Karaoke

You know how they say you learn something new everyday? Well, I don’t know if that’s always true, but it definitely is today! While sitting here, thinking about writing this blog about Rumors Bar and Grill (located at 400 F Ave NW in Cedar Rapids) , I decided to do a little bit of extra research about the bar. And to my discovery (I probably would have eventually been observant enough to realize this on my own, but, alas, I had yet to) Rumors offers karaoke at their bar 6 nights a week. The only night that is set aside for live music is Fridays. So. Anytime any of you get the hankering for some karaoke, unless it’s Friday night, you can head down to Rumors and satisfy your longing! 

Now, I am a fan of karaoke. I find it entertaining, I love to sing (I’m completely average, but that’s besides the point!)  and I simply enjoy the atmosphere of people getting excited about singing, or being nervous because they’re a Karaoke Virgin (I try to remind first timers that no one really is listening anyway, and if you suck, no one cares, haha!). While I have enjoyed the live music I have been fortunate to hear while visiting the great bars here in CR, I still LOVE to end up at a bar with karaoke at the end. It’s where I will happily sit for hours, observing people’s song choices (sometimes they seem completely opposite of a person’s look… the old man in a cowboy hat who sings some hard rock Metallica, or the girl all dolled up for the bar who belts out some Aretha Franklin) and joyfully run up to the microphone myself to sing a song or two (I prefer Sublime, and oldies as a general rule!).

Rumors has a great atmosphere for karaoke… they have a stage, so you’re up above the rest of the bar goers (makes you feel like a star, even though you’re only hitting every other note correctly!) and everyone always claps when you’re done, making you feel that even if you didn’t sing like a rock star, they’re happy you came anyway! Add in great drink specials and delicious food, I think Rumors is a great choice anytime you’re feeling the need to work those vocal chords!!! Right now they are also part of the South of the Cedar bar crawl, so make sure to buy a shirt for the crawl ($15 that goes to benefit Habitat for Humanity) and hit the other 3 F Ave bars (Coopers Mill, Cedar River Landing, and Double Inn) for your chance to win some great prizes from the pub crawl! Be sure to check our the Cedar Rapids Nite Out Facebook page for pictures from Rumors! See you on the town!

Thursdays in Cedar Rapids can include drinking, walking, donating to a great cause, winning prizes, and TONS of fun! I decided to check out the South of the Cedar Pub Crawl this past Thursday, and it was great to see all the people sporting the t-shirts (donations go to Habitat for Humanity) and getting their cards punched at each bar.




I decided to start the nite at Cedar River Landing (I wanted nachos!), then moved on to Coopers Mill (nice acoustic live music), then to Double Inn (dart league in progress) and ended the night at Rumors (KARAOKE!!!). It was fun to wander from bar to bar, and I guess I didn’t realize just how close these 4 bars were to each other! Each has it’s own vibe and crowd, and there’s something for just about everyone in one of these 4 bars!

I love that they sponsor the pub crawl, and that the donations go to a great cause. For $15, you can buy a t-shirt and that money goes to support Habitat for Humanity. You then get a punch card, and each Thursday you get your card at the first bar and then hit the other 3, getting your card stamped at each. Having the card and t-shirt entitles you to drink specials, and at the end of the night, you give your fully stamped card to the last bar and you are then entered into a contest. At the end of the pub crawl, there will be a drawing for the winners of the prizes! You could one of two super cool sport vehicles from McGraths Power Sports, or an HD TV, or $200 in cash! All for going to bars you already love, and donating to a worthy cause! Sounds like a great deal to me!

I plan on being out again this coming Thursday, and I hope to see you all there! I’ll have the newest photographer/blogger to the Cedar Rapids Nite Out team with me, Whit Jaykin, and I hope we can show her a great night! See you on the town!

Live Music on a Nite Out!

