Hoi An Nightlife Tips by ellielou

Nightlife Spot: some karaoke joint

Ok. This event was one reason I was happy to be in Hoi An, and was one of the highlights of a monthlong trip. Of course, you don't NEED to be in Hoi An to participate in karaoke, but this is where I happened to experiece the full Vietnamese karaoke works.

Long story short:

Took a cooking class. Ended up talking to the chef, who offered to take me around the outskirst of Hoi An on his motorbike. I graciously accepted. While I was drinking a cup of Vietnamese coffee with him, in a place with no tourists, I happened to catch a glimpse of a karaoke sign. Quite innocently I asked, so, do you do karaoke? Yes, came the reply. And it just so happens, that today is payday, and the staff from the cooking school is meeting for karaoke. And, guess what, it's about 50 meters from your hotel. (I'm an American, don't know from meters, but take it that it's pretty close.)

So, he says he'll pick me up at my hotel at 8. Ok. He doesn't arrive until 8.30, by which time I had scheduled a pedicure. Some slight confusion ensues.

We drive the 50 meters to this place. Now, when I've done karaoke, it's in a bar. But, this, this was a room. A small room on the second floor or some building, with a tv, a sofa, a coffee table, and a colored disco ball. A few of the women from the cooking school are sitting around, a bit confused as to why I was there. Then the music started. (continued below...if you care to read on....)

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Theme: Live Music
Dress Code: continued...

I'm confused. I'm hot. This is a bit odd, but I'm loving it. More people arrived, and again, they are shocked, shocked that there is a paying customer from the school.

People look through the karaoke book, play a bit with the remote control, and start singing these songs. Now, I don't know Vietnamese, but I can just tell that they are the cheesiest of love songs. I mean, beyond cheesy. And, for the most part, they are being sung earnestly.

They tell me to sing. The selection of songs in English is maybe two pages long. I pick Carole King's "It's Too Late Baby," but the music is off, and the video is weird, and I can't finish. But, even more important than that, I sense that I am losing my audience.

I stay quiet for a while.

They ask me to sing again. This time I pick, "We Are Family." It's a hit. The group sings along to the "We are family, I've got all my sisters with me," bit. I'm delightfully happy.

I sing again. My last song. This time I pick, "We Will Rock You." (No one can say that I've not learned my song picking lesson.) Again, I hit. I feel redeemed!