the VIP

The VIP was FULL of fun and interesting people. Especially on karaoke night. But even on regular days there were a full compliment of interesting people, guys and girls, at any time of day. Most of them are regulars. But they all had their own 'schedule'. There were the after work regulars that would get there anywhere from 4:00 until 6:00p, and generally left by 8:00 or 9:00p. There was the night time crowd that usually filtered in around 8:00 or 9:00 (but sometimes 7:00ish as well). There was also the daytime 'staples' that were generally just there. Any time. There was also the 'weekenders' who would be there day and night but usually only on the weekends. Many of the weekenders were also part of the after work crowd. Of course karaoke night was the night that the place was PACKED! Especially Wednesday night. The first two years I was going to the VIP, there wasn't a better bar in Columbus on a Wednesday night.

Karaoke started at 9:00p. By 9:00 on the nose, the bar was standing room only. It wasn't a large bar to begin with, about 40 to 50 people could sit around the circular bar, and there was an additional 10 to 12 tables that could fit about four to a table. There was one pool table, one dart board, and a jukebox which was next to the small stage and screen that the karaoke KJ was set up at for karoke night. Also one small buffet table at the back corner where food was sometimes put out.

By 9:00p on karaoke night (especially Wednesday) there was at least 100 people already there. By 10:00p it would be 120 - 150 people. There would be about 24 different karaoke singers in the nightly rotation, at least 12 to 15 (or more) of them would have their first song selections in by 9:00 on the nose. The bar had a good mix of men and women, roughly 60% men and 40% women. Most were in their 20's, and another large percentage in their early 30's, as well as some in their 40's. EVERYBODY at this bar was into fun and partying. The patrons were all about mixing with one another and often went home with each other after hours.

Karaoke and pool were the center of attention. With one pool table, everyone put their name on the chalk board to play and the winner kept going. There was always 10 or more names on the board at any given time. The pool table had it's own rotation and the players were mostly all 'regulars' on the table. Unofficially everyone knew where they 'ranked' as far as best to worst at the table. But there was lots of good competition and some of them (not me and my friends) took it WAY too personally. Those are the ones that I LOVED to beat, because you could see they actually 'cared' when they won or lost. None of those guys sang karoke. The karaoke crowd only cared about having fun (and many were there to get laid as well).

When I started hanging out at the VIP I was only 'mediocre' at pool. While being married I'd only shoot pool a few times a year. But now that I was single and at the bars every night, I was shooting pool pretty much every night. It didn't take long before I started getting quite good. In fact, the way I always put it was that I wasn't good at pool, but I beat good players all the time. Mind you, they beat me as well. But I could hold my own against any of them and within a few months I could hold the table as long as any of them. Which REALLY pissed off the 'pool only' crowd because they actually cared about pool (rather than fun) and it was their source of pride to be able to hold the table. Meanwhile, all me and my friends cared about was having a great time, lots of fun, and wild reckless abandon, especially with the ladies. Before long, we were doing as well as they were at pool, only we only cared because we knew how much it pissed them off. It was funny, and to us EVERYTHING was about the fun.

Karaoke is what really ruled. The first few months that I hung out at the VIP, I didn't sing. I was a good singer as a child and really enjoyed it. But as an adult, it had been over 12 years since I had sang anything. My voice just wasn't there any more. But most of the fun karaoke singers also shot pool. So I got to know them, and I would hang out with all of them, sit at the bar or tables with them, and join in on the 'pitcher' rotations. (A group of us would all share the $5 pitchers of beer and all take turns buying.) Of course Bill was with me as well, but as I mentioned earlier, once he got drunk he just didn't fit in with the rest of us because of his 'hood boy' mentality. He's used to the hood, and the hood has totally different rules and mind sets than 'regular society'.

It's not quite like this anymore (or maybe it's because I'm not as young looking anymore), but back then (2000, 2001, 2002) the good or even decent karaoke singers in the bar were treated with a semi-celebrity status. Most of the fun people in the bar were single and there to socialize and hopefully get laid. Or at least flirt and/or make out with the other fun people. The girls (and guys for that matter) paid most attention to the karoke singers. I think it had a lot to do with the fact it gave them an 'in' as something to talk about. Go up and tell him how good he or she did at their song. How great their voice was. Can you sing this song for me?, etc. etc. The bottom line is that the karoke singers had more fun and got laid more than anyone. Luckily, because I was hanging out with all the karaoke crowd I eventually got included in this category. In fact, long before I ever started singing, because all my best friends were the karaoke regulars, women would be coming up to me to ask what I was singing that night.

The most beautiful thing about the VIP (and other bars in the 'karoke circuit') was that for the most part the women would approach you and hit on you without you even having to hit on them. That's what made karaoke so 'magical' back then. EVERYONE just wanted to have fun, flirt, make