Idol idyll

Some of the greatest pastimes the world has ever known owe their existence to the consumption of alcohol. Darts, beer-pong, quarters, asshole, boxing, golf. Let’s face it, nothing makes you want to humiliate your friends like having a few drinks in you. “Throwing a few back,” “bending the elbow”—whatever you prefer to call it, sucking down a few beers, preferably between shots of something more potent, gets those competitive juices flowing. Naturally, as the evening wears on, the only thing more fun than embarrassing your friends is embarrassing yourself. How else do you explain karaoke? Boy, does America love karaoke. Look at American Idol, which is nothing more than an elaborately staged karaoke contest. Well, if you can’t get tickets to that show but would like to see five brave and talented locals sing their hearts out, get to Cache Creek for the finals of the $25,000 Cache Creek Karaoke Contest. These five hardworking vocalists fought their way through the preliminary and semifinal rounds and now will go head to head, so to speak, for the $10,000 first prize. This is the biggest karaoke contest ever held in Northern California. A three-judge panel will rate performers on not only their vocal technique, but also their stage presence and the audience response, so a great crowd is an absolute must. The contest will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday in Club 88 at Cache Creek Casino Resort, 14455 Highway 16 in Brooks. For more information, call (888) 77-CACHE or visit www.cachecreek.com. Cheers!