Just the parking lot of the Chrome Horse is a testament  to it being one of the hottest places to be on a Saturday night! It’s always packed, even at 8:30pm! Now, I was lucky enough that a car was pulling out just as I was pulling in - a good sign that it was going to continue to be a good night! Chrome was packed from wall to wall like usual, and the feeling from the group was anxious waiting  for the evening’s live band, Crazy Delicious. After wandering around and chatting with a few people, all of which were happy to take a picture for me (thanks everyone!) the band started.

Now, I have never had the pleasure of seeing most of  the live bands that play in our area, and Crazy Delicious was no exception to this. I was pleasantly surprised when they got started, playing a Lady Gaga song and Katy Perry song to get things kicked off. The floor immediately flooded with dancing girls, and people sang along. They were really great! It was a good night at Chrome, people continued to file in, and I decided to let them have their bar back, so it was off to Outskirts for their Beach Party!

While Outskirts wasn’t packed like Chrome, everyone there was happy to be there, having a great time! If you didn’t get lei-ed at Outskirts, there was definitely something wrong with you (haha, get the pun? I think I’m pretty funny sometimes!)! I happily drank one of their Sex on the Beach drinks, as well as a round of $1 Jello shots with my friends. Karaoke with Off Key Entertainment was just getting started when we got there, and it was an eclectic selection of songs… I decided to flex my vocal cords and sang Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana” (it seemed fitting for the beachy flavor of the night) and one of my friends sang The Door’s “People are Strange” (which happens to be MY favorite Doors song). After a few more songs from the other bar goers (dressed in hula skirts, beach shorts, with flowers and sunglasses as accessories) it was time for the hula hoop contest! I thought “Ah heck, why not?”. Now, I used to hula hoop like a master when I was a little girl, but these hula hoops were pretty light, and I couldn’t keep it up to save my life! It was a fun little game, coming down to a final 2, boy and girl, who really rocked that hula hoop! It was a fun time, with fun people, and a great way to end my evening!

Check out the Cedar Rapids Nite Out face book page for pictures from the evening, and make sure to “Like” the page, and friend me, Jen Kat, on my page! Jenkat82@gmail.com

St. Patricks Day in Cedar Rapids!!!

St. Patrick’s Day in Cedar Rapids, IA (and probably every other place in this fine state) equaled lots of green clothes (and hair, and nails…), loud music, and LOTS of drunkenness!

The day is meant to commemorate the death of  Saint Patrick, who (long story short) traveled through Ireland, converting the natives to Christianity in the 5th Century. Over the years, the day has turned from a primarily Catholic holiday into a “Be Irish for a day” celebration. So we have Saint Patrick to thank for March 17th every year, when we all get to sport our green colors, wear “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” t-shirts, and drink ourselves silly!

While I knew an Irish pub (like Mahoney’s) was the place to be on this particular holiday, I wasn’t quite ready for that right off the bat, so I trekked over to Cedar River Landing first… the parking lot was packed, and the music pumped through the air. I walked into a sea of green, and had the pleasure of hearing the band Between Monsters play for the first time. The band was even nice enough to pose for a picture for me (Check out the Cedar Rapids Nite Out Facebook page for all the pictures from the night!)  and give me a little shout out during their show! Being drunk definitely seemed to loosen the inhibitions of the bar goers, and the dance floor was packed as Between Monsters did their thing (Marcy Playground and the Cranberries among the artists they sang). It didn’t take long to see that this party was going to continue all night, so warmed up, I decided to brave Mahoney’s!

Again, it was PACKED, and after parking a few blocks away, I walked to the bar, bracing myself for what was inside. If I thought CRL was packed, I was terribly mistaken! Mahoney’s is small in size with a personal feeling, but when you pack as many people into one room as there was Thursday night, you REALLY get up and personal with those around you! Irish music played through the speakers, people were drinking and yelling and talking and just having an awesome time all around! There was no lack of Irish pride inside, and the patrons spilled out into the street and in the parking lot, having a great time. After the Irish music at Mahoney’s I decided I was in the mood for a musical change, so it was to Tailgators that I traveled next.

