Karaoke Scene – What's New

Karaoke Scene is once again very proud to present “the season’s biggest singing competition,” SongBurst at the Soboba Casino, “where winning is just the beginning.” We are also excited to have our 2 favorite Inland Empire radio stations on board for this event as well, X103.9, KCXX (The X)…an alternative rock radio station based out of San Bernardino and 101.3 KATY (The Mix)…an adult contemporary radio station based out of the Temecula Valley. These are great folks to work with and to help make “SongBurst at Soboba” such a fabulous event.

The excitement begins on Monday, February 27th and continues every Monday for 4 weeks. There will be thousands in cash and prizes with $2,500 cash for first place awarded at the finals. Not only that, but there will be more prizes raffled off during the competitions for which all in attendance (competitors and audience alike) will be eligible.

These competition Mondays will be great fun for everybody. There is plenty to do at Soboba Casino so drive down early, relax and have a great time!

For more “SongBurst at Soboba” information, please see pages 10 and 11, call (714) 826-2212, or visit KaraokeScene.com.

The “Digital Edition” of Karaoke Scene Magazine is proving to be hugely popular among Karaoke enthusiasts around the world. For those of you who haven’t tried it yet, it is a really cool experience. All of the features of the printed edition plus live links to advertisers, products and special videos, etc. It is the best way to explore the world of Karaoke, any time you wish, right from your computer. Try it…it’s free!

And then there’s our newest innovation, apps for your iPhone and iPad are now available at the App Store. This means that you can have instant access to Karaoke Scene Magazine 24-7 wherever you are. Want to know who offers Karaoke shows on a given night? Grab your iPhone or iPad and check it out. Want to review an article or check out an ad for a product or service? Grab your iPhone or iPad and check it out. What could be cooler than that?

Our “Singer’s Showcase” at KaraokeScene.com continues to kick Karaoke (you know what) with singers all around the world. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you should because you have really been missing a great time. It’s like an online Karaoke party. The next time you visit KaraokeScene.com, click on the Singer’s Showcase link to see what’s going on there and join in the fun!

Attention all you KJs out there, the “KJ Directory” also at KaraokeScene.com is the perfect way to make sure that everyone in the entire Karaoke world knows about you and your Karaoke shows…who you are, where you are and what you can offer in the way of services. At only $25 for a whole year, it’s a terrific bargain!

Want to see yourself and your friends in Karaoke Scene Magazine? Well here’s how. We are accepting photos from the Karaoke community at large for publication in future issues of Karaoke Scene. The “photo page” reigns as one of the most popular features in Karaoke Scene Magazine. People are always checking it out to see if they (or one of their friends) are in it. Could you be next? All you have to do is send us your photos and we will publish them in a future issue. It’s that simple! Here are just a few suggestions:

Your photos should be about singing.
Please make sure your photos are sharp and clear.
Please be sure your photos are in a digital format (jpeg files); no prints.

Please send your photos by email to photos@KaraokeScene.com or, if you have a lot of them, please put them on a CD and mail them to:

Karaoke Scene
PO Box 2633
Cypress, CA 90630

Karaoke kongratulations!!! Three time KJ of the Year winner for Orange County, Donna Thomas has raised over $27,000, a phenomenal amount of money, for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles during her annual gala fundraiser at the TomKat Lounge in Buena Park. Karaoke Scene salutes Donna Thomas and all of the many folks who unselfishly give so much of their time and money every year to help these children who need it so much.

Finally, at this special time of year, it is good for all of us to reflect on the many blessings we receive but take for granted. Try to do a kindness to someone who may need a little boost. Take a step back and maybe let another person have their way about something. Try sharing the gifts of “love and kindness, warm hearts and an outstretched hand of tolerance” this holiday season. Do this, and it will surely come back to you many times over.

All of us at Karaoke Scene Magazine wish you the happiest of holidays and a prosperous, song-filled New Year!

SongBurst at Soboba!!! Look out! It’s SongBurst time again! Karaoke Scene is very proud to be presenting this year’s SongBurst singing competition at the Soboba Casino, “Where winning is just the beginning.” We are excited to have 2 fabulous radio stations on board for this event as well, X103.9, KCXX (The X)…an alternative rock radio station based out of San Bernardino and 101.3 KATY (The Mix)…an adult contemporary radio station based out of the Temecula Valley. These are great folks to work with and will help make “SongBurst at Soboba” a really terrific event.

