If Wednesday’s “American Idol” season finale leaves you jonesing for amateur interpretations of pop chestnuts, fear not! Chicago’s expansive karaoke scene allows you to spend seven nights a week in search of the next Carrie Underwood — or at least the next Sanjaya.
MONDAY
Sidetrack
3349 N. Halsted St. 773-477-9189
Tune in: Show tune singalong, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The scene: Not ready for a solo showcase? Dip your toe in the karaoke waters at this Boystown video bar that offers a twist on karaoke. The spot tunes its 47 TVs to movie musicals and invites you to sing along as lyrics scroll across the screen.
Song selection: The bar boasts having tunes from every musical ever.
Staging: Stay seated and belt it out with the rest of the room.
Crowd participation: The emphasis is on group vocalizing, not individual performances. Regulars often employ “Rocky Horror”-style cues and responses for familiar songs.
TUESDAY
Karaoke Restaurant
6248-1/2 N. California Ave. 773-274-1166
Tune in: $5 per person per hour; karaoke box, 5 p.m. to 3 a.m.
The scene: Remember in “Lost in Translation” when Bill Murray and pals rented a tiny room and sang the night away? The Japanese call that a “karaoke box” — and so does this Korean joint.
Song selection: Endless — if you speak Korean. Also, several thousand English-language titles.
Staging: Dimly lit rooms seat four to 20 people. Many songs are accompanied by incongruous videos of jet skiers, migrating birds and other weirdness.
Crowd participation: After a round of sake, every song becomes a singalong.
WEDNESDAY
The Mutiny
2428 N. Western Ave. 773-486-7774
Tune in: Afternoon karaoke, 3-6 p.m.
The scene: Some folks just can’t wait till dark to belt out some Prince. This venerable rock club caters to the odd-hours crowd on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings (9 a.m. to noon).
Song selection: Despite the club’s punk veneer, the 2,200-song catalog is heavy on top 40 hits.
Staging: Things stay stationary with a mic stand near the bar.
Crowd participation: Some regulars may be gruff, but an afternoon karaoke crowd tends to be pretty forgiving.
THURSDAY
Carol’s Pub
4659 N. Clark St. 773-334-2402
Tune in: Country karaoke, 9 p.m.
The scene: Leave all of your pop pretenses at home. ‘Round here, it’s country first, foremost and forever.
Song selection: Despite Carol’s usual old-school, honky-tonk atmosphere, the 2,000-track roster ranges from Patsy to Shania, Cash to Chesney.
Staging: You’ll be fighting some hard-core regulars for time on the bar’s small stage.
Crowd participation: It’s an enthusiastic room of country fans. Any onstage hipster irony might get you booed.
FRIDAY
Louie’s Pub
1659 W. North Ave. 773-227-7947
Tune in: Plain ol’ karaoke, 9 p.m.
The scene: When you want straightforward, by-the-book karaoke, Louie’s has you covered most nights. Fridays attract a mix of grizzled regulars and Bucktown scenesters.
Song selection: A thousands-deep library of standards and newer pop hits.
Staging: A cordless mic allows singers to stroll the bar, prompting a lot of showboating and James Brown theatrics.
Crowd participation: The roaming-microphone encourages impromptu duets and group choruses on numbers like “Sweet Caroline.”
SATURDAY
Piece
1927 W. North Ave. 773-772-4422
Tune in: Live-band karaoke, 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The scene: Always dreamed of being a rock star but lacked intangibles like commitment and talent? Here’s your chance to belt out some Bowie while backed by the three-piece Karaoke Dokies.
Song selection: The band knows around 200 songs, from Danzig to Dr. Dre.
Staging: Fronting a live band on stage in front of a pizza-gorged crowd — does it get better than that?
Crowd participation: Even if you bomb, you’ll probably get a warm reception, as everyone digs that this is a tough gig.
SUNDAY
Hamburger Mary’s
5400 N. Clark St. 773-784-6969
Tune in: Karaoke bingo, 9 p.m. to midnight.
The scene: This duplicity of dorky-cool delights features bingo calling between performances, with prizes ranging from free drinks to concert tickets. Even with sub-Sanjaya vocal skills, you could walk away a winner.
Song selection: Computer database of more than 20,000 songs of all genres.
Staging: Singers can stick to the stage area or stroll as far as the mic cord allows.
Crowd participation: People get antsy waiting to scream “bingo,” so don’t be surprised when they shout encouragement.
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metromix@tribune.com
