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| Ron and Rossalba |
There are karaoke bars, and then there is
La Galería. This venue has a raised stage, costumes, lights, and a sophisticated sound system. It's not the kind of place where you can hide in the shadows and mumble your way through a song you thought you knew.
La Galería on a Wednesday night isn't as casual as Mama Mia, where karaoke starts at 11pm, reducing the average age of participants by 10 or 20 years, and significantly upping the blood alcohol levels.
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| Aarón |
At La Galería, the stage is the center of attention and singers are able to see faces in the audience, which you really can't at Mama Mia, since the TVs are placed up high and facing the DJ booth.
While each venue has its merits, I'm loving karaoke at La Galería because both performers and audience get the best of both worlds. We start early—9pm—and keep it going until 2am, when we usually end up pushing the tables aside to make way for a dance floor. We have the biggest songbook in town in both English and Spanish, so it's not uncommon for someone to find a song that compels them to break the mold and sing for the first time in their lives!
For die-hard karaoke fans, it's a kick to be in the spotlight, especially in an upscale place like La Galería. It makes a singer feel like wearing tap shoes and a hat, or a long, sparkly gown.
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| Suzy and Gene |
For people who would rather extract their own wisdom teeth than sing in front of others, La Galería is a beautiful, comfortable room in which to hang out, stay cool (air conditioning!), and enjoy the surprise of a really good singer once in a while without paying for a concert ticket.
Last week we were lucky enough to have three professional entertainers in the house:
Aarón Romo, who co-hosts on Wednesdays,
Rossalba, who sings on Friday nights at La Galería, and
Doug Robinson, whose jazz compositions are available on CD.
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| Ponchis, Irma, Alexis, Gerardo, Adri |
We were also delighted to have La Galería server Josune, who sings Yuridia's
Ángel like (you guessed it) an angel; crowd favorite Ron, aka Louis Armstrong; Olga Rodriguez Ramirez, who won last year's karaoke contest at Mama Mia; and Alejandro de León, Guanajuato, who quietly ate dinner and nursed a beer for hours, then finally sang a most impressive
El Triste!
The rest of us, for better or for worse talent-wise, had FUN, and those who shied away from the songbook said they had fun, too. Which is the whole point! It's nice to have a venue where karaoke fans and micro
phobes alike can feel at home.
Karaoke at La Galería with Ani & Aarón
Wednesdays 9pm-2am
Plaza Alhondiga (behind the Banamex across from Mega)
Dinner Reservations 154 42 88
What makes an unforgettable karaoke night? Well, first you need hosts who are dedicated to making the night fun for you, and that's us: Karaoke Ani, Aarón Romo, and Juan Manuel Cervantes, owner of La Galería bar and restaurant!
La Galería has a great sound system. It makes you sound better, even after a few beers! Really! (We also have wigs and other fun props in case you still want to disguise yourself.)
Well, some folks have made it a habit to come early (say, just before 8:00) to browse the extensive songbooks and get their requests in while ordering burgers, wings or hot dogs and a beer (make that two...for the price of one!). The Zone also offers house cocktails for only 50 pesos all night long.
In the casual, no-pressure atmosphere that Brian Cuffney has created at The Zone, you can try songs you love even if you've never done the karaoke thing before. We'll help you! (Some of our selections offer con voz versions—so it's just like singing with the radio except instead of the steering wheel, you will be holding a microphone.)