The excitement begins on Monday, March 7th and continues every Monday for 4 weeks (March 14th, 21st and 28th.) This will be an adults only competition (all contestants must be 21 years of age by March 7th, 2011). Sign-ups will be from 6:30pm to 8pm. The competition will begin shortly after the sign-ups are closed. Due to time restrictions, we can only allow the first 30 contestants to arrive to sign-up and compete in that night’s competition. Sign up rules (and times) will be strictly enforced so please leave yourself plenty of time to get there.

There will be thousands in cash and prizes with $2,500 cash for first place awarded at the finals which will be held on Monday, April 4th. Not only that, but there will be more prizes raffled off during the competitions for which all in attendance (competitors and audience alike) will be eligible.

For those of you who may not know, Soboba Casino is nestled in the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains and is your one-stop headquarters for California gaming and entertainment. Soboba features 2,000 slot machines, over 20 table games, two restaurants, a 12,000 seat entertainment pavilion and one huge sports lounge. Guest services stations are easily located at each entrance and exit throughout the casino. Casino employees are happy to provide any assistance or information you might need.

For more “SongBurst at Soboba” information please call (714) 826-2212, or visit KaraokeScene.com.

These competition Mondays should be great fun for everybody, both singers and their friends and families. There is plenty to do at Soboba Casino so drive down, relax and have a great time!

Directions: The Soboba Casino is located at 23333 Soboba Rd. in San Jacinto (866) 4-SOBOBA (476-2622). Take Highway #215 south to the Ramona Expressway east to Soboba Casino; or take Highway #10 east to Highway #79 and go south to the Ramona Expressway then left to Soboba Casino.

Karaoke Scene would like to thank the Karaoke community for all the photos you are sending to us for publication. We sincerely appreciate your efforts. Please continue to send us your photos so we can publish them in future issues. Attention KJs…it’s a great public relations idea to take photos of your customers while they are singing at your shows and send them to us for publication. Karaoke folks love to see their pictures in the magazine. When sending photos please remember:

Photos must be in a digital format (jpeg files); no prints.
Your photos should be about singing.
Make sure your photos are as sharp and clear as possible (please don’t reduce their size).

Please send your photos by email to photos@KaraokeScene.com or, if you have a bunch of them, please put them on a CD and mail them to:

Karaoke Scene
PO Box 2633
Cypress, CA 90630

Be sure to check out the article from Tish Jones, our KaraokeFest 2011 Female Vocalist of the Year, about her trip to Utah for her own personal recording session, courtesy of Priddis Music and ProSound in our February/March 2011 issue (you can subscribe to the “Digital Edition” of Karaoke Scene Magazine for free…just click on this link, http://karaokescenemagazine.com/). She had an absolute ball! Thanks again to Priddis Music and Ace Karaoke for their sponsorship of KaraokeFest. We sincerely appreciate the support and generosity of fine companies like these in helping us present these major Karaoke events.

Another update, we are in the process of having Phill Cross with Cross Web Tech creating a complete “re-do” of our immensely popular website, KaraokeScene.com. We hope to have it completed by soon. We hope you will enjoy all the exciting new features that will be available for you

See you at “SongBurst at Soboba”…and best of luck to all!

Karaoke is truly exploding into a brand new decade. As the Karaoke industry continues to grow with new hardware and software choices galore, it faces some new challenges as well. And Karaoke, as an entertainment medium, reigns as the number one form of live entertainment as it can be found at hundreds of venues throughout Southern California. And Karaoke Scene Magazine is available in all of them to be enjoyed by everyone.

The “Digital Edition” of Karaoke Scene Magazine is proving to be hugely popular among Karaoke enthusiasts around the world. For those of you who haven’t tried it yet, it is a really new experience. All of the features of the printed edition plus live links to advertisers, products and special videos, etc. It is a terrific way to explore the world of Karaoke any time you wish from your computer, right from the comfort of your own home or wherever you happen to be. Try it…it’s a treat…and it’s free!

On top of that, our newest innovation, apps for your iPhone and iPad are now available at the App Store. This means that you can have instant access to Karaoke Scene Magazine 24-7 wherever you are. Want to know who offers Karaoke shows on a given night? Grab your iPhone or iPad and check it out. Want to review an article or check out an ad for a product or service? Grab your iPhone or iPad and check it out. What could be cooler than that?

