Work Abroad

Karaoke could be your ticket to ride.

Hanging out at the Mauer Park in Berlin, recently, I saw something amazing. An Irish guy had a laptop with a karaoke program running and a good mike, speakers, an umbrella for the sun and a buggy to carry it all.

His audience numbered around 500 people.

There were bands playing elsewhere in the park, great musicians playing their sets and juggling shows going on but the crowds flocked to watch unknown amateurs get up and croon their favourite pop songs. The singers were mostly weak, their dancing uncertain and the songs were corny hits from the last couple of decades but the audience loved it.

It was like reality TV without the TV and everyone’s heart went out to whoever had the guts to come down and sing. The Irish guy running the show supplied a bit of showman humour when needed but mostly stayed out of the picture and let everyone else be the star for 15 minutes.

When the can for collections was eventually passed around (a slit allowing money to go in but not come out), people were putting 5 and 10 euro notes inside, those in the back rows even asking other people to pass their donations down for them. The atmosphere was one of such electric happiness you couldn’t help but grin and reach into your pocket.

Watch the star of the show sing My Way in German, for example (forgive the shaky camera work, it gets better):

What You Need to Get Started

1. A laptop.
2. A karoake program
3. Speakers, the bigger the better
4. A quiet generator
5. A cart or buggy to carry your gear to the show

Total investment?

Maybe $500-1000 depending on how loud you need to get. Less if you just rent the speakers and generator. Choose a good location and you could make it back in a single afternoon.

Where to Make Your Traveling Karaoke Show

You need to choose a place where the crowds gather any way, perhaps a park or a beach or a plaza somewhere with a good number of tourists. If it’s somewhere that people go to have a beer and sit in the sun with their families then you’re on to a winner.

With a bit of patter between songs, a pretty girl to collect donations and good weather, you’ll soon be paying your way around the world. You’ll also be making a lot of people very happy as they get a golden opportunity to be a rock star for five minutes.

Who said Karaoke was just for drunk Japanese businessmen?

Although that is a thought – wonder if anyone’s doing this in the parks in Tokyo?

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