I was set up, not for the first time, when Bev from Glasgow took the stage at the Rising Star karaoke bar in CityWalk Orlando.
I blame our hosts Visit Orlando and our party PRs Natalie and Fiona, who kept refilling our shots glasses when our backs were turned.
Bev ‘Lady’ Lyons and I had formed a bond being the only two Scots in our international party of travel writers to the Sunshine State and were poring through the music menu.
To pick what tracks we would sing up there on the stage with the professionals.
If I’d have had my wits about me I would have sussed out that Bev might have sung before.
When she said her Karaoke go-to was The Carpenters.
Rolling down the river
But there was no mistaking that Bev was well practised in performing.
When she introduced herself to the 2,000 crowd as ‘Bev from Glasgow’.
And launched into a rendition of Proud Mary, complete with motions, that would have done well Tina Turner, well proud.
With the sounds of encore ringing out the next act was called up to sing Lady Marmalade.
Only for that someone to be your tone-deaf favourite Bandanaman who proceeded to murder the song.
Of course, the fun-loving Floridians are always there to give you a gee-up.
And the Emcee called on the audience to give me a big cheer as ‘a dude doing a girl’s song.’
Mr Brightside Bandanaman
Not put off, though, I was back for more with an equally vocally challenged colleague, Eoin, later in the week to mangle Mr Brightside.
Eoin, the then-showbiz editor of our esteemed newspaper titles did put a spin on it.
When he met Brandon Flowers on tour.
Only for The Great Man to shoot his eyes up to heaven.
Make Bev a hit
My old friend Bev, who has also made a career on the other side of showbiz as the Showbiz Lion, is equally adept front of stage as evidenced in Orlando.
And the exciting news is that she is taking her first nervous step into her own musical career.
With the release of her first single, I’m Leaving You.
She tells me that the more presaves she gets the more likelihood there is of it charting): https://distrokid.com/hyperfol
And that would mean the guy who took the stage at the Rising Star Karaoke Bar after her.
Well, he might well force his way into being her support.
When we go on tour!
