The girls joined us at Marie’s Crisis and I, for one, cannot WAIT to go back!!
I still have never done Karaoke. I mean proper Karaoke, where you’re the only one singing. I’ve been in “group Karaoke” scenarios – sing-a-longs, really – and that’s been fun, but to actually be the only one singing? I think I’d need a serious dose of booze first.
My friends R and C are both big Karaoke fans (yes, they’re both Asian. Don’t be rude.) and have threatened to take me to a karaoke bar one of these days. So far these threats have proven empty.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not above singing in public. I just don’t necessarily want the whole world to hear me. So when we decided to go to Marie’s Crisis in NYC in November, it was with mixed emotions.
Marie’s Crisis is a piano bar in the heart of New York’s gay village. It’s just about the gayest place you can imagine: a hundred or so fags gathered around a piano player, and belting out showtunes in unison.
Knowing that I’m a big fan of all things Broadway, my coworker told me about it after her last visit to the city. I filed the information away and told a few close friends: the girls who joined us in NYC.
On entering Marie’s Crisis with the girls, none of us knew what to expect. Would this be mostly soloists with a smattering of full-on sing-a-long thrown in for good measure? Would it be more like karaoke where everyone takes a turn? I panicked a bit that I would be put on the spot, but I needn’t have worried. Once you give a group of gays the spotlight, good luck getting it back!
From the moment we entered we were swept up in the music, singing at the top of our lungs a selection of well-worn ditties from popular musicals chosen at random by the pianist. The only soloists were the talented waiters who, from time to time, in between delivering bottles of beer, would call the crowd to a halt and perform a solo with just the piano accompaniment.
Then it was right back into the roar!
I so wanted to go back the second night we were in NYC, but we ran out of time. Still, it’s definitely on my must-do-again-really-soon list. Maybe if R and C join us on the next NYC trip, we can also find a Karaoke bar and finally cross that off my bucket list too – especially if I get in some group practice first. I’m sure I can find a showtune to try my luck at.
Our Flophouse 