Karaoke soundclash

Karaoke may be a global phenomenon, but it is one that each adoptive culture has interpreted in its own way. This becomes apparent when different 'schools' of karaoke clash. It was certainly apparent to me and a group of mainly Anglophone friends at a karaoke bar (called 'Karaoke Bar') in Brussels' Sablon district last night. Whereas Brits and Americans tend to have a very light-hearted approach to the whole business, appreciating a wretched performance as much as a good one, performing in groups and singing and dancing along, the French-speaking denizens of the Karaoke Bar seemed to be taking the whole thing much more seriously. Although plenty of alcohol was being consumed, the atmosphere was somewhat sober, a seemingly endless string of Chanson dirges adding to the sombre feel. And when three of our group performed Duran Duran's Girls on Film in a slightly taking-the-piss manner they were greated as if they had just arrived on 'Planet Earth' from Mars.