Hannah and I started putting the KU together before we even moved to Austin in 2003, knowing we were going to be separated from Ian Rans' Punk Karaoke [RIP] in Minneapolis. We debuted our first few videos at a New Year's party with some friends, then spent most of 2004 obsessed with making videos, booking and promoting shows and figuring out all of the stuff that went into it. You can see a lot of photos on our website from that first year. One plan we had, but never followed through on, was to get in touch with people from most of the bands on our list and tell them about it. Over the years, we've talked to a few: Rick Valentin and Rose Marshack of Poster Children, Ian MacKaye of Fugazi, Bobby Weaver of The pAper chAse and Gerard Cosloy of Matador and Homestead records (partially responsible for about 1/3 of our list). Gerard has sung at our shows before, and Billy Milano of M.O.D. and S.O.D. did grace us with "Rock Lobster" at Headhunters a couple years back, but last night was the first time we've had somebody on our list sing their own song at a KU show.



Britt Daniel of Spoon sang "Anything You Want," which was one of those songs we had ready to go at our New Year's party at the end of 2003. It was definitely a thrill, and it was fun to chat briefly about how the way Spoon's songs are produced consistently gives us the best karaoke mixes of any band on our list. Later in the show, Michael McCarthy, a.k.a. Wizard, the man who may be responsible for the way those records are mixed, sang "Motor Away" with Erin of Team Fabrication/Elfgirl Designs.

We had a bunch of other new singers, who may or may not be rock stars. Melissa got started early with Clinic, then stuck around for the Violent Femmes and a great take on Belle & Sebastian's "Your Cover's Blown." Sean was there early too, singing two Descendents songs plus Dead Kennedys and Pixies by the end of the night. Mike B. got to dance, dance, dance to the radio, and Steve only got in one song before he was dragged away by "viciously lame friends" who remain unknown to me, but he kicked ass on Screeching Weasel's "Cool Kids." I don't think JenBrown had been to KU before, but she needs to come back after completely ruling on "Gloria" and "Deceptacon." Rimas was there early and I'm not sure he was there for the KU, but he did one of the better takes on the VU's "Rock & Roll" that I've heard...seriously, YOU try vocalizing whatever Lou Reed hollers at the end of that song. Elvis Costello got more love than he's had from our crowds in awhile, with Pam & Suzanne pulling out "Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes" and Tara singing "Watching The Detectives." Allison rocked Material Issue and Julianna blasted out "Ring Of Fire." Julia and Sarah graduated yesterday, and celebrated with Modest Mouse and Rilo Kiley, respectively. James Z. picked a pleaser with "Teenage Kicks," and Greg & Luke let loose a heartfelt version of "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea." Catie came all the way from the Bay Area and got in some Talking Heads and Buzzcocks, and Mike sang Bauhaus' version of "Ziggy Stardust" before closing out the night yelling "TV Party" with me. He also made the perfectly sensible request for some Zappa, which I'll get to work on.

The veteran KU singers were out in full force: AdamRx showed off for his date with "I Am A Scientist" and a fantastic take on Archers Of Loaf's "Harnessed In Slums." Rosa-Maria got to debut J Church's "My Favourite Place" and later sang "Big Brown Eyes" with ChiChi...again, thanks for letting us use your speakers all these times, ChiChi! Jess Rice debuted Rilo Kiley's "Portions For Foxes" (yes, this was sung twice, but that's an exception) and later treated the room to her specialty: "Art Star" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I have to turn the mic off when she screams, but even the people in the back needed earplugs. Zack put the Spud in "Beautiful World," and Bobb X was a juggernaut, casting a spell with "The Funeral" by Band Of Horses and the penultimate "I See A Darkness," in addition to rocking out "Head On" by The Jesus & Mary Chain. In addition to her duet with the Wizard, Erin went solo on The Detroit Cobras' "Bad Girl," then accompanied John G on "Song Against Sex" and Jess on "Debaser." Terri returned after a couple months away with "Femme Fatale." Neither of these guys did anything but duet, but ChiChi and John G's take on TMBG's "Dr. Worm" was great. You need to stay out later guys! Bill F hasn't been to one of our shows for a hell of a long time, but it was great to see him sing "Gates Of Steel." Albert rocked the Descendents' "Hope" before Sean could do it, Ted favored us with the quickly-becoming-customary "Emily Kane" and Robert laid on "Summer Babe." Carlos sang "Virginia Plain," and I think he has the third-loudest voice I've heard on our microphones. Finally, Lilia and Siobhan snuck in at the end of the night with excellent versions of Sleater-Kinney's "Words + Guitar" and a debut of Metric's "I.O.U."

I'm sure I won't always recap so extensively, but it was a really fun night and I kind of just realized we've really been doing this for five years. Longer than high school or college, longer than I've had any job in my life. (The KU is not a job.) Thanks for all the great times, see you back at Nomad on January 10, 2009!