KARAOKE HITS THE RIGHT NOTE IF THEY CAN HOLD THEIR LIQUOR, AMATEUR SINGERS CAN GRAB A MIC AND CARRY A TUNE AS FAR AS IT WILL TAKE THEM.

Byline: Fred Shuster

Staff Writer

To be a good karaoke performer, you've got to be equal parts extrovert, comedian and masochist. And a few beers don't hurt, either.

Over at Dimples in Burbank the other night, Matt Hesser fit the bill. With a white cowboy hat slung low over his eyes, swaying with the rhythm and wielding the microphone like he was born to it, he poured out his soul during a version of "City of New Orleans."

A little pitchy maybe, and there were no scouts from "American Idol" among the crowd Monday, but it didn't matter. Karaoke is all about drumming up the courage to grab the mic. Hesser, by the way, knew the Willie Nelson song so well he didn't glance at the TelePrompTer once.

"When you get the chance to jump on stage, it takes you out of your normal life," said Hesser, 31, who works in concessions at the Los Angeles Zoo. "There are lots of people who have this desire to be a star, and karaoke is one way to do it. It's just a lot of fun."

Karaoke has been around in the U.S. since the late '80s at bars where patrons wield a microphone and sing popular songs by reading lyrics electronically displayed on a monitor. Some see it as an amusing way for the intoxicated to embarrass themselves in public, but in fact karaoke has become increasingly popular with those who take their singing seriously.

The advent of TV talent contests like "Idol" furthered the cause -- especially among college-aged types. In the local area most evenings, dozens of karaoke nights fill bars from Burbank to Woodland Hills, attracting people of all stripes.

On a recent pub crawl to a few, the humiliation factor took a back seat to the good-natured atmosphere of the joints.

"It's mainstream entertainment, and it's even stronger now than it used to be," says Fae Simmons, whose Seize the Mic Entertainment puts on 10 karaoke nights around the Valley, including five popular evenings at the friendly Paoli's in Woodland Hills. "Karaoke is no longer an oddity."

But sometimes karaoke can still be a bit out of the ordinary. Tuesday nights at Sardo's in Burbank, for example, is given over to Porn Star Karaoke, a weekly gathering of marketing managers, writers, technicians, casting agents -- and of course, performers -- of triple-X fare. (Sardo's offers general karaoke from 9 p.m. onwards the other six nights of the week, too, including a family karaoke evening from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays).

Some attend karaoke nights but can't bring themselves to actually perform. Their role is to poke fun at friends who get the urge to try out a little Duran Duran in public.

"I won't do it," said Sarah Williams, 25, of North Hollywood. "It's uncomfortable to have everyone stare at you. I just make fun of everyone else. I wouldn't want anyone saying about me what I say about them."

Friends call Williams' cousin, Tawnya Johnson, the Queen of Karaoke because of her love for the indoor sport.

"I get a kick out of it," said Johnson, who will celebrate her 27th birthday this weekend doing karaoke at Corbin Bowl in Tarzana (one of her favorite karaoke songs is "These Boots Are Made for Walkin' "). "It's a good time. The worse we sound, the better."

A lot of the singers, though, aren't going for laughs. Taking the mic at Paoli's for a rousing "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," professional mediator Bruce Antman handled the Elton John ballad with conviction.

"I started singing 18 years ago as way to train myself to be comfortable speaking in front of crowds, and I fell in love with it," said Paoli's regular Antman, 56, of Westlake Village. "It's relaxing, it's fun, and when the crowd is with you, there's nothing else like it."

And there are crowds. With so many karaoke nights sprouting up throughout the region, there's clearly money to be made. Karaoke promoter Simmons -- who also runs the Singing Store, a Van Nuys supply outlet for singers of all levels -- makes sure the quality is there by bringing her company's specialized sound systems and DJs to her events.

"There's an underground karaoke scene going," explains student Matt Getz, 26, of Woodland Hills, a karaoke hipster who goes at least twice a week and specializes in '90s alternative rock. "You see the faces pop up in line at the supermarket, and you quietly say, 'Good set last night.' It's kind of a secret thing, an escape from normal life.

"My friends know I do it, but they won't come with me."

Fred Shuster, [phone]

[e-mail]

GET YOUR SONG ON

Rejected by "American Idol?" Too afraid to try out? Not to worry. Here are some well-

known karaoke joints. Be sure to call before you go.

Paoli's

Karaoke on Sundays through Thursdays. Good pizza, too. 21020 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills; [phone].

Dimples

"American Idol" hopefuls should start here. Established in 1982 as the nation's first karaoke bar, Dimples is located next to NBC and Warner Bros. studios. 3413 W. Olive Ave., Burbank; [phone].

Taboo Lounge

Ultra-cool hangout with karaoke Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 20969 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills; [phone].

Sardo's

Tuesday's is porn-star karaoke night, but the other six nights a week, the place is open to a far more general crowd (as well as karaoke for the whole family 7 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays). 259 N. Pass Ave., Burbank; [phone].

Corbin Bowl

Bowling is always fun and karaoke on Fridays and Saturdays makes for a perfect game.

19616 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana; [phone].

Little Rock

College kids love this place, which has karaoke Tuesdays and Fridays. 5507 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana; [phone].

Blarney Cove

Karaoke on Thursdays. 22105 Roscoe Blvd., Canoga Park; [phone].

The Gaslite

The stage is adorned in red and gold tinsel that probably dates back to Christmas '78.

2030 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; [phone].

Rock 'n' Roll Karaoke at Bigfoot Lodge

The karaoke doesn't begin until 10 p.m. Mondays. 3172 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Feliz; [phone].

Boardwalk 11

Candle lighting, a sophisticated menu and karaoke. 10433 National Blvd., West Los Angeles; [phone].

The Backstage

The karaoke scene rocks with fun-loving girls joining blue-collar dudes on stage. 10400 Culver Blvd., Culver City; [phone].

Rosen Music Studio

Packed with Koreatown locals, this studio offers private rooms, which come complete with a big screen, a wireless keypad, a couple of red tambourines and a songbook (in both Korean and English. 3488 W. Eighth St., Los Angeles; [phone]

-- LA.com contributed to this list

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) SING! SING! SING some more!

Karaoke rules

(2 -- color) Amy Stipkovich lets one fly on the karaoke stage at Dimples in Burbank.

(3 -- 5 -- color) Bruce Antman, left, belts out a tune at Paoli's in Woodland Hills, where Nazli and Liz, above, do a duet. Matt Getz, below, also takes the stage at Paoli's. The popularity of karaoke singing seems to be surging at spots all around the Los Angeles area.

Box:

GET YOUR SONG ON (see text)