Karaoke revival hits the valley

Recognizing the exhaustive community of students looking for anything to do after 10:00 p.m., Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill now stays open until midnight.
Result: a place for students to go and hang out.

Knowing college is expensive and funds are limited for students, Applebee’s offers half price appetizers Sunday through Thursday from 9:00 p.m. to close.
Result: more people in the restaurant, and more money in their wallets.

Still feeling more could be done, Orem Applebee’s GM Casey VanDerhoff considered having a weekly karaoke night. He remarked, “We wanted to take Applebee’s away for a period of time and provide something more to our guests. At the same time, we did not want to become a full blown karaoke bar, but wanted a hybrid of both models, creating an upbeat atmosphere where people can come and have a great time.”

And although some people thought it could be disastrous, potentially losing a lot of customers, the community has embraced the idea from night one. Karaoke has taken off like a rocket, becoming the premiere activity of Tuesday nights in Happy Valley.

Initially, after fighting for a list, sifting through the meager 1,200-song list, and going to talk to the DJ, one hoped for enough time to actually get onstage. Applebee’s now has a song list on every table with over 20,000 songs to choose from, and signing up to sing is as easy as filling out a slip and waiting for it to be picked up. Advice: get there early if you want to sing.
Karaoke doesn’t seem to be losing its flames either. Every week brings new singers, new songs, new talent, and even sponsored competitions. Applebee’s Idol, their first competition, is now running toward the finals coming up on Nov. 25.