Year-long Dayton Karaoke Idol culminates with Top 10 finale at Eudora Brewing

Music-synced LEDs danced across the walls and floor of an otherwise dimly lit bar. A microphone changed hands as people were called upon to brandish their vocal talents. Many disregarded the monitor and sang from the heart.

It wasn’t another dimension of sight and sound; it was a night of karaoke.

But more than that, it’s the 10th round, the semi-finals of Dayton Karaoke Idol: a year-long karaoke competition put on by Limelight Entertainment. Contestants were vying for a spot in the final round, a chance at the grand prize of $1000 and a year’s worth of paid gigs singing with Team Limelight through 2025.

The Dayton Karaoke Idol finale will be on Dec. 7 at Eudora Brewing Company.

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Since February, Limelight has devoted a monthly karaoke event to the competition. The company otherwise puts on around 12 regular events a week at various venues around Dayton, like at NextDoor and West Social Tap & Table.

Limelight’s owner, Joe Lankford, started the DJ and karaoke business in 2021 originally to meet musicians — he instead met a bunch of other singers. The company has since expanded its reach with other DJs and auxiliary units for nightly entertainment.

At the semi-finals at Mode X Tequila Bistro, Lankford and DJ Q alternated running the karaoke software and hyping up the crowd in between singers. Many Limelight regulars showed up, as did newcomers who paid the entry fee for a shot at the night’s qualifying prize, $200, and a spot in the final round.

The previous nine winners leading up to the semi-finals were Shenita Chase, Daniel Wagner, Darbi Marie, Jenn Hall, Chloe Bouche, Greg Turner, Bailey, Brenna Lily and Jill Jones Head.

There was open karaoke before the semi-finals officially kicked off. Shenita, the first-round winner, popped in to do a balladic version of Outkast’s “Hey Ya!” which set the bar exceptionally high for the next group of contestants.

Each had two songs, but had the option of choosing which one counted toward their score. Some used the first as a warm up, others went for gold on their first try.

As was the case in previous rounds, three anonymous judges were placed throughout the crowd, grading the performances on four criteria: vocals, charisma, audience engagement and extra credit. Vocals held the most weight, with 20 points, while the other three categories had 10 a piece.

Extra credit, being the wild card, was up to the discretion of the judges. But it’s probably safe to say that miming with an electric guitar to “Play That Funky Music” is considered extra credit.

Several competed, but Matt-Tastic Herman, who sang the Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun,” took first place and qualified for the final round. He sang and played the harmonica, which was ostensibly considered extra credit, too.

After hundreds of contestants throughout the first year of Limelight’s karaoke competition, the final ten of Dayton Karaoke Idol will compete at Eudora. They will perform two songs each, both of which will count. Vocals will be worth double the points. No one else can enter.

But even amidst a competition, karaoke is still a camp of positive and passionate people; there is a lot of fist-bumping, handshaking, hugging and encouragement among the singers.

“I’ve sung all across the United States,” Lankford said, “and I’m telling you I hear the best singers in Dayton. I hear them every week.”

And only one can be crowned the winner.

Brandon Berry writes about the local music scene in Dayton and Southwest Ohio. Have a story idea for him? Email branberry100@gmail.com.