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Six Fun Event & Wedding Ideas

Over the years, we’ve played a lot of San Diego weddings, corporate events, and parties. If you’re struggling to find ideas to make your next bash unforgettable, look no further – here are some of the best we’ve seen:

Themes
This one might sound obvious to some, but you can’t beat a good ol’ theme party. Whether it’s a rock star theme, a 1920s flapper feel, or a Woodstock music festival – people love to dress up. Pro Tip: make sure you put the word out well in advance so people have time to shop for their outfits.

Photo Booth
Most of the parties we play these days include a photo booth or a step-and-repeat, and those things stay busy from start to finish. A photo booth can produce party favors for your guests (that you don’t have to put together) and can also serve as a way to commemorate your event online. Today’s photo booths have taken on a completely different look – green screens, props, flipbooks, and more – making them a great option for your next event.

Performers
We’ve seen lots of performers over the years – groups that can warm up the crowd for a band are great. Performances have included traditional Chinese dragon dancers (think Chinese New Year parade), synchronized swimmers (for a poolside party), hypnotists, and acrobatic / juggler / variety performers — they can all spice up your event and make it more memorable.

Other Specialists
One wedding we attended had cigar rollers – how cool is that? Hand-rolled cigars while you wait! Another corporate event featured an artist who was etching commemorative wine glasses with names and short phrases. Caricature artists are always a hit, too. Although we haven’t experienced it, we’ve heard about henna tattoos at some weddings – another great idea!

Food Trucks
We played a backyard party last year for Food Network star Melissa d’Arabian that featured food trucks. We also played a recent party in Beverly Hills for a large retail company that included the In-N-Out Burger truck, a Sprinkles Cupcake truck, and more. Double-double animal style for everyone, please!

Music
Ok, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention live band karaoke as a way to spice up your next corporate event, wedding or birthday party. But really, where else are you going to find entertainment that is truly interactive? If you’re a bride, imagine the memories of having Dad on stage belting out Journey like he was back in high school. Or Grandma doing her best Katy Perry impression. Seriously, we’ve seen some awesome family moments on stage with us over the years, and those moments will live forever.

So there’s our rundown of just a few interesting and different event ideas. What did we miss?

More Holiday Karaoke Fun: San Diego Reader

When one of the most respected and widely read publications in San Diego first called Rock Out Karaoke to play their staff holiday party, we were certainly excited. I mean, these are some of the most influential people in the region: writers, editors, bloggers for the San Diego Reader — they all have opinions and they have the forum to share those opinions. We knew we would have to make a great first impression.

Our friends at the House of Blues set us up in the Delta Room, a private space that is great for these types of events (probably holds around 100 people comfortably). It’s got a lot of great seating (read: cushy couches) and, of course, has its own private bar. On this particular night, Reel Big Fish was playing in the music hall, so the party guests had access to that concert as well. From what we can tell, they all opted to stay close and rock out with us instead.

We cranked up the volume and it was on! Talk about a karaoke crowd – these guys pulled out everything from Lynyrd Skynyrd to the Proclaimers, complete with props and costumes! The free-flowing open bar helped warm up their vocal cords, and by the end of the night everyone was singing along. I think it’s safe to say we NAILED IT, but of course we couldn’t have done it without help from the fun-loving staff from the Reader. Many thanks – and we hope to see you all again next year!

Rock Out Karaoke is San Diego’s most dynamic and interactive cover band, combining the raw power of a live rock band with the fun of karaoke, where individual singers take center stage with the live band! Complete with lyrics displayed on a monitor in real-time with the music, nothing is missing from this unique karaoke show! Call us today, and let’s talk about how we can make your next event one for the ages.

Party Above Petco

When a law firm from Minnesota needed an unforgettable experience for their San Diego corporate event, guess who they called? Yep. Rock Out Karaoke. From atop the Diamond View Tower, we showed their guests from around the country how we fire up the party in San Diego. The result was, well, pretty unforgettable.

By the way, the Diamond View Tower is a pretty incredible venue. Views of the Coronado Bridge, Petco Park, downtown San Diego and beyond. We can’t wait to play there again soon!

Now THAT Was a Karaoke Party!

On a scale of 1 to awesome, our most recent private event was off the charts. We were lucky enough to be a part of a very special day for a very special couple. Melissa and Philippe d’Arabian invited us to play at their San Diego home following their vow renewal ceremony celebrating 10 years of (obvious) wedded bliss.

You may recognize Melissa from her celebrity status on the Food Network (read her write up of the event in the Huffington Post). While we love Ten Dollar Dinners and have picky eaters in some of our households (believe me, some of us will definitely be tuning in), we know Melissa best as an incredible host and an amazing karaoke singer.

Set in her family’s beautiful home in Coronado, Melissa designed a party that evolved around (you guessed it) the food. With food trucks out front serving everything from some of the best paella I’ve tasted to gourmet hot dogs, it’s no surprise that the guests spent the first couple of hours in the front yard noshing on some of San Diego’s finest. That left us a few minutes to set up in the back yard, which was well-suited for live band karaoke. Inside, the family dinner table was covered with tons of non-perishable food items that I later learned would be donated to the local food bank (awesome).

When we kicked off at 6pm, there was no looking back. We were supported by kids of all ages who took center stage and sang their favorites from Maroon 5, Katy Perry, Ce Lo Green, Miley (the twerker) Cyrus, and even some classic hits that I was surprised these kids knew! Much like our shows from the San Diego County Fair, it was a family event – with several father-son and mother-daughter moments.

All in all, we had a really fun night, and made some new friends (young and old). Next up for us? Adding more top 40 hits from recent years and keeping our fingers crossed that we get invited back for another event soon!

Rock Out Karaoke is San Diego’s best (and longest-running) live band karaoke group. Call us today (619.957.8030) to book your next karaoke party!

We Love Us Some Bass Dave

It is with great sadness that I’m announcing my departure from Rock Out Karaoke and San Diego.

Since September of 2009 I have played over 180 shows with Rock Out Karaoke. That’s probably around 7,200 songs and just as many high fives. Counting all the duets, drunken groups of bridesmaids, and dancing bananas, I’ve been lucky enough to share the stage with possibly close to 10,000 karaoke singers (with just a few repeats and regulars) in the past two and a half years.

I want to thank all the musicians that I have played with in ROK over the years: Skip, Rob R., Mike, Rob W, Matt, Pants, Shawn, Paulo, and Colin. You guys are awesome and make playing music what it’s supposed to be…Fun!

Equally important, I want to thank all the wonderful people that brave the Rock Out Karaoke stage every week. Without you, we’re just another cover band. My favorite day of the week without a doubt is Thursday because I get to share the stage with you all. I will miss you all dearly. Keep on ROK’ing!

My last official show is March 15^th, but watch out for some special guest appearances in April!

Thanks,
Bass Dave

Editor’s Note: We’ll definitely miss Dancing Dave’s stage antics week after week. Dave’s arrival in the band came at a pivotal time, as Bass Rob was busy having kids. Dave was undoubtedly a huge reason why we were able to continue performing week after week — and even growing the number of gigs we play each year. Dave was literally the backbone of the band, shouldering the majority of the load with a smile (and usually a PBR or two). Most of all, Dave is an incredible friend to all of us. We all wish you the best and hope to share the stage with you again soon.

Bass Dave Got His Own Night!