Forget karaoke. Why sing along to an "empty orchestra" (which is what karaoke means in Japanese) when you could be the star -- center stage -- fronting your own live band? I am sure that many people who have perfected their "empty" performances must have dreamed of taking it a step further.

And if that is the case, then 08:30 Music Simulation Bar is the answer to your dreams. Every night a spacious, fully equipped stage lies in wait with resident musicians on hand, ready to back you live as you sing.

But, it gets better. If you're sick of playing air guitar or drumming on table tops, then you are in for a big treat. Each instrument in the band -- lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass, drums and keyboards -- is also up for grabs. In fact, there would be nothing to stop a whole band from walking in and taking over.

It does seem strange that there aren't more of these venues. With the exception of Smash Hits (see below), which offers a stage but not live musicians, the trend has been to place these performances behind closed doors with a few close friends.

The owner of 08:30, Miho Osuna, a longtime amateur musician, came up with the idea for this bar while working on simulation software for Internet games. Why not, he thought, simulate a virtual band in the real world? And he was not the only one who could see the potential. When the club ran an ad on their Web site, before the club's launch 2 1/2 years ago, 400 musicians applied.

In addition to being the time that the band kicks in every night, the name 08:30 is taken from an album title of Weather Report, the jazz-fusion band.

"But it's not a jazz bar," manager Kentaro Sasou hastens to note.

Indeed, you only have to look at Sasou's dreadlocks, shaved Mohawk-style at the sides, to believe him. In fact, I first met him at Garage Land, the punk bar I reviewed last month, where he was transfixed by videos of rare Clash and Pogues concerts. So there's a good chance that's what you'll hear at 08:30, too -- between band breaks, that is.

The song book is rather slim, and, predictably, offers a lot of classic Beatles tunes, as well as songs by Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. According to Sasou, the most popularly requested song is Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water." Some customers get around the song list by accompanying themselves on acoustic guitar. And, in theory, there is nothing to stop you bringing the sheet music (for all instruments) of your favorite song. The band will accommodate you to the best of their ability.

A half a dozen guitars line both sides of the stage. You get your pick of a variety of Fender guitars (Telecasters, Stratocasters) and basses. And if you prefer the sound of a Yamaha piano over the Roland keyboards, that can also be arranged. The Yamaha drum kit also offers all the frills (high-hats and a variety of sticks). Everything is powered by Marshall amps.

The interior is predominantly black, from the floor-to-ceiling drapes behind the stage to the bar itself. What is actually a large, spacious room is cozier cloaked in shadow. The audience simply fades away once the spotlights come on, though many "stars" sit among them.

I was impressed with everyone who jumped on stage to perform one night last week. A suited salaryman executed perfect guitar licks for Jeff Beck's "Cause We've Ended as Lovers." A hip Japanese woman rocked the house with her version of The Beatles' "Helter Skelter." But the piece de resistance was a gray-haired drummer and his buddy on bass who blew us away with their romp through Jaco Pastorius' "Chicken."

There were two songs on the playlist that I felt I knew well enough to sing -- "Under The Bridge" by The Red Hot Chili Peppers and "Wind Cries Mary" by Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix won. A line of hands reached out to give me high-fives as I made my way back to my seat at the bar. And someone said, "Wow, just like Janis."

Damn, I thought, it was supposed to be Jimi . . .

08:30 Music Simulation Bar; B1F, HT Minami Aoyama Building, 7-11-4 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo; tel. (03) 5485-0830; Web site: www.0830.org Open 8 p.m.-4 a.m., Monday-Saturday. Music 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m., Monday-Thursday, and till 2:30 a.m. on Friday. Closed on Sunday and holidays.

It's 2,500, yen Monday-Friday, to play as much as you want. On Saturday, however, the charge is 2,000 yen (as the house band takes a holiday so you might have to scrape a band together from whoever is in the audience) and if you don't get up on stage, you'll only have to pay a 500 yen seating charge. Drinks are pricey, starting at 800 yen for beer and 900 yen for mixed drinks.

Need a bigger song list for your star turn? Smash Hits is Tokyo's oldest karaoke stage, featuring arena-style seating and the most comprehensive list of English songs to be found anywhere in the city. Absolutely no enka allowed, though they do offer some chansons.

Smash Hits, B1F, M2 Building, 5-2-26 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku; tel. (03) 3444-0432. Open 8 p.m.-3 a.m. (till 5 a.m. on Friday and Saturday). Entry 3,000 yen includes karaoke and one drink.

Funky suppers at happy prices

The Ruby Room in Shibuya has begun hosting a Friday night event that kicks off early (8-10 p.m.) and is designed to whet your appetite for the weekend of partying ahead. Sonoma, the Californian restaurant downstairs, is making its menu available at the bar and all drinks are 400 yen until 9 p.m. Resident DJs (Jefe and Lisa, Don Coglione, Jimmy TP OK Jazz, Tsuyoshi Shimamura and more) will take turns spinning rare grooves and funk, which will no doubt stimulate more than just your digestive juices.