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Where have all the karaoke contests gone? For big bucks? They have been back by the bucketful at T Buckets near Somerset, and the drink specials should be right up your alley if you need just that bit of inspiration. Try it out live on Saturday night.

So you thought there are no more karaoke contests to be had, or they don”t have the great drinks for a cheap price, as these are things rock stars and even wannabes relish, much less major dough if you win or are in the top three.
Check out the annual, in-house competition held at T-Buckets just west of Somerset on yet another of its Saturday Night Live-like music extravaganzas, by belting it out this weekend, as this merits a last chance to make it big as a qualifier for the big show on the first Saturday in February. And we’re not talking about the Super Bowl.
For every Saturday night in December and January — In The Long Run where The Eagles (and more) Dare, that’s much more than usual for such build-ups to a finale — there have been a qualifier chosen, and each individual gets a ticket to sing for the final gig Feb. 6. Why is this so very important to a struggling musician? There is $1,000 in prize money to be distributed among the top three singers who make it through the finals. There is only one other venue in western Wisconsin that can even come close to that for such contests, and that’s at Halloween, which is a no-brainer biggie that T-Buckets more than matches.
They have the famous, now, three-for-one power hour special that, again, you just won’t see anywhere else in the St. Croix Valley. Then after that 8-9 p.m. special to beat all, stay for the karaoke at T-Buckets, which starts at 9 p.m and has as another option a free drink with coupon. There is judging from 10-11 p.m with qualifying determined by crowd applause, so try to be “out there” with your performance and garner the most clapping you can with your shtick.
There will be actual expert judges for the February finals — and the mind races concerning just what their claims to musical fame are — and if you think you are a rock star lock because you know them via love of a particular genre … maybe so, but we are more professional than that here. Also, in the Saturday qualifying, I suggest, choose the friends you bring to root for you carefully.

The next best thing to the T-Buckets bonanza are the karaoke contests at the Bungalow Inn in Lakeland, obviously not holding sway right now across the river. Their past experience shows that karaoke has gone far beyond Janis Joplin and Bobby McGee. Even the Sinatra set has seen dancing in the aisles, such as they are, to get the most performance value. Two Bungles in the Jungle at the Bungalow, and you’ll likely encounter these singers at T-Buckets,  stand out in my mind. The hairband bandanna guy with the knot near his ear and screech from his vocal chords, and the medley by female rockers that was a bit uneven but pulled it together with swagger during the choruses — and is that not what want to hear?

And what are your other options on Saturday? Maybe hit them first then venture northward to T-Buckets?

This bio of the artist at Urban Olive and Vine says it all: “Becky King is a Twin Cities vocalist who specializes in performing jazz standards, pop classics and more. She provides a soothing atmosphere with her clear melodic voice. She sings with accomplished Twin Cities musicians (usually piano and bass) in coffee shops, restaurants and for private events.” King follows up a three-concert-a-weekend month of January that was strong on individual shows by members of Jazz Savvy.
Then at Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt there is Erin’s Alibi, not like she needs one, and not only the Irish of it, but other classic country and rock. That also follows a performance from a couple of weeks ago, that featured Choper, as it was spelled, which would seem to be a combination of Chopan and Chopper.

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