Where the people are the real stars : an ethnography of karaoke bars in Philadelphia / Robert Sanford Drew.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Microformat

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Drew, Robert Sanford.

Contributor:

Marvin, Carolyn, advisor.

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Penn dissertations--Communication.

Communication--Penn dissertations.

Local Subjects:

Penn dissertations--Communication.

Communication--Penn dissertations.

Physical Description:

ix, 296 leaves ; 29 cm

Production:

1994.

Summary:

This dissertation is an ethnography of karaoke bars in Philadelphia, bars where individuals publicly perform by singing along with the backing tracks of popular songs. It makes arguments relevant to diverse bodies of theory and research including role theory, performance theory, ritual, and aesthetics. I visited twelve Philadelphia karaoke bars on thirty nights between June and September of 1991. I observed performances and interviewed performers and emcees.

The first chapter views karaoke performance from a Goffmanesque perspective, as situated somewhere between formal, onstage performance and informal, face-to-face interaction. Performances are often punctuated with an array of Goffmanesque frame breaks; performers flood out (laugh at themselves), comment on their own performances, address the audience outside of the singing voice, and alternate between different voices.

The next chapter concerns the role of the karaoke emcee. Karaoke is a noisy, chaotic activity, but considerable work is performed by the emcee to maintain this fragile sense of chaos. The emcee initiates and sustains the flow of performances while also maintaining control.

My next chapter considers how individuals become regular performers. When people first perform karaoke, they typically do so before strangers and acquaintances, and therefore experience problems of audience segmentation. In order for individuals to become regular performers, a social group must develop around karaoke, its members' interactions keyed to the activity at hand.

The next chapter discusses the aesthetics of karaoke performance. Because participants usually recognize karaoke performance to be difficult, there is much leeway for different levels of competence, and several possible strategies a performer might choose. The most important thing is that the performer clearly signal his intentions.

The last substantive chapter discusses how karaoke performers explore alternative identities through song. I consider karaoke as "travel," using James Clifford's discussion of culture as travel. Performers travel through different gender, ethnic, age and class positions via song. However, this identity exploration takes certain circumscribed, predictable forms.

The conclusion brings together lessons concerning performance theory, role theory, ritual, and aesthetics.

Notes:

Supervisor: Carolyn Marvin.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Communication) -- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, 1994.

Includes bibliographical references.

Local Notes:

University Microfilms order no.: 95-03751.

OCLC:

187466244