Swamped as well with green being the primary color of everything, the group Downward Fall were rocking the stage. Two bands in one night that I had never heard, and let me tell you, these guys were awesome! The dance floor was packed and people sang along to the great music. With a larger space than Mahoney’s, there was still room to move around and get comfy, but the atmosphere was the same as the previous two bars… “Let’s get drunk!”

I continue to enjoy exploring our town and meeting all the awesome people that venture out to our bars and grills (that would be YOU, Reader!) and I hope you all showed your Irish pride on Thursday (actually being Irish seems to be the last requirement for this day!!!)! See you on the town!

St. Patricks Day is right around the corner.

St. Paddy’s Day is in the air! Walking into Longbranch last Wednesday, I was hit with decorations of green shamrocks and other St. Paddy’s Day themed things! I was reminded that Spring is right around the corner, and I know we’re all ready for that! Longbranch was celebrating Hump Day with a $3 taco bar (which smelled amazing, although I didn’t get to eat any) and a fun round of “Name That Tune” with Entertaining Donkeys. The idea? They  play 30 seconds of a song and you have to guess the name of the song and the artist… and the team who got the most answers correct? They won a prize! While I didn’t hear the whole contest (it started at 7pm), it was fun to see the patrons putting their heads together and singing along to try to guess what the song was! In between contest songs, Entertaining Donkeys played all kinds of fun music that one could sing along with to enjoy your evening. And a really cute bar tender behind the bar was a definite plus for all the ladies there!

Following along the path of St. Patrick’s Day, Mahoneys was my next stop. And I was not disappointed by their decorations! Including an electronic sign counting down the days until St. Paddy’s day, this small and cozy bar offered a more laid back environment. If you’re looking for a spot where you and your friends can sit and talk (and actually be able to hear each other), Mahoneys on a Wednesday night would be a great choice! The other bar-goers there were friendly, even one guy offering his table to my friends and me so that we could sit in a more suitable space for 3 girls! Now THAT doesn’t happen at just every bar!  While Mahoneys doesn’t have a food menu, they were happy to bring us a menu from a neighboring business who were more than willing to deliver to the bar… so my friend ordered a delicious basket of onion rings, which had my envy radar going off, as I did not order any food (I’ve skipped tacos AND onion rings tonight, what was wrong with me???).  Mahoneys is MY kind of spot, and I look forward to going back again!

Now that my stomach was rumbling and I’d been silly enough to skip food at the first two bars, it was off to Cocktails and Company where we ordered an enormous heaping plate of nachos. Oh, how I love food! With extra salsa and sour cream, we 3 hungry girls dug right in and were not disappointed with the results! Cocktails wasn’t terribly busy on this Wednesday night but the music was good, as was the food and the friendly patrons.

I am happy to say that it was another enjoyable evening in our very own town of Cedar Rapids. Good food, good friends, good times… what more can a girl ask for? Maybe some warmer weather!

How 'bout some cowbell?!?!

I’m a sports fan. I enjoy live sporting events… the atmosphere, the fans, the food and beer. If I had to pick my favorite, hockey would not have been on my list.

Yet, going to the Roughriders game on Saturday, I realized that you don’t have to be a hockey fan to enjoy live hockey games. These fans are intense!!! You can’t help but get in to the game, when everyone around you is focused, excited and so INTO what’s happening on the ice. And… the constant ring of cowbell in your ear reminds you just where you are!

The arena was packed full, and fans sporting their Roughrider jerseys and showing off the team colors of green and black surrounded me. If you’ve never been to a hockey game, I can now honestly say I recommend that you do! I had a great time watching the fast pace on the ice, the players banging into the glass, and getting into the game with all the rest of the fans in the stands. There was no lack of beer, yelling, and easy companionship among the crowd, and, again, that cowbell! The intensity of the fans didn’t excuse anyone… even children finding their way back to their seats were not spared the holler of “Hey, sit down, the games on!” Of course, it was all in good fun, but these fans are not ones to mess with!

