Winnie's Wins Best of / Blame that Tune, notes from The Post

Empty Orchestra tends to focus on brothel-style rokehouse experiences, but really applauds establishments like Winnie's, Village Voice's 2009 Best Karaoke House, though we'll say that there is none exactly like this one. The queen of dives nestled on Bayard street, Winnie herself is the crusty karaoke auntie who sternly administrates your roke selections by having you wait out the two-drink minimum in your dingy booth until she calls you up and sets in the laser disc (with the two handed requisite) & dials in your paper written selections onto the old-school box big screen. If the book says that a certain call number was I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston, but what actually comes up on the screen is All The Man That I (Ever) Need - Whitney Houston, you can expect Winnie to hand you the mic anyway with a look that reads, "Tough." You sing for the two friends you brought & the often older Chinese uncle-ish regulars, & it ends up being the best impromptu awkward happy hour. The weekends at Winnie's are less sketchy rogue karaoke style, as unfortunately nothing this great can be kept secret for Saturday Manhattan folk.

Today's New York Post calls out folks just like us who over-consider roke stylings with no heed to performer potential in a great fluff feature with !quotes from Winnie! & other roke waitstaffs on what they call "scary-oke." Here's the great superlatives list in the article that is all too familiar to a roke veteran:

"The song that makes people think they can sing really well (when they can’t): Proud Mary by Tina Turner
The song that makes people think they can dance really well (when they can’t): Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-Lot
The song that makes people order more drinks: Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations — U2 Karaoke
The song that’s best to express a secret crush: Summer Nights from “Grease”
The song that clears the place out: All By Myself by Celine Dion
The song that brings the bar to a complete standstill: Any girl who can sing Alone by Heart really well"

Catch the full story here, Blame That Tune, which also offers up a few names of roke spots that EO is yet to explore...!!

Thanks Matt S. for passing this link.

-G