The Coast of Pacific Beach Restaurant Walk
Rock Out Karaoke gets an assist from this sassy singer. Most of us might not have the desire to start a band, tour in a crappy van and play half-empty clubs. That doesn’t mean we can’t have a night of glory on the stage backed by a live musical combo. Luckily, there are places in town where you can do just that.
Riley’s Music Lounge (2901 Nimitz Blvd. in Point Loma) has singing with a live band every Wednesday night. Drink warm tea to make sure you sound good. Or, at the very least, drink a few whiskeys to trick yourself into thinking you sound good: Jack Daniels is $3 all night.
On Thursday, Nov. 15, Pacific Beach bros and broettes can head to 710 Beach Club (710 Garnet Ave.) and join Rock Out Karaoke on stage. They’ll strum and drum while you pay tribute to The Beatles of the P.B. set, Sublime. I checked out their song list online, and the band knows more Sublime songs than any other band’s tunes. Coincidence? Definitely not. However, if you don’t feel like practicing “Santeria,” they also offer other bro-approved jams, like “Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down and Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours.” Before I sound like a hateful bitch, they also have some decent songs. Looking for a real crowd-pleaser? Take a stab at Divinyls’ “I Touch Myself.”
If you’ve always fantasized about singing at a 1920s speakeasy in a slinky gown, you don’t have to find a time-traveling car in Paris to make it happen. The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Old Town (2660 Calhoun St.) holds its Cosmo Jazz Fridays every week from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Pick a song from the Great American Songbook, and the house band, led by jazz guitarist Mark Augustin, will back you up with gusto. This is no place to loudly and drunkenly yell out a song. Bring your vocal A-game.
