Karaoke

Fatal Songs: "I Believe in You and Me," "Nutbush City Limits" and "I'm a Woman" What Went Wrong: Whoa! Didn't see that one coming. The judges lavished her with praise and compared her to Gladys Knight, Tina Turner, even Celia Cruz. Maybe that was the problem. The show is supposed to find the next big thing. In Doolittle, we found a consummate pro, not an up-and-coming artist. Shining Moment: Pretty much every time she showed up on camera. There is a fine line between good Idol performances and pat karaoke.

LONDON -- Yes, Elvis lives. And soon he may be singing your song.Ken Lomax of the University of Cambridge has developed a way to reproduce the singing and speaking styles of performers, living and dead. So far, Lomax has generated voice "templates" for opera stars Maria Callas and Kiri Te Kanawa -- and the king of rock 'n' roll.Lomax's "voice morpher" builds a template of a performer's voice from recordings. It captures features of the performer's distinctive singing style, such as how the words of a song are pronounced, the tone of the voice and the characteristic timing of certain phrases.

Taneytown Police Chief Melvin Diggs will perform karaoke at a benefit for the Maryland Special Olympics from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at American Legion Post 120, 9 Broad St., Taneytown.The second annual fund-raiser features singing, dancing, food and raffles.Admission is a donation to the Special Olympics.Information: 410-751-1150.FiresWestminster: A Taneytown resident told police that someone broke into her business at Carroll Plaza and stole $150 Thursday.Reese: An employee of Bell Atlantic in Woodlawn told police that someone stole a pay telephone from the vacant carnival grounds in the 1700 block of Baltimore Blvd.

That cowboy taking center stage at the American Legion post in Taneytown on Saturday will be Police Chief Melvin Diggs.Diggs is serving as master of ceremonies -- and performer -- at a dance and karaoke program, a fund-raiser for Maryland Special Olympics. The Special Olympics is a year-round sports program for children and adults with developmental disabilities."It's a fun thing, is what it is. You don't have to be a singer," Diggs said."Since we've gotten into community policing a lot, some of my officers will be there, [and]

When you saw that your new laser-disc player came with a built-in karaoke module, you chuckled, thinking, "As if I'd ever invest in a microphone and karaoke disc." But the manufacturer was one step ahead of you and included not only a microphone but a five-song karaoke sampler disc in the packaging.So, feeling only slightly foolish, you looked around to make sure all the windows were closed, and slipped the disc in. "Just to see if the thing works," you told yourself.But when the karaoke version of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" came on, you couldn't help yourself.

By day, No. 6 in the karaoke contest doesn't get much feedback from her boss.Almost certainly, she doesn't hear "Awesome!" or "You were so good."But No. 6, Tiffany, is bombarded with such accolades as she comes off the stage at a restaurant in Seattle on a recent work night. She was terrific, her mates tell her. Too bad she doesn't win the singing contest, but she basks in the praise.The need for a moment in the spotlight is what's given The International Karaoke Intelligence (TIKI) its galloping circulation since it started 18 months ago in Seattle, one of the first if not the first newspaper in the country devoted to karaoke.

Throw the rascals out!That battle cry of the American voter resonates as far back as the time of Tom Paine, who once called for frequent elections so that ''the elected might never form to themselves an interest separate from the electors.''Yet even the author of ''Common Sense'' might be alarmed to witness the intensity of the throw-'em-out fever now spreading from Ellicott City to Eureka, California.Disgusted with gridlocked government and political scandal, more and more Americans are turning to the concept of the term limit in hopes of removing what they perceive to be so much dead wood among local, state and federal office-holders.

Sing-along music represents one of the hottest growth areas in entertainment in the 1990s.Just on the U.S. consumer front, sing-along software and hardware notched $330 million in sales last year -- almost doubling 1990's returns -- and the business is expected to grow to $590 million in sales this year.So estimates Neil Friedman, director of the Karaoke International Sing-Along Association, a trade group of manufacturers, distributors, marketers and entertainers.Far East countries have been passionate for karaoke, a Japanese word meaning "empty orchestra," for the last 20 years.

He stepped up to the microphone with a slight swagger, stared moodily at the cameras and gave his best swivel of the hips.With women clapping, if not swooning, the mayor of Annapolis began to croon "Love Me Tender." He was feeling a little sentimental, and a little bolder after his first song provoked calls for an encore.OK, Elvis Presley he was not. But even if the crowd wasn't screaming, Al Hopkins won more than a polite round of applause."Isn't he adorable?" said Alderman Terrie DeGraff, the host of the event to raise money for her re-election campaign.

ALIVE AND KICKINGI am a professional singer responding to your article on karaoke ["Micro-Phonies," June 7]. It started out great! Everything was positive and enjoyable; then on the last page it ended by basically offending clubs that do not use karaoke, and it leaves professional, struggling musicians feeling unvalued. I quote Colette Kelly: "The usual nightclub scene is really a negative place. . . . With karaoke, people sing and interact with each other."My husband and I have our own band here in Baltimore.

