Dare you enter the arena for Bearpit Karaoke?
On occasion, we’ve been known to covet the best bits of other cities, hoping London could steal them for itself. However, when it comes to Berlin, there’s no need to steal – because they’re lending us something brilliant for the summer. Every Sunday, Berliners and friends gather in picturesque Mauerpark, for an event known as Bearpit Karaoke. And this summer, the bearpit is coming to Vauxhall.
This outdoor sing-off sees the talented, the confident, and the downright deluded step up to the mic in the midst of a crowded amphitheatre, and perform their song of choice to fellow attendees. For some, it’s the stuff of dreams – finally, a receptive audience for that Celine Dion belter you’ve practiced in the mirror! For others, it’s a waking nightmare. The fear may be real, but the premise is beautifully simple, as organiser Joe Hatchiban spells out:
1. Coax a random stranger into singing karaoke in a park.
2. See if a crowd gathers and hangs about to watch.
3. If one does, then try to coax somebody from said crowd into singing karaoke too.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 until the batteries go dead.
The karaoke carnival has already visited fair London town, but this run will be bigger, louder, and more likely to produce that cringe-inducing performance your friends inevitably film and then play repeatedly. Hey, you take the good with the bad, as this illuminating video reveals.
Bearpit Karaoke is making its summer home in Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. You can hear the dulcet tones of your fellow Londoners on four Saturdays this summer: June 15, July 13, August 10, and September 14. Until then, practice your song of choice in the mirror, and maybe work out some fresh moves to make your routine stand out from the rest?
Find Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens at
Featured image: @hotndelicious