Our “Singer’s Showcase” at www.KaraokeScene.com continues to be a big favorite with singers all around the world. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you should because you have really been missing a great time. It’s like an online Karaoke party. The next time you visit KaraokeScene.com, click on the Singer’s Showcase link to see what’s going on there and join in the fun.

And for all you KJs out there, the “KJ Directory” also at KaraokeScene.com is the perfect way to make sure that everyone knows about you and your Karaoke shows. It is the ideal way to let everyone the entire Karaoke world know who you are, where you are and what you can offer in the way of services. At only $25 for a whole year, it’s a terrific bargain!

Want to see yourself and your friends in Karaoke Scene Magazine? Well here’s how. We are accepting photos from all over the Karaoke community for publication in future issues. The “photo page” continues to be one of the most popular features in Karaoke Scene Magazine. People usually check it out to see if they (or one of their friends) are in it.  Could you be next? All you have to do is send us your photos and we will publish them in a future issue. It’s that simple! We really appreciate all the folks who have sent us their photos in the past and hope to hear from even more of you in the future. Here are just a few suggestions:

Your photos should be about singing.

Please make sure your photos are sharp and clear.

Please be sure your photos are in a digital format (jpeg files); no prints.

Please send your photos by email to photos@KaraokeScene.com or, if you have a lot of them, please put them on a CD and mail them to:

Karaoke Scene

PO Box 2633

Cypress, CA 90630

We look forward to receiving them.

Due to the pending sale of the Orange County Fairgrounds by the State of California, who owns the property, we have no definite word about a possible SongBurst ’11 at the Orange County Market Place. There is a possibility that SongBurst ’11 will take place at a different venue, depending on how the situation develops. You can check out all the latest SongBurst information at KaraokeScene.com as soon as it is available and, of course, our next issue will provide the complete details.

Karaoke kongratulations!!! Three time KJ of the Year winner for Orange County, Donna Thomas has raised over $16,000, a phenomenal amount of money, for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles during her annual gala fundraiser at the TomKat Lounge in Buena Park. Karaoke Scene salutes Donna Thomas and all of the many folks who unselfishly give so much of their time and money every year to help these children who need it so much.

Finally, at this special time of year, it is good for all of us to reflect on the many blessings we receive but take for granted. Try to do a kindness to someone who may need a little boost. Take a step back and maybe let another person have their way about something. Try sharing the gifts of “love and kindness, warm hearts and an outstretched hand of tolerance” this holiday season. Do this, and it will surely come back to you many times over.

Just a reminder, we are in the process of having Phill Cross with Cross Web Tech creating a complete “re-do” of our immensely popular website, KaraokeScene.com. We hope to have it completed by soon. We hope you will enjoy all the exciting new features that will be available for you

All of us at Karaoke Scene Magazine wish you the happiest of holidays and a prosperous, song-filled New Year!

Here’s some BIG NEWS! Apps for Karaoke Scene Magazine are now available for your IPhones and IPads. Now you can have all of the features and information in Karaoke Scene Magazine right at your fingertips, wherever you go, 24-7. I already use it on my IPhone and it’s fantastic! The apps are FREE so visit the App Store today and get yours now!

KaraokeFest 2010 is now in the books…what a day! With our new stage location at the L.A. County Fair, the crowds were huge and the singing performances superb making this the biggest and best KaraokeFest ever.

First of all, we would like to thank our major sponsors, Ace Karaoke, Priddis Music and VocoPro for their generous support and enthusiasm for this event. These fine companies make it possible to have this day-long celebration of Karaoke every year for all of us to enjoy. Please show your support for them for all they do for Karaoke.

And then there are our prize sponsors, Ace Karaoke, Priddis Music, VocoPro, Sound Choice, Chartbuster, KaraokeWH.com and MadBoy Audio. The generosity of these companies obviously speaks for itself and they are also certainly deserving of everyone’s support.

82 singers competed in the finals for the Crème de la Kids, Crème de la King and Crème de la Crème Singing Competitions. The overflow crowd enjoyed a huge day of fantastic singing! The children in the Crème de la Kids contest touched everyone’s heart as they performed just about every genre of song from Country to Pop to Show Tunes. The Crème de la King competitors truly honored the memory of Elvis and really lit up the stage with their colorful costumes and exciting renditions of some of the King’s most beloved tunes. And, of course, the Crème de la Creme Finalists scored about a 8.5 on the Richter Scale as they rocked the Plaza de las Americas Stage for nearly 5 hours putting forth sensational, professional quality performances.

