If Paul Zimny’s checking account hadn’t been hacked in February 2024, things would look much different for him today.
After investigating the charge with the bank, Zimny, an Affton resident, discovered that the money taken from his account had been used to purchase a ticket to a karaoke show in Miami.
“I was amazed and intrigued,” Zimny, who had never performed a karaoke song in his life, said.
His curiosity lingered, and suddenly the idea hit: to combine his passion for classic rock and his newfound interest in karaoke and create something St. Louis has never seen.
“I thought, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be cool to take their concept — which appears to be successful, based on this guy buying tickets for $137 on my account — and apply the genre of classic rock?’” Zimny said.
After more research and lots of dedicated time, he put together a carefully laid out business plan and presented it to the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (KPAC). They were originally skeptical based on some of the negative connotations surrounding karaoke — “you think of bars, you think of drunk people, you think of not good singers,” said Zimny — but after a good discussion and a few minor tweaks to the plan, Klassic Rock Karaoke was born.
First planned to be just one show, Klassic Rock Karaoke was turned into a series of four shows. The first three — held in April, June and September — garnered 40 total singers, with approximately 12 to 15 performing at each show. Each performer was required to choose two songs from a list of over 700 classic rock tunes, all hand-selected by Zimny so nothing “too dark or sad” was included.
To keep talent high and ensure an enjoyable performance for all, singers in each show were required to pre-audition. Live auditions were held in March for the first show in April, and though successful, even drawing an audience, it was a feat in itself to put the day together — nearly comparable to putting on an additional show. This prompted the idea of online auditions in which singers submitted videos showcasing their voices for the June show.
Gathering performers for the September show again looked different than the previous methods. A booth featuring live karaoke was set up at Kirkwood’s Greentree Festival, grabbing the attention of curious passersby. “About half” of the performers in the September show came from Greentree, and the other half from online auditions.
The top three from each show will now compete in the Grand Finale held on Dec. 27 at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, 210 East Monroe Avenue, at 7:30 p.m. in the Ross Family Theater. This show will differ from the rest, as it will consist of the top three performers from each of the three past shows. Additionally, the house band from School of Rock Kirkwood, a local musical education program, will play multiple sets.
Also new for this show, the nine finalists were challenged to choose from a list of 17 bands, all of which can be considered “influencers” or “pioneers” of classic rock. To keep this theme going, Zimny will provide educational tidbits throughout the night. The top three from the evening will then sing another song, and finally, a grand champion will be announced.
Tickets to the final show may be purchased for $37.50 here.
“People are curious (how I became so involved with this). They ask if I’m in the music industry, in a band. I have a business background, but no music connections. I’ve got two daughters … they’re looking at this in kind of a little bit of amazement, like, ‘Dad, you’re a life insurance agent, and now you’re a rock-and-roll producer,’” Zimny said.
As far as what next year may look like for Klassic Rock Karaoke, “stay tuned for more information.”
“Something I’ve learned from this experience is that if you have a good idea, and you feel passionate about it, pursue it, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll make it happen,” Zimny said. “We’ve got to keep the classic rock movement going, mainly to make sure young people hear classic rock and appreciate it.”