Calling all singers
Put yourself out there at the Maverick Saloon during gayraoke on Tuesday nights in June at 8 p.m. located at 3687 Sagunto St. in Santa Ynez. Follow karaoke DJ Sam Silva on Instagram @samcrazypants.
For more information about Santa Ynez Valley Pride activities, visit syvpride.org or check out @syv.pride on Instagram.
Standing in the parking lot of The Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez, you might not expect it to be a hot spot for Pride events. The Western, honky-tonk bar adorned with wooden barn-style siding is typically known for hosting country bands and line dancing.
But, after having a seat at one of the family-style tables, guests start to feel the welcoming, comfortable atmosphere that’s home to one of the valley’s recurring Pride Month hits.
Sam Silva, a bartender and karaoke host at The Maverick, said that despite the “hillbilly hoedown” aesthetic, inclusivity is all around.
Look at the bathroom doors. Instead of gendered signs, there are pictures of aliens and a phrase along the lines of, “We don’t care what you are, just wash your hands.”
‘I’m definitely most excited for the burlesque. I’m excited to see what our drag performers pull out because they seem really excited.’
—Sam Silva, karaoke DJ
While those signs are up year-round, the bar transforms in June with weekly events called “gayraoke.” This will be Silva’s fifth year DJing the sets.
“It’s kind of a bridge for the community to interact on fun terms,” Silva said. “People are gay. Deal with it. People are straight. Deal with it. As long as we’re willing to stand up for each other and all that stuff, it shouldn’t matter.”
This year is extra special because there are five weekends in June instead of four. Plus, staff will be opening both bars for the first time, which is a “big deal” because it shows how successful gayraoke has been. Silva (aka @samcrazypants onstage) believes the event brings people together even if they normally wouldn’t find themselves in a gay-themed experience.
Gayraoke is one of Santa Ynez Valley Pride’s staple community activities throughout June. It originated as an idea between the DJ and Alyce Barrick, the vice president of the board and a founding member of the nonprofit. When not conducting board duties, Barrick runs Queen Cup Coffee, an inclusive coffee truck in Los Olivos. According to Silva, she had the idea to name it gayraoke.
Every Tuesday night has a dress-up theme. The first gayraoke this year was ’80s night. Then starting on June 9, the themes are space rave, Catalina wine mixer, goth night, and burlesque. The last gayraoke on June 30 also features a drag show.
“I’m definitely most excited for the burlesque,” Silva said. “I’m excited to see what our drag performers pull out because they seem really excited.”
DJing karaoke is a little different than a traditional set at a nightclub. It’s more of a live experience for the DJ, Silva described, because he must listen to what the crowd wants. At a club, the DJ likely prepared the set at home and then replays it onstage while adding transitions and other effects.
“Instead of building a whole set that I’m basically just playing back, I’m DJing a live set, so it’s more in the moment,” Silva said.
He starts karaoke off the same way most nights by taking the mic first. The small crowd at the beginning of the night might be shy, so Silva will sing first. But the DJ reminds them that now is the best time for nervous performers because not many people are around yet.
Silva’s go-to tune lately has been “Ordinary” by Alex Warren or “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims, but Bruno Mars is always a good choice, too.
If still nobody comes up, he’ll make fellow coworkers at The Maverick sing.
No matter how slow the start is, as soon as a couple of people from the crowd face their fears, the ball really gets rolling. The No. 1 rule for Silva is to have fun, not hit all the notes perfectly.
Once the party gets going, the vibes get hotter. The further into June it gets, more and more gay anthems are played. Although Silva would’ve sprinkled them in during any other month, too.
“No matter what, if I’m playing, there’s always going to be some of that in there because I am who I am, and I’m unapologetically myself about it,” Silva said. “By the end of the month, it’s just basically a techno gay nightclub.”
One of Silva’s favorite parts of leading karaoke is interacting with the crowd. It’s another difference from traditional DJs, whose only words of the night could be, “I’m here Friday and Saturday.” Bantering with everyone in the bar makes the energy contagious.
“I love talking smack to people, and I love when they talk smack back. It’s a show,” Silva said. “When people see other people having fun, they want to participate.”
Of course, partying during Pride is a highlight, Silva added, but on a deeper level, the month is a time to support the LGBTQ-plus community. For him, June is about building bridges not walls.
He wants the queer community to support each other internally and for everyone else to “live and let live.”
“Just seeing that something I had a hand in putting on brought that many people together and they’re there because I’m doing this event,” Silva said, “I can’t really ask for anything more than that.”
Staff Writer Madison White would no doubt (poorly) cover a Chappell Roan song at gayraoke. Send your selections to mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in June 4 – June 11, 2026.