Special thanks go to the phenomenally talented Marshall Thomas of KFROG 95.1 FM for a first class job of hosting the Crème de la Crème Finals Competition again this year. We sincerely appreciate his talent and the extra boost he gives the show. Thanks also to our good friend, Manny Pacheco, the best emcee for an important event like this that anyone could ask for. And making his debut at KaraokeFest was the popular host of “What’s Up Orange County,” Scott Stewart, hosting the Crème de la Kids and Crème de la King Final Competition. Thank you, Scott for a job well done!

A special Karaoke Scene thank you goes to Crème de la Kids coordinator, Julie Woodcock (and her husband, Roger) and to Crème de la King Coordinator, Tony Christina (whom we were very pleased to have back this year), for their tireless efforts in making the dream come true for all of their talented contestants.

And HUGE thanks go to every single one of the gracious volunteers who gave so much of their time and energy to make KaraokeFest such a special event for everyone. We are all so appreciative of your efforts.

Don’t forget that, for a limited time, you can purchase your own professionally produced DVD of any or all of the exciting singing competitions at KaraokeFest this year…a perfect memento of all the fabulous performances that made KaraokeFest 2010 such an entertainment extravaganza. The Crème de la Kids and Crème de la King DVDs are only $19.95 each and the Crème de la Crème DVDs are only $29.95, or you can order all 3 for only $59.95 (all prices are +S&H). Order yours today at www.KaraokeScene.com or by calling (714) 826-2212.

Our gratitude also extends to our fabulous Karaoke Stage hosts at KaraokeFest this year, Ace Karaoke, Helen Scheuplein and PR Entertainment. These special people make KaraokeFest so much fun for everybody all day long and we really want them to know how much they are appreciated.

By the way, Manny Pacheco’s book, “Forgotten Hollywood – Forgotten History,” (an amazing study of some of the most important character actors and actresses from Hollywood’s Golden Years and their relationship to American historical events) continues to sell across the country at locations such as Costco, Borders, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com (as well as many other locations). We highly recommend this book to everyone, either for yourself or as a perfect gift for a friend or loved one (Christmas is coming). You can check it all out at www.ForgottenHollywood.com.

Here’s a heads up…we are in the process of having Phill Cross with Cross Web Tech creating a complete “re-do” of our immensely popular website, KaraokeScene.com. We hope to have it completed by soon. We hope you will enjoy all the exciting new features that will be available for you.

That’s it for now. All of us at Karaoke Scene Magazine would like to wish all of you and your families a happy Halloween and a wonderful Thanksgiving!

KaraokeFest 2003 will take place on Sunday, May 25th, Memorial Day weekend, once again aboard the world famous “Queen Mary” in Long Beach. Without a doubt, this will be the biggest and most exciting “Fest” ever with many new features and innovations.

Voting for the “Karaoke Golden Achievement Awards” and “KJ of the Year” competition will take place from February 15th to March 15th and will be done in the same way as last year by region-wide voting both at the local club level and also on-line at www.KaraokeFest.com (only 1 vote per email address and 2 votes per IP address will be allowed.) See page for details.

The “Crème de la Crème” competition which will decide the “Male & Female Karaoke Vocalist of the Year” will begin on Thursday, April 3rd at 20 venues throughout Southern California. See page for times, dates and other details.

The exciting “KaraokeFest Expo” will be back, bigger & better than ever with even more vendors of all kinds exhibiting their products and services. If you are interested in reserving a booth at the “KaraokeFest Expo” please contact Denise Barnum at (562) 879-5632. Call now for the best locations!

In addition, your ticket to KaraokeFest 2003 entitles you to free access of the ship. You may stroll her decks, immerse yourself in her rich history, visit the many interesting shops or make plans to come early and enjoy the famous “Queen Mary Brunch” (reservations recommended). Don’t forget there is a first class hotel aboard the “Queen” and KaraokeFest/State Room accommodations are available. You may call the “Queen Mary” direct (after February 15th) at (562) 432-6964 and ask for the special KaraokeFest rates.

Great news! Prices for “KaraokeFest 2003″ will be held to just $7.00 per ticket if purchased before May 20th. That’s right, only $7.00 per ticket. After that date, and at the door, tickets will be $12.00 each. Tickets may be purchased online at www.KaraokeFest.com or by calling (714) 826-2212.