This particular game was played against the Saints, and while the final scored favored the guest team, the Roughriders fans never faltered in their support of their beloved team. So. I suggest you check out the next game, see for yourself. And… MORE COWBELL!!!

Discovery

I’ve lived in Cedar Rapids for about 4 years now… and I had NO idea how much there was to do around here, and how many great places we all have for entertainment until I started this gig! I decided to check things out on Wednesday, and had to pleasure of going to 2 places I have never been before… Outskirts and La Cantina.

Outskirts, over by Kirkwood, had a nice little vibe to it… friendly people right off the bat. Although I left before the karaoke started, I was able to simply get to enjoy those that were there. The night included playing pool, and even teaching one of the patrons how to play the card game Rummy (I always keep a deck in my purse - you’d be surprised how often I’m happy I have them with me!). I’m so happy I now have a new place to hang out and enjoy!

After the cards and pool, I was hungry, so it was off to La Cantina, where I had some fantastic food. The warm chips and dip for free were the perfect appetizer to my chicken quesadilla… packed FULL of chicken & cheese and served with rice & beans, it took about 5 minutes for my friend and me to clean the plate! The wait staff was friendly, prompt and the music was the perfect atmosphere for a late night dinner! See, if I’d never started this gig, I never would have discovered some of the best chips and salsa I’ve had in LONG time!

With a full belly, I headed to Cedar River Landing where DJ Bryan Lee was kickin’ the beats. This place was PACKED full! The atmosphere was of people having a great time, enjoying the music, the drinks and the company of their friends.  Normally to me, bar music is just bar music and a DJ is just a DJ. But DJ Bryan Lee had something a little extra special about what he was playing that seemed to make everyone want to dance … I don’t think I saw a single person there that wasn’t at least bouncing their head to the music! It was the perfect ending to my evening!

All in all, it was a really fun night, I met some great people, ate some great food, and listened to some great music. I look forward to continuing to explore Cedar Rapids, and letting all YOU know what I thought! See you on the town!

TOM GREEN IN CR!

When my boss asked me if I wanted to interview Tom Green, my response was “You mean TOM GREEN, Tom Green? Like, ‘Daddy would you like some sausages?’ Tom Green? Heck yes I do!” My mind started racing furiously trying to come up with questions.  I mean, if you’re a Tom Green fan , you know he’s from Canada.  He likes to skateboard.  He got his start on Canadian Public Television.  The Tom Green Show was then picked up by MTV.  He had the famous Cancer Episode. He married and divorced Drew Barrymore.  He stared in the movies Freddy Got Fingered, and Road Trip.  Everyone already knows all these things about Tom.  I wanted to come up with my own unique interview. So I came up with 10 questions I thought would be fun to ask. 

As we’re driving to meet him, my boss asks me if I’m ready, and what I’ve got planned for the video interview. Whoa. Hold the phone. VIDEO INTERVIEW??? You mean I actually have to know what the hell I’m doing and attempt to not look completely stupid while doing it? Oh shit. Thus started my sad and pitiful attempt at turning myself into a “real” interviewer/reporter. Somewhat prepared by the time we got there, we’re introduced to Tom Green. With a smile of greeting and an awkward fist bump, it became real… This was TOM GREEN, people! So. Deep breath. Luckily, I had time to compose my star-struck self, as we watched his show.

Touching on everything from why married people shouldn’t have Facebook pages, his battle with cancer, being almost 40 years old & everything that comes along with that, and the wonders of modern technology, the show was full of life, energy.   It is rare for a stand up comedian to make me ACTUALLY laugh out loud, but this show had me laughing like a crazy person, just like everyone else in the club.

I was pleased to discover that Tom was super cool, super “normal” and all around a great guy. After his show, he was more than willing to take all the pictures people wanted, sign autographs, and humored people who wanted to put their bumm on him!

