DIAMOND JIMS RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; FEDERAL WAY, WA
A diamond in the rough at Diamond Jim’s

By Ty Hughes

Federal Way’s premier karaoke hotspot, Diamond Jim’s, continues in its undying quest to provide the best in local karaoke undertakings.

Recently they have made a change at the host position, bringing in an experienced and popular personality to head up their four-day-a-week show. Karaoke Host, Angel, is now in the hot seat at Diamond Jim’s Restaurant and Lounge, showcasing some of the amazing local singing talent every Wednesday through Sunday nights.

Angel steps in with a long history of industry experience dating back to over a decade. She began hosting at the tender age of 21 all over Pierce, King and Snohomish Counties before taking some time off to drive a truck, doing long hauls, all the while singing over the CB, which earned her the handle of “Songbird” among her fellow truckers. She said, “I must not have sounded that bad, nobody every told me to shut up”.

Now she’s back in her element, hosting her own show at Diamond Jim’s and loves being back in the game. Her karaoke connections within the karaoke community run wide and deep. Angel is loved and appreciated by her faithful and growing audience and frequently hugs her best customers as they come and go. She is warm and charming, a couple of very desirable attributes in this business. Plus, she can sing Norah Jones like nobody’s business!

Diamond Jim’s attracts a host of personalities, young and old, conservative and not so much. The diversity among the karaoke enthusiasts here keep things lively and interesting, to say the least. Even though the room is on the small side, they pack the place with unique characters that will always have you on the edge of your seat.

Everyone is so nice and welcoming – easy to get to know – easy to make new friends. While spending a Thursday night at Diamond Jim’s, I had the opportunity to meet a few of the regulars here and each had an interesting tale of their own.

Dick and Darlene, a couple of karaoke junkies, sat about five tables back from the stage area with their portfolio of song discs open and ready for play. They travel long distances to satisfy their karaoke addiction. Dick burns his own discs (conforming to all copyright laws) and some of his collection includes a large portion of Parody Karaoke – fun, lighthearted spoofs set to popular tunes. Now, not all of these are for the family oriented shows, but definitely bring the house down in an adult setting. His first selection, Mike the Muff Diver, had everyone rolling with laughter and a few blushing. The enjoyment he gets while singing is readily apparent and his audience anxiously awaits his next offering.

Followed closely behind Dick is his lovely wife, Darlene, who continues in the same vain with her own Parody Karaoke version of I Will Survive, who’s lyrics elude to a certain part of the male anatomy on an extra large scale. Her demeanor at the mic, controlled and dry, adds to the parody of the hilarious lyrics.

Mary doesn’t sing, but enjoys the atmosphere at Diamond Jim’s with her friends. The service is impeccable, and the food is awesome. Well, it’s Diamond Jim’s – what else do you need to know?

Eventually a tall, mysterious woman walks in with long black hair flowing down from a huge cowboy hat with her well-dressed companion, a slight, older gentleman. They take a seat near the front of the room and begin pouring through the songbook. I had to get their story. So I amble over and introduce myself. “My name is Elvis”, he says, “and this is my wife, Kathy”. Well, Kathy had just finished singing a beautiful song called God Only Cries, which she dedicated to her deceased father. So after complimenting her on a job well done, I asked Elvis if that was his real name. He proceeds to pull out his wallet and show me his driver’s license, social security card and more, all with the name Elvis Aron Presley on them. Kathy says, “He legally changed his name to Elvis Aron Presley”. Wow! He goes on to profess that he’d been a member of Sixteen Candles (the band), and played with Johnny Winslow and even played backup guitar for Johnny Cash!

You just never know who you’re going to meet when you venture out for karaoke in any one particular neighborhood. Elvis and Kathy met at this very Diamond Jim’s and were married in 2007.

Elvis jumped on the mic and performed an Elvis classic with all the moves and animation he could muster. Arm stretched skyward, crooning into the lights, then pivoting onto one knee with a tight-fisted downward sincerity of showmanship. Elvis is a real character with a colorful background and lots of good stories to tell, but Kathy is his number one fan.

If you’re looking for a new spot to perform and an accepting crowd of like-minded folks, get yourself over to Diamond Jim’s in Federal Way. Angel and the group will have you coming back on a regular basis.

They’re located at 1616 325th St. S, just south of the Commons (SeaTac Mall). Their phone number is (253) 838-1440. Come in and enjoy the food and a song or two. Karaoke runs every Wednesday and Thursday from 7:30pm until 11:30pm and Friday and Saturday from 9:30pm until 1:30am.