‘What Would You Think If I Sang Out of Tune?’ Salt Shed Set to Host World’s Largest Karaoke Party in Chicago

Marc Vitali | July 31, 2024, 5:59 pm

(John Bender)

A Chicago music venue will soon host a karaoke blowout like no other. It’s a rare chance to step onto a big stage and sing in front of … 5,000 people.

In other words, it may be your wildest dream or your worst nightmare.

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

On Thursday, Aug. 8, the “World’s Largest Karaoke” party takes place outdoors on the fairgrounds of the Salt Shed at 1357 N. Elston Ave.

The free party will be thrown by 16” On Center, the Chicago music and hospitality group behind the Salt Shed, the Empty Bottle and Thalia Hall, among others.

Bruce Finkelman, 16” On Center’s co-founder, has been a pillar of the music scene since he launched the Empty Bottle 33 years ago.

“This is the inaugural and first annual World’s Largest Karaoke Party,” Finkelman told WTTW News. “The concept of the Salt Shed was to build community in a space that hadn’t been used in quite some time. We love building these intimate gatherings — and how great is it to ask 5,000 of your besties to come over and sing karaoke for the night?”

Participation is free, but for a shot at singing you must RSVP to ensure your ticket. Heads up — organizers are anticipating a sell-out.

Potential performers will sign up on-site, get randomly chosen and then notified via text. Certain performance slots will be raffled for charity — not to the highest bidder, but to a lucky singer who donates $5 for the chance to be chosen.

So, with 5,000 people in the crowd, how many get to sing in five hours?

“We’re hoping to get up to 70 people. It’s a time game. We’ll make sure we have someone on the side of the stage with a hook,” Finkelman said with a laugh.

Especially if too many singers choose “Stairway to Heaven” or Taylor Swift’s 10-minute version of “All Too Well.”

And if your nerves get the better of you, intoxicants will be available.

“There’s going to be a bar onstage so people preparing to sing can have a shot of liquid courage if they choose,” Finkelman said. “It’ll be a real human moment to see if you can turn that corner and look at 5,000 people out there and sing your Billy Joel song.”

What about the Guinness Book of World Records? Has the Salt Shed reached out?

“Damn right, we have,” Finkelman said. “Just got to get those people to call us back! We’re going for the largest free-form karaoke event ever. We wanna break the Guinness Record.” *

So polish up your best vocal version of “Love Shack” and remember the don’ts in karaoke etiquette: don’t jeer, don’t sing a song that has just been sung and don’t hog the mic. And if you don’t stop singin’ “Don’t Stop Believin,’” someone might pull the plug on you, and with good reason.

But will Finkelman participate?

“No,” he said. “No one wants to hear me do karaoke.”

*The Guinness Book of World Records maintains three categories for karaoke:

An individual karaoke record: Leonardo Polverelli of Italy sang 1,295 songs over four days in 2011.
A group record: In 2009, multiple participants sang for more than 37 days in Mumbai, India.
And the “largest karaoke,” which took place in 2009 when 160,000 people sang “Friends in Low Places” before a NASCAR event in Tennessee.