I love big hair and bigger ballads

"Sex and the City" was a fantastic show about the excesses of New York - cocktails, men, and taking taxis the length and breadth of Manhattan.  Real-life New York may be like that for some people, but the rest of us tend to enjoy a more moderate way of life.

And let's face it, when there's an absence of sex in the city on Valentine's Day, you could stay at home and mope about it or you can do what I did and head to Union Hall in Park Slope, Brooklyn for a fantastic night out.

The front bar of Union Hall has a roaring open fire, filled-to-capacity bookshelves, and plush comfy couches and the bartenders don't hold back with the pours.  But wander a bit further along and you'll find bocce games in progress - yep, inside the bar!  Who needs pool tables?

But my evening was not to be spent above ground, with the couples on dates getting all snuggly in the bar.  Oh no, I headed downstairs into the basement of Union Hall to rock out with Love Bites: A Power Ballad Sing-A-Long.  A fantastic evening, for the bargain price of $10 (plus drinks).

The biggest hair of the 70s, 80s, and 90s was on full display in the music videos beamed up on to a big screen and as the lyrics scrolled along the bottom (karaoke style) all of us in the room sang at the top of our lungs.  Fists pumped in the air, inflatable microphones were passed around the crowd like batons, and air guitar contests raged.

My hit-list included "Eternal Flame" to "Sister Christian", then "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", "Kiss From a Rose", and working up to "Oh Sherrie"and "When I See You Smile" - I sang till I was hoarse.  But when they played "You Give Love A Bad Name", I realised I had a bit left in the tank to rock out some more.

The power ballads might have been love songs, but there was nothing lovey-dovey or soppy about the Valentine's Day celebrations at Union Hall last night.  From 9pm until midnight, singletons, couples, even people who publicly classified their relationship as "it's complicated" sang side by side.

You don't have to wait for February 14th for nights like that either - the party hosts Secret Formula host a bunch of other sing-a-longs throughout the year (R&B, 80s hits and others also feature). Follow them on Facebook & Twitter to stay up to date on all their shows.