A citywide singing competition organized by Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events is set to kickoff on Sunday, Oct. 9 across 18 different venues throughout the city.
"Chicago Sings Karaoke" is open to all city residents ages 21 and over. The month-long competition will consist of two rounds, with the grand champion being crowned the city's karaoke champion with a prize of $5,000.
Round one will be hosted by 18 different venues on two different weekdays and weekend days from Oct. 9 through Oct. 11 and Oct. 16 through Oct. 18.
Each of the 18 venues will choose a single semi-finalist to advance to the second round.
The following locations and dates are for the first round of Chicago Sings Karaoke:
- Sunday, Oct. 9: Simone's, 960 W. 18th St. Louie's Pub, 1659 W. North Ave. Lincoln Lodge, 2040 N. Milwaukee Ave.
- Monday, Oct. 10: Caminos, 1659 W. Cullerton Cove Lounge, 1750 E. 55th St. 5 Estrellas, 2908 W. 59th St.
- Tuesday, Oct. 11: Reed's Local, 3017 W. Belmont Taquizo, 1835 W. North Ave. Marz Bar, 3630 S. Iron St.
- Sunday, Oct. 16: Uptown Lounge, 1136W. Lawrence Ave. Randy's Lounge, 7512 S. Cottage Grove UpRoar, 1252 N. Wells St.
- Monday, Oct. 17: Live Wire Lounge, 3394 N. Milwaukee Ave. Zoe's, 5518 S. Archer Ave. All Star Seafood & Sports, 730 S. Clark St.
- Tuesday, Oct. 18: Mini Club, 8338 S. Halsted St. Mi Tierra, 2528 S. Kedzie Ave. Innjoy, 2200 N. Milwaukee Ave.
The second round of Chicago Sings Karaoke will take place on Sunday, Oct. 23, with all 18 semi-finalists performing at one of three venues in the city. From there, each of the three venues will choose two performers to advance to the final round.
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The final round will be held on Sunday, Nov. 6 at the Park West at 322 W. Armitage Avenue, where the six finalists will perform in front of city officials, music industry professionals and celebrities.
City officials listed the following eligibility requirements for participation in Chicago Sings Karaoke:
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1. Participating contestants agree to sign a liability waiver and media release on-site to participate.
2. Contestants must be a Chicago resident, 21+ and provide government issued identification on-site at venue.
3. Contestants must be available to perform on October 23 and November 6 if they advance to the next round in the competition.
4. One entry per person per night. Contestants must sing two (2) songs to compete, one (1) first round, (1) second round.
5. Contestants will compete in the order in which they check-in the day of event. Performance slots and times may be limited.
6. No songs with profanity will be allowed.
7. Original songs and compositions cannot be performed.
8. Contest is open to amateurs only. No individuals touring in local and or national productions or with a current or previous record deal are eligible to participate.
9. By entering the contest, participants consent to have their photo taken and to have their performance videotaped, shared online, or via social media.
10. The People’s Stage Karaoke and the City of Chicago reserve the right to use all names, photos, video, music, and information acquired during the Chicago Sings Karaoke competition in any promotional materials.
11. Contestants must always use family-friendly language on stage, and may not engage in any confrontational, unsportsmanlike, or inappropriate behavior or communications with The People’s Stage Karaoke and venue’s staff, judges, audience members, or other contestants. Any violations of this policy, as determined solely by an official representative of The People’s Stage Karaoke, will result in immediate, permanent disqualification of the contestant, which is irreversible and non-negotiable.
12. Employees of all participating venues and affiliates of the production team are ineligible to compete.
Information on how to register can be found here.