FRIDAY KARAOKE AT THE SENATOR: This is your big chance to perform in the spotlight on a historic stage. The Senator, 5904 York Road, offers touch-screen song selection of more than 65,000 songs accompanied by the theater's impressive sound system. Video of the performances will also be projected live on the screen. Doors open at 7 p.m. Karaoke starts at 8 p.m. The karaoke contest is free and culminates in costume karaoke on Oct. 30. Call 410-435-8338 or go to senator.com. TEQUILA TASTING: The opportunity to taste a brand-new tequila doesn't come along every day, which is why you should get to Morton's the Steakhouse, 300 S. Charles St., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Don Roberto Tequila Experience includes samplings of three Don Roberto cocktails, three tequilas and several of Morton's hors d'oeuvres.

Friday IN A MATERIAL WORLD... This exhibit features costumes by Baltimore-based fiber artist Melissa Webb presented in a fantasy storybook setting and accompanied by related photographs. The opening reception, which includes appearances by garden gnomes and stilt-walkers, is at Gallery Imperato, 921 E. Fort Ave., from 7-10 p.m. The exhibit runs through Sept. 12. Go to galleryimperato.com. ROMAN HOLIDAY: "Lost in Translation," "The Lord of the Rings," "The Darjeeling Limited." These are all films that make their locations seem so desirable that movie pilgrims travel to their real life counterparts.

John Prevas has found a way to shake off the world of stuffy court briefs and sober judicial robes. It starts with Steely Dan's "Cousin Dupree," the Baltimore City Circuit Court judge's signature karaoke song. (It's about a guy making an incestuous play for his cousin. Odd choice for a judge but for the legalese - "quid pro quo" - in the chorus.) Prevas also sings "Super Freak" and many other songs, including up-to-date fare by Maroon 5 and John Mayer. Anyone having trouble picturing that can catch Prevas' act Wednesday nights at Castaways in Canton - or go to YouTube and search for "Castaways Karaoke."

Mighty karaoke The lowdown -- After bouncing back from a kidney transplant this year, All Mighty Senators' drummer and singer Landis Expandis is back on the scene in full force. Tomorrow, he hosts punk-rock karaoke at the Ottobar. Patrons can sign up to sing tunes by bands such as the Ramones, Blondie and Green Day, performed live by cover band the Bootblacks. If you go -- Doors open at 9 p.m. and the all-ages show starts at 10 p.m. The venue is at 2549 N. Howard St. Call 410-662-0069 or go to theottobar.

Fatal Songs: "I Believe in You and Me," "Nutbush City Limits" and "I'm a Woman" What Went Wrong: Whoa! Didn't see that one coming. The judges lavished her with praise and compared her to Gladys Knight, Tina Turner, even Celia Cruz. Maybe that was the problem. The show is supposed to find the next big thing. In Doolittle, we found a consummate pro, not an up-and-coming artist. Shining Moment: Pretty much every time she showed up on camera. There is a fine line between good Idol performances and pat karaoke.

Frazier's on the Avenue wasn't ready for my falsetto. To be honest, I wasn't ready to unleash my full vocal onslaught at the bar's famous karaoke night, either. My buddies Evan and Jeremy and I went a couple of weeks ago with the best intentions. Even so, Evan and I ended up making fools out of ourselves. Frazier's has hosted karaoke every Tuesday night for several years now. Over time, it has built up a reputation as one of the city's best spots for self-inflicted embarrassment. The bar, which occupies two adjacent buildings, is split into two sections.

As I stood alone in the horde of teenagers and young adults outside the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., for more than two hours, I had plenty of time think about what led me there. In a sense, it was the culmination of a lifelong journey -- or lifelong fantasy, at least. More immediately, I could trace it back to a night at Kelly's in Fells Point. It was there, after a Natty-Boh-induced rendition of "Total Eclipse of the Heart," that a bar server told me it was the best version of that classic Bonnie Tyler tune she had ever heard at karaoke night.

Nevin's Cross Street Station For karaoke in Federal Hill, Nevin's should always be your first stop. Where --31-33 E. Cross St. Call --410-468-4078 Notable --It's fun to sing karaoke, but even more fun to see. Watching other people warble their way through "Total Eclipse of the Heart" is hilarious - like a real-life American Idol. Believe it or not, a good deal of the regulars at Nevin's can sit through some of the weirdest and downright fingernails-on-a-chalkboard song renditions without batting an eye. Vibe --Though it may seem a little intimidating at first, it's actually pretty laid back once you settle in. What to wear --Something you don't mind having beer spilled on. For the most part, it's T-shirts and jeans in the summertime.

What: Otakon anime convention Where: Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St. When: 9 a.m.-2 a.m. tomorrow and Saturday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Why: Because you love Japanese anime, J-pop, manga and East Asian culture. And the annual celebration features guest speakers, including voice actors, artists, writers and musicians, as well as video games, card games, live-action roleplay, music concerts, karaoke, art, cool items for sale, panel discussions, ongoing anime and lots more. Information: $55 for a three-day pass.

As always, the offerings at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, just completed in Las Vegas, ran the gamut in size, serviceability and silliness. Here's a look at the most impressive products, people and punch lines at CES 2005: Best new big product: The new big-screen plasma televisions. They have new features and falling prices. You can get a 42-inch, high-definition plasma now for less than $4,000. Next year it will be $3,000. That's almost affordable for something that will make you drool.