My interview was a success!  I didn’t get to ask any of my questions.  I guess I’ll never really know if his dad truly did like sausages, if he has ever owned a Chrysler LaBaron, or if Rip Torn is really a jerk in real life.

If I ever have to chance to see Tom do his act again, I definitely will!

Check out our Facebook page for the interview, and support live comedy!

SuperTime!

Whether you were rooting for the Steelers or the Packers, this year’s Big Game was guaranteed to be a good one! I decided to hit a few of the local bars to check out all you crazy fans, and enjoy the game!

Walking in to Cocktails and Company was like walking into a Steelers Fans Only Zone! There was only the occasional green & yellow jersey in the whole place! Everyone was focused on the TV’s around the bar, and it was apparent who the majority of the patrons were rooting for, from the groans of displeasure and colorful words yelled when the Packers scored! And of course, when the Steelers did something great (Like Ben Roethlisberger running the ball for a first down at the end of the first quarter!), there were cheers of joy all around!  I decided to try out some of the yummy food offered, and thoroughly enjoyed my Cocktails Combo Basket, including (my favorite) mushrooms, onion rings, mozzarella sticks and more! When I received my bill, the name on the ticket was cleverly put as “Patriot” as I was rocking my NE Patriots jersey (Hey, just cuz they aren’t in the Game this year, doesn’t mean I can’t show my colors!).  With a full belly and a wish of good luck to the Steelers fans, I ventured out to my next venue!

Tailgator’s was the place to be if you wanted a very quiet and personal  space to watch the game… with a total of 6 patrons there, it was a laid back environment. As the bartender told me, it was expected to get busy after the game was over, so hopefully the bar got crazy with after-game celebrating!

Now, if Cocktails was the place for Steelers fans, Double Inn was just the opposite! I think I saw a total of 2 Steelers jerseys in the whole place!  Fans of the Packers were out in force! The atmosphere at Double Inn was more like a big family get together, where everyone knows everyone! With a buffet laid out, including some most delicious taco pizza (which I enjoyed greatly!), it was a feeling of a very large family reunion, where most just happen to be Packer Fans. As we all know the result of this years Game, I’m sure the celebration at the Double Inn was just fantastic!

So, for all you sports fans, wherever you were to enjoy the Game, I hope you had a great time, you cheered, and jeered and ate yourself silly! I know I had a great time hanging out with you Cedar Rapids fans! See you around town!

Finding Live Music

Going to Red Baron Friday night for my first bar hopping experience for CR Nite Out turned out to be the perfect choice! I immediately felt the vibe of happy people having a great time… and the music? Fantastic! Hostage was the band of the evening, and I got to chat for a few minutes with the lead singer, Steve Lawrence. When I asked him how long Hostage had been doing it’s thing, his somewhat vague response was “Hostage has been around… for a LONG time… and we’re not going anywhere!” What a perfect attitude! Playing covers from AC/DC to the Steve Miller band, it was a high energy atmosphere… and they even had a guest singer, as one of the audience got to go up and sing a few songs with them! If this is the level of great live music Red Baron chooses, you can bet the great bands will continue to flock there!

After reluctantly leaving Red Baron, I high tailed it up the street to the Chrome Horse. Another great live band? You guessed it! Skin Kandy was rocking out the stage! Long hair, piercings, and tight pants was the look of the lead singer, as he rocked the stage with the rest of his group. A crowded dance floor and lots of singing along showed how much the bar patrons enjoyed their music selections. When they started into the song “Shout at the Devil” by Motley Crue, I was taken back to memories of myself rocking out in my living room on Guitar Hero, thinking how cool I was, and that this must feel like being a rock star… only one difference… Skin Kandy really does have rock stars in the group! The feeling was of a big party, and anyone and everyone was invited… including a bunch of cowboys, as it turns out the rodeo was in town! If you were looking for a packed house with lots of different people and personalities, Chrome was the place to be last night!

