It's a Long December at Danny's Pub for a Classic-Rock Crooner

Ooey, gooey, Zooey!

Danny's Pub is a sports bar located in the middle of a strip mall just south of Totem Lake. Last Tuesday, I wound up there after a Mariners game to sing. It was kind of dead, but the scene was young and the KJ had the party music blasting, so I got a good sense everyone was on board to make the most of things. I bellied up to the bar and took a look around. As generic and uninviting as it appeared from the outside, the inside had a very pristine look about it. They had a big elevated stage with a light show that reflected nicely over their shiny hardwood dance floor.

The bartender was a good guy. He saw my M's cap and immediately started chatting me up about the game, which resulted in a loss to the Angels. The KJ was in his mid-30s and had a cool, tough look about him. He goes by Silent J and also hosts on Thursdays and spins records there on Friday nights. All of his gear was set up onstage, and he had a buddy sitting up there with him.

The singing rotation was short. The first singer I caught was Jules, a cute gal with red bangs and braids in a black dress. She sang in the style of Zooey Deschanel, and delivered a solid rendition of Feist's "1234." A couple singers later was a buttoned-up white dude in his late 30s named John. He went all-out with an attempt to perform the dirty version of "Get Back" by Ludacris. It was super-dorky and his dance moves made me feel embarrassed for him, but unlike so many other times when I see white guys perform hip-hop, he wasn't taking it seriously. He knew he looked ridiculous, and by working that angle he had everyone thoroughly entertained.

Aside from an awesome "Walking After Midnight" by this gal named Heather, everyone was singing newer stuff. It made me feel self-conscious about my '80s and classic-rock-dominated repertoire. It sucks that none of my favorite music from the past 20 years has been produced for karaoke. I decided to force myself to try a Top-40 cut from the '90s. I brainstormed all of my guilty-pleasure songs by the likes of Oasis, Sugar Ray, and Third Eye Blind, but just couldn't get myself to pull the trigger, as I don't sing to feel like a douche.

After combing the book, I finally went with "Long December" by Counting Crows. I still felt kind of iffy about it, but the moment it kicked in, I immediately knew I'd picked a winner. It contained all the elements of the songs that I do well, and it was perfect for my range. Everyone loved it.

Danny's Pub, 11516 124th Ave. N.E., 425-889-0127, KIRKLAND, karaoke Tuesdays & Thursdays.

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