Okay, this is not my typical post about craft beer, but about one of WeeBeers other favorite activities: karaoke. Last Tuesday, after our visits to Narrows Brewing, Pint Defiance, and Odd Fellas Pub, we were excited to visit UP Station Bar & Grill in Tacoma. They are located on 27th St in University place and proudly proclaim they have karaoke seven nights a week. Sounds like fun, right? Well, that promise can be a little… deceptive.
Brady and I wanted to close out our Tuesday night with some good beer, rock & roll, and a little performance theatre. We figured UP Station was the perfect spot. I mean, they do karaoke every single day! How could it possibly be bad, right? Wrong. So, so wrong.
The Initial Excitement for Karaoke… and the Immediate Disappointment
We walked in, ready to belt out some classic rock hits. The vibe? Let’s just say it was… a bit lethargic. A few people scattered about the dive bar, some playing pool, others looking slightly bored, small groups of people doing their own things, a typical Tuesday night crowd. The beer selection was mostly Ambev owned labels so we ordered a couple of pints of Elysian Space Dust and settled in, waiting for the show to begin.
And waited. And waited. The designated “karaoke hour” came and went, with no sign of the host or any kind of announcement to sign up for singing. Finally, this guy, who looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, saunters up to the host station and made himself look busy. We waited for him to announce thing were getting started, but nothing. Finally after what felt like 30 minutes of waiting for things to get started, we went up and asked about singing. It seems, he was just waiting for someone to do so, as he put our names and selection in and started the music and went on stage and sang a song. No fanfare, no enthusiasm, just started the show.
Now, you’d think a guy hosting karaoke every single night would at least act like he was enjoying himself, right? Not this guy. He was the human embodiment of the phrase “going through the motions.” He’d announce the singer’s name, play the track, and then basically disappear. Long breaks between songs were the norm, leaving the poor singers standing awkwardly on stage. It was painful to watch.
The Audience? A Sea of Disinterest
And then there was the audience. Oh boy, the audience. It was like they were collectively participating in some kind of silent protest against the very idea of karaoke. Nobody clapped. Nobody cheered. In fact, most people seemed actively trying not to listen. They were engrossed in their phones, their conversations, or just staring blankly into space. It was demoralizing, to say the least. Brady goes up and does his impressive rendition of “Sweet Dreams” by Marylin Manson and was met with a resounding silence that could have frozen hell.
The Breaking Point: When the Karaoke Isn’t Fun
After enduring about an hour of this absolute misery, we reached our breaking point. Even if they had better beer, it wouldn’t drown out the sheer awkwardness and disappointment of the whole experience. We wanted to be entertained, we wanted to have a good time. But UP Station just wasn’t delivering. It felt less like a fun night out and more like being trapped in a bizarre, low-budget rendition of what Hollywood thinks Karaoke is like.
We quickly drained our beer, sang a second song, and made our escape. It was still early, but we were already done with UP Station and we needed to save our night, to inject some life into what was fast becoming a total bust.
The Great Escape: Finding Comfort at Java Jive.
And that’s when we thought of it. Java Jive. The iconic, coffee-pot building on South Tacoma Way. It was close, it was quirky, and it was almost guaranteed to be a better time than the soul-crushing experience we’d just escaped.
We arrived at Java Jive and were instantly greeted with a wave of energy. The place was bustling, not packed, but lively. People were talking, laughing, and generally looking like they were having a good time. The karaoke host was friendly and engaged and got us up to sing almost immediately.
We got a round of pFriem West Coast IPA, snagged a booth off the dance floor, soaked in the atmosphere, and had a blast singing to an engaged audience. It was such a contrast to UP Station. People were paying attention, singing and cheering along, there was a sense of community, and overall, it just felt… right. We spent the rest of the night talking, laughing, and finally enjoying ourselves. Java Jive had saved our Tuesday night.
Wee Verdict: Skip the UP Station Karaoke and go to Java Jive Instead
Look, I’m not saying UP Station is a terrible place. They have cheap beer, pool, darts, and I’m sure their daytime crowd is perfectly nice. But as for their seven-day-a-week karaoke? Avoid it. At least on a Tuesday night. It was a poorly executed, uninspired mess. Unless you’re looking for a lesson in social awkwardness and a crushing sense of disappointment, save your Tuesday night energy and go somewhere else. Like, say, a quirky coffee-pot bar called Java Jive on South Tacoma Way who has a true Karaoke seven-day-a-week experience. Trust me, you’ll thank me later. Cheers!
Clark believes that the best professional relationships are built on shared experiences and a bit of fun. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Clark has been a vocal advocate of the local craft beer scene for years. He enjoys exploring the unique flavors and community-driven atmosphere of Washington’s and Oregon’s many breweries while working through the complex software architecture opportunities presented by social interaction. After a hard day of work, Clark can often be found on the karaoke stage any day of the week belting out 80’s rock and heavy metal tunes while bringing the same passion and energy to his performances as he does to his startups; valuing confidence, engagement, and the power of a good song and a bourbon barrel aged beer to bring people together.