A change of pace was in order next, as I walked into Cedar River Landing… a single guitar player, playing acoustic guitar (Marci Playground and Brittany Spears were just 2 of his interesting choices) to a smaller crowd of patrons. This was just one member of the band Daylight Savings Account (Wheel of Fortune’s Before and After category, anyone?) entertaining the crowd at CRL. After the loud and energetic bands of the previous two bars, this was a nice difference to relax and end the evening with. The friendly staff and people at the bar were an added bonus to the fun music played by Daylight Savings Account.

And that was the evening folks. I look forward to checking out 3 more of Cedar Rapids great bars on Sunday for the Big Game… Hope to see you out!

Meet Jen Kat

What’s up, everyone! I’m Jen Kat, the newest blogger and photographer for Cedar Rapids Nite Out.  Just like you I am always looking for the best in local entertainment and food & drink specials in town.  I’m going to be hitting all the hot spots in Cedar Rapids, taking pictures of everything going on in our great city!

Log on to www.crniteout.com to find something to do, and keep following us to find all the great live music, stand up comedy, karaoke and more, that’s going on in Cedar Rapids!

Every week we’ll have updates on what’s what and where to go, including my blog and photographs!

I’ll be at Red Baron, Chrome Horse and Cedar River Landing this Friday February 4th… So put on your party pants and happy face,  and we’ll see you out!

PS. I heard a rumor Tom Green is coming to town, stay tuned for more………

New Year

Happy New Year Everyone! 

It was warm, and then it was cold, and then freezing!!!  I did the whole weekend, thanks to Cedar Rapids Nite Out.  That’s where I found all this snazzy, jazzy info about what was shak'n in the tri-town area!!!  You know, Marion, Hiawatha and Cedar Rapids.  Not quite cities but a wee bigger than villages.

There were no dodging bullets that night, at least not where we were. We had plenty of cash for cabs, drinks and cover charges.  The awesome thing was we didn’t find one cover charge all night.

We went out for dinner at La Cantina early on New Year’s Eve.  I had chips, salsa, a burrito and of course a margarita. What a great setting! Located in a historic downtown building, with the smells of delicious food all around, it is a great setting and atmosphere to start the evening off.

Then off to watch at least the first 2 periods of the Roughrider game!  These young kids have had one heck of a season thus far!  Coming off a great win against Waterloo on the 29th, the stable was packed on New Year’s Eve.  After 2 periods with the Roughriders leading 3-0 at the end of the second period, I was ready to head out for some live music!

Called the cab and onto Tailgator’s!  When we got there, guess what?  NO COVER!  This place was packed.  Shoulder to should up by the stage. Black the Sun was rock'n this place!  Loud music and Miller Lite tallboys to start the New Year in style.  Of course, I probably spilled more beer than I drank as I was jumping around dancing and screaming to the music.  BLACK THE SUN ROCKS!

I had to get back downtown to Teeghan’s well before midnight for the balloon drop.  Last year at midnight all the balloons falling at the end of the count down with music, lights and all!  It was AWESOME!  I wasn't going to miss it again.  We arrived downtown. Teeghan's was packed and there was NO COVER! The bass of the club music banging, Boom, Boom, BOOM!  All the balloons rigged in a fallout out system, ready to fall at midnight.  The lights and smoke meshing to the music!  It was GREAT! 

The prizes in the balloons were announced right at midnight, most of the prizes were cash. The countdown started and just a tad early and all the balloons fell.  It was a crazy, mad grab for balloons.  Right away everyone jumped, everyone but me. One guy came down with two balloons and right in front of me popped the first one.  A heavy little piece of confetti flew out right at me and hit my collar and fell in the front pocket of my shirt.  When I looked into the pocket I noticed this was no ordinary piece of confetti, this had a little green man on it.  After further investigation the little green man turned out to be Andrew Jackson.  That’s right, I had $20 jump into my pocket.  Which is kind of a strange feeling!

After a few bottles of champagne and the wee hours of the night approaching, it was time to call it a night!  That way I could do it again the next day.  I wish every year we had a two day New Year's Eve party!