by Sam Beresky
Daily Lobo
Picture a karaoke bar.
The typical drunken businessmen singing "Eleanor Rigby" or butchering "Sweet Home Alabama" might come to mind.
Well, not anymore. Every Monday night at Puccini's Golden West Saloon a new breed of karaoke is emerging.
The ringleader of the action goes by only one name like Madonna or Prince - a blond pony-tailed, 30-something bartender called Kammo. His real name is Eric Wright.
During last week's performance, as Christine, an attractive, college co-ed was singing "Witchy Woman" by the Eagles, Kammo tried to explain the allure of the stage.
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"Other places, the people will turn singing into a competition," he said. "People like to perform, but here at the Golden West, the competition doesn't exist. People are here to have fun and party."
Kammo said the most popular songs at karaoke night are "Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks and "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash. But you would never know it by the look of the crowd.
Punk rockers and hipsters browsed the songbooks next to businessmen. In fact, the only guys sporting cowboy gear were a pack of Wrangler and giant belt-buckle clad fellas playing pool. They cheered loudest for a rendition of a Korn song.
One singer proclaimed she was only in a good mood that night because she was "wearing men's boxers" and launched into a rousing version of "Fever" by Peggy Lee.
"We get large groups of girls singing together, having a great time almost every Monday," he said.
The owner of the Golden West, Kathy Zimmer, said at first she didn't even want karaoke at the bar.
"We wanted to be perceived as a live music venue only," she said.
It changed her view because "there seems to be a need for it Downtown. It is a different kind of karaoke than other venues have. It is a form of expression and with the bartenders into it, having fun and working the crowd, it is about having a good time," she said.
Bartender Jess Davis said the mood is different every week but that everyone has a great time.
Bartender Will Zamora said he prefers to sing "'80s punk rock like Billy Idol" and "mainly things in my range." Later Zamora would rock the mic with his version of "Should I Stay or Should I Go."
Whether somebody screaming Devo's "Whip It" or Dio's "Holy Diver," the crowd always seemed to appreciate the performance.
A small woman in pigtails actually got a standing ovation for her rendition of "Creep" by Radiohead.
And then there was Queensryche, a duet version of "Rapper's Delight," "Shout At the Devil," Meatloaf, Black Sabbath and even "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole. A guy named Carlo, complete with a backward mesh-backed hat and a beer, was enveloped by the smoke machine and laser lights while he sang War's "Spill the Wine."
Whether people were fulfilling their rock-star fantasies or singing along from their barstools, everyone had good, relatively clean fun with alcohol and music.
The Who, When and Where
What: Karaoke Night
When: Every Monday night
Price: Free
Where: Puccini's Golden West
Saloon, 620 Central Ave. SW
Tickets and info: 242-2353
