I went to the Birdcage the other day. I knew it was having a facelift, but had not realised it had changed so much. It looks amazing, but it did make me a little sad. The famous Birdcage Karaoke had gone.

Karaoke nights at the Birdcage were something else. No frills, salt of the earth and i loved it. Old boys and girls, young boys and girls. Bill, Peanut, the guy that always sung Stevie Wonder, and the bloke that sung Michael Bolton better than Bolton himself. The crowd singing and cheering them on, no matter how bizarre, out of tune or jaw droppingly uncanny they were. (I'm talking about you, Bolton)

The edges were lined with regulars who didn't bat an eyelid at friends on stage. They had seen it so many times before. The swathes of people poured in from the prematurely closed Royal Oak down the road were all a bit peeved that the locals had lined up about 5 songs each before they could get a go. (Tell them it's your birthday, sometimes you could sneak a song in)

It was amazing to just people watch there. For so many of those regulars singing, it seemed a way to say hello to the world. Watching the joy in their faces or getting lost in a rendition of a Queen song was just brilliant. You could see that this night was something more than an entertaining night out for them. It was like a Church to the unreligious. A place where you could be anyone, get up on stage, belt it out and people would listen.

Therefore, we are asking you to aid us in the the return of the famous Karaoke night at the Birdcage. Because singing is therapy.

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