Overview
Karaoke has the power to change even the most lacklustre of personalities into momentary legends. All you need is a strong microphone grip, a few measly bucks and the confidence to stand in front of a crowd of drunks and sing your little heart out.
Karaoke can turn boys into Men at Work, girls into Scissor Sisters and the rest of us into Laupers, Twains or Springsteens. So sit down, read up, and find out where, when and for how much your X Factor dreams can come true.
CASABLANCA
Casablanca holds the throne as Karaoke King of Brisbane. If you’re clever you won’t have to pay a cent to jump on stage and belt out a tune — just manoeuvre the crowds, head to the karaoke curators at the side of the bar and pick the perfect song to win over your audience. With Suncorp-quality lighting and a modest platform that instils both nerves and notoriety, karaoke at Casablanca is a public affair where your talents (or lack thereof ) can't possibly go unnoticed. Beware by-products of the Caxton Hotel and indulging your nastier taste buds with a succession of vodka Cruisers. But most importantly, don’t go accidentally falling into the crowd of perspiring women laced in 'Bride to Be', 'Birthday Girl' and generic 'Princess' sashes, heading down the steps to Aussie Thunder.
52 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane; (07) 3369 6969; Mon-Sun from 9.30pm; www.casablanca.com.au
BRUNSWICK HOTEL
One for the picky song-choosers. The Brunswick has the best karaoke song list in Brisbane, with all your Farnhams and Newton-Johns as well as newer chart toppers for the serious karaokers. Luckily the Brunswick crowd happily accepts everything from Led Zeppelin's entire back catalogue to Avicii hoedowns, Beatlemania to One Direction squeal-inducers. And if all that crowd work makes you peckish, there’s a solid selection of nibbles on offer; with a range of cocktails that will have you confusing this humble abode for The Viper Room.
569 Brunswick St, New Farm; (07) 3850 0000; Thursday and Saturday from 9pm; www.thebrunswickhotel.com.au
CYBER CITY 2002
The myths surrounding Cyber City 2002 have been passed down from generation to generation, growing thicker with time. Do the Yakuza really own it? Does it really have some of the best karaoke in Brisbane? And is it the largest hub of MSG in all of Australia? We can tell you one of these myths is indeed fact. The karaoke at Cyber City 2002 is real bang for your buck — Fortitude Valley location, rooms that could fit The Brady Bunch and a dinner menu that's the kind of greasy, questionable Chinese that pairs well with drunk ballads. It's worth getting a group together to pay for a room — prices aren't steep, but they aren't cheap either — and the karaoke corridors can be confusing in any state of mind, so make a point of remembering your room number if you have to duck out. If you need a moment to rest your voice box, don't bother trying your luck on one of the claw toy vending machines. Thirty dollars later and no stuffed elephant, I shouldn't have to explain.
206 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley; (07) 3229 7031; Mon-Sun till late.
FAT LOUIE'S
The beauty of Fat Louie's is its central location, perfect for spontaneous post-drinks karaoke decisions. But with pool tables in abundance, a seemingly strict dress code of black on black and drinks cheaper than you deserve, Fat Louie’s has everything you want — on a rather doable budget. Louie's Tokyo-style karaoke rooms are decked out with laser lights, modular lounges and hip hop-inspired electronics that will have performing like you've got a main-stage slot at Stereosonic. Karaoke rooms book out fairly quickly on a Friday and Saturday, so calling ahead always helps. And if you karaoke before 5pm, rooms are half price — that's something worth singing about!
1/124 Albert St, Brisbane; (07) 3229 7031; Mon-Sun till late; www.fatlouies.com.au