Massaoke Is Back At The Garden Of Unearthly Delights

With ‘more hairbrush anthems and giant video lyrics for everyone to sing along’ I mean, what else do you want to do at 11pm on a Fringe night? Massaoke Oz is an Adelaide Fringe favourite and its back at its original home at The Garden off Unearthly Delights. Playing every Friday and Saturday night of the Fringe season from Fri 24 February til Saturday 18 March. Get your best singing voice ready and Grab Ya Tix! Massaoke Oz band member Rachel Vidoni chatted to us about why people love Massaoke and how its back again in the Garden.

Massaoke is once again back for Adelaide Fringe! What is it that people love it so much that it’s a hit every season?
I personally have been to Massaoke shows prior to being in the band and for me it’s you’re with your friends and the whole party vibe. If you go to a karaoke night you have to get a lot of courage to get up and perform with your friends. With Massaoke you’re in a room that’s got 500, 1000 or 5000 people its guilt free pleasure to scream out a song that you love. You don’t feel like you’re being judged because everyone’s involved. It’s that whole environment and vibe that you get from getting off of everyone else’s energy.  

The energy on the stage with the band connecting with the audience it this void that a lot of live music shows don’t do well. They struggle to have that connection whereas Massaoke you walk into the room and its all let’s have a party and have some fun. Its about letting go and be free!

Obviously normal karaoke doesn’t have a live band so what makes it special with having a live band?
Everyone has that part of themselves that wishes they were a rockstar. People have always dreamt of getting up on stage and rocking out with the moves and singing along. So, I think that aspect gives them the opportunity to feel what its like to be in a band. As a band if we feel the vibes then we can add another 5 minutes to the song. We can sing Horses for another 15 choruses because everyone’s just getting louder and louder. That’s the vibe I get and the energy that I feel. Everyone gets their 5 minutes of fame and the music feels different than if a DJ plays the song. The live music element takes it to a whole new element of being a rockstar or at a concert.

With normal karaoke if the song is finished then it finished but like you said if the audience are getting into it you can extend the song.
The band is 100% live unlike a lot of shows which will have pre-recorded audio from a computer or backing track. With the Massaoke band, these musicians are very proud to perform live. There are some additional elements like the giant Massaoke screen but even that is done live. There someone manning it changing the lyrics as it goes along. If the audience want to do the chorus ten more times, then its done ten more times and the lyrics are produced on screen as it goes along.

The video tech is up there on stage too. That was actually my first job with Massaoke. I was the girl with the laptop on stage also with a microphone singing and hyping up the crowd. So yeah, it’s a good energy to have a live band.

So, your one of the lead singers now?
Yeah. I was basically up the front and the only female. My main role post covid was being up the front and the hype girl getting everyone singing. Leading and prompting them. I absolutely love it and the band we have has a great energy on stage. We are great friends and the energy on stage permeates on to the audience and everyone has a great time.

Is there anything different this year that audiences can expect?
There’s only so many things you can change with Massaoke. Its such a cgreat concept it doesn’t need to but obviously what will change is the sings we performing We will update the songs and what’s happening is we will have one of the original Massaoke guys, Mark, flying in from the UK to join us.

Where is the show this year?
So for us we are very excited to be back at The Garden of Unearthly Delights. That was where our first run of shows happened in The Box so we’ve come full circle.

So, what’s your go to karaoke song?
Probably at this point Total Eclipse of the Heart! I’m a bit of a power ballad singer. Every time I’ve sung that song whether at Massaoke or anywhere else everyone sings long. Its one of those ‘feel good, let it out’ kind of songs. I love it! I absolutely love it!

What do find the most exciting about Adelaide Fringe?
There’s so much going on and Adelaide literally comes alive. For creative and performing artists like myself it feeds my soul. There so many people performing or watching shows and supporting the industry. The energy is just electric and absolutely amazing. It’s the community as well and it’s so supportive.

What are three words to describe your show?
Party, Sing-a-long, Fun!

Fringe Interview By Anastasia Lambis

Tickets and show information for Massaoke at Fringe Tix. Grab Ya Tix!