Here’s some big news! The documentary (tentatively titled “Karaoke Dreams”), based on our “Songburst 2002″ event, is scheduled to air on Sunday, March 2nd, on VH1. If this production is well received, a series based on the road to KaraokeFest 2003 could be the result. We are all very excited about what this could mean to Karaoke but, of course, we’ll have to take it one step at a time. Be sure to regularly check the “Songburst 2002″ page on our website www.KaraokeScene.com or by visiting www.SongBurst.com, for all the latest information for this event. And congratulations to Steve Williamson and Elnora Beck, the male & female winners of “Songburst 2002″,and to all of the talented performers who participated in the event.

We are working on an exciting new project, a Karaoke “radio” show (“That’s Karaoke”) which will appear on our website www.KaraokeScene.com or by visiting www.ThatsKaraoke.com. This “streamcast” will be the first in the nation “radio” show solely dedicated to the universal phenomenon of Karaoke. The show promises to be both entertaining and informational, a virtual meeting place for what’s happening in the world of Karaoke. At all times the concept of Karaoke will be treated with respect, however, this show will be laced with humor, satire and fun. Check the “That’s Karaoke” page for the premier show date.

Karaoke Scene’s recent visit to the NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center confirms that Karaoke continues to grow and flourish. We visited many of the leading Karaoke software and hardware company’s exhibits at the show and were more than pleased by what we heard. As the Karaoke world continues to expand, many new and exciting innovations are on the horizon. And, of course, will keep you informed.

Well, summer’s nearly over and fall looks very exciting for Karaoke. More and more venues are popping up all over the place and sales of home Karaoke systems are on the increase as the popularity of Karaoke continues to surge. Karaoke Scene Magazine is consistently contacted by, and has been quoted in, major newspapers across the country that are doing major pieces on the Karaoke phenomenon. We think it’s all pretty terrific.

We are proud to announce that the Karaoke Fest 2002 winners for “Male & Female Vocalist of the Year,” William Jordan and Jenny Eisenhardt, will be singing on the popular Mark & Brian syndicated radio show on KLOS, 95.5FM. The tentative air date is set for Wednesday, August 14th at about 8:00 in the morning. Our warmest congratulations to William and Jenny as we wish them the best of luck on their performances!

There are several new and innovative events coming up including “The Original Music Experience” tour presented by Pilsner Urquell, an imported premium Czech beer. This is a statewide, fun event where all you have to do is just show up where the traveling studio stops and record your favorite song. You get a free CD copy of your performance just for participating. When the event ends (probably in October) the most outstanding performance will be judged by a panel of eminently qualified individuals and the winner have their photo in Karaoke Scene Magazine, a portion of their performance will be streamed onto our website and be awarded $1,000. But this is not just about the prize…it is about having a great time singing Karaoke, visiting new venues, and making new friends. This event will be held at approximately 100 locations throughout California. Check the special page on this site for a location near you.

Penguin Karaoke is presenting the first annual “All Karaoke Cruise” which takes place from January 17 – 20, 2003. “Big” Bob Malthouse & Phil Farmer, owners of Penguin Karaoke will be shepherding the event along with Manny Pacheco & Laurie Masters and Art & Lori Johnson. This vocal voyage will take place aboard the Carnival fun ship “Ecstasy” and if I know these folks, this cruise should be a riot. You won’t want to be left ashore…so for Karaoke Cruise information please call (800) 600-4548. Bon Voyage!

Karaoke Scene Magazine has been in talks with a production company for a major cable TV channel regarding the filming of a documentary chronicling the “road” to Karaoke Fest 2003. A film production crew will follow the path of contestants through the qualifying rounds and semi finals at venues throughout Southern California all the way to the finals at Karaoke Fest 2003. We will keep you informed on the progress of this project.

Finally, this August we observe the 25th anniversary of the passing of the biggest entertainment phenomenon of all time, Elvis Presley. There has never been anyone quite like him and probably will never be. He stands alone as the undisputed “King of Rock & Roll” and the most universally recognizable personality ever. His generosity is legendary, his appeal universal. His spirit lives on through his music and his memory…and his contribution to Karaoke is unparalleled. There are far more “Elvis” selections in Karaoke libraries across the United States and around the world than any other single artist with even more on the horizon. Karaoke Scene salutes “The King,” his music, and his memory.