NARROWS PLAZA BOWL; TACOMA, WA
International Karaoke Contest in full swing
Sing your way to Orlando, Florida and $5,000

By Ty Hughes

Superior sound and extreme competence at the mixing board characterizes Al Russell’s karaoke show at the Good Times Lounge inside the Narrows Plaza Bowl in Tacoma’s University Place.

As Good Times Lounge Host, Al is proud to present, in association with the Karaoke & Lighting Store, BPAA, Chartbusters Karaoke and Int’l Bowl Expo 2008, the International Bowling Karaoke Superstar IV Contest, currently underway and taking qualifiers. This year’s selected talent and a companion will be whisked off to Orlando, Florida, hotel and airfare paid, to compete for the title of Superstar IV Grand Champion in June 2008.

The top prize includes $5,000 in cash and a recording CD with Big Mama’s Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

Qualifying has already begun and continues every Friday and Saturday night through April at the Good Times Lounge and I’m here to tell you, the level of talent thus far is unsurpassed. Singers here enjoy an extensive library consisting of over 20,000 song disks, huge six-inch thick songbooks, carpeted stage, and a sound system personally designed by Al himself that truly rocks the house. Huge Mackie speaker towers frame the singer as a discerning and knowledgeable audience surround the dance floor from an expansive seating area. Each table is accompanied by comfortable, swiveling bucket chairs and fill up quickly. A warm, crackling fireplace blazes along one wall, creating an ambiance that will surely calm the senses.

Two bartenders attend to your needs from behind an “L” shaped bar. Though floor service is unavailable, patrons seem not to be discouraged by waiting in line to place their orders.

Al Russell mans his stage-side sound booth during every performance dialing in each singer to sound their best utilizing his many years of experience, occasionally stepping out to treat the crowd to his own unique selections, kicking off the beginning of the rotation. Professional stage and dance lighting dances around the room and keeps the atmosphere lively.

There are always familiar faces in the crowd for Al’s show, including our old friend, David, from the old K2k, a Tacoma-based karaoke store, and a tableful of his music savvy friends. Each of them got up to sing throughout the evening. Lu Gundrum, voice instructor and vocalist, paralyzed the audience with the Go Ask Alice classic.

Ponytail Pat rocked the house with his timeless selection after David sang Fortunate Son beautifully. The old favorites just kept coming when Phil sang In The Ghetto in baritone and Cory nailed People Are Strange. Cory’s entire table of friends were cheering loudly to all the choice song selections. Len dedicated Hello Again to his girlfriend in the audience whom he hadn’t seen in awhile; Amanda did the Stray Cat Strut; Blake sang Dead Or Alive.

Carla, Callie, Amy and Andrea were out with their mom celebrating Carla’s 21st birthday and they regularly took to the stage singing in duet and trios, dancing wildly all the while.

But, it was KC singing Wicked Games and Dan with Songs About Rain that allowed them to qualify for the International Karaoke Contest. Both of them are amazingly talented and it was a real treat to listen to them perform. We wish them well in their quest to make it to the finals in Orlando!

Come on out and sing your best song at the Narrows Plaza Bowl every Friday and Saturday night – you could qualify to win $5,000 and a recording contract in Orlando, Florida!

Find them at 2200 Mildred St. W. (across from Tacoma Community College) or call for details, (253) 565-1007.