English-language titles.
Staging: Dimly lit rooms seat four to 20 people. Many songs are accompanied by incongruous videos of jet skiers, migrating birds and other weirdness.
Crowd participation: After a round of sake, every song becomes a sing-along.

WEDNESDAY
The Mutiny
Tune in: afternoon karaoke, 3-6 p.m.
The scene: Some folks just can't wait till dark to belt out some Prince. This venerable rock club caters to the odd-hours crowd on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings (9 a.m.-noon).
Song selection: Despite the club's punk veneer, the 2,200-song catalog is heavy on Top 40 hits.
Staging: Things stay stationary with a mic stand near the bar.
Crowd participation: Some regulars may be gruff, but an afternoon karaoke crowd tends to be pretty forgiving.

THURSDAY
Carol's Pub
Tune in: country karaoke, 9 p.m.
The scene: Leave all of your pop pretenses at home. 'Round here, it's country first, foremost and forever.
Song selection: Despite Carol's usual old-school, honky-tonk atmosphere, the 2,000-track roster ranges from Patsy to Shania, Cash to Chesney.
Staging: You'll be fighting some hardcore regulars for time on the bar's small stage.
Crowd participation: It's an enthusiastic room of country fans. Any onstage hipster irony might get you booed.

FRIDAY
Louie's Pub
Tune in: plain ol' karaoke, 9 p.m.
The scene: When you want straightforward, by-the-book karaoke, Louie's has you covered most nights. Fridays attract a mix of grizzled regulars and Bucktown scenesters.
Song selection: A thousands-deep library of standards and newer pop hits.
Staging: A cordless mic allows singers to stroll the bar, prompting a lot of showboating and James Brown theatrics.
Crowd participation: The roaming-microphone encourages impromptu duets and group choruses on numbers like "Sweet Caroline."

SATURDAY
Piece
Tune in: live-band karaoke, 11 p.m.-2 a.m.
The scene: Always dreamed of being a rock star, but lacked intangibles like commitment and talent? Here's your chance to belt out some Bowie while backed by the three-piece Karaoke Dokies.
Song selection: The band knows around 200 songs, from Danzig to Dr. Dre.
Staging: Fronting a live band on stage in front of a pizza-gorged crowd--does it get better than that?
Crowd participation: Even if you bomb, you'll probably get a warm reception, as everyone digs that this is a tough gig.

SUNDAY
Hamburger Mary's
Tune in: karaoke bingo, 9 p.m.-midnight
The scene: This duplicity of dorky-cool delights features bingo calling between performances, with prizes ranging from free drinks to concert tickets. Even with sub-Sanjaya vocal skills, you could walk away a winner.
Song selection: computer database of more than 20,000 songs of all genres
Staging: Singers can stick to the stage area or stroll as far as the mic cord allows.
Crowd participation: People get antsy waiting to scream "bingo," so don't be surprised when they shout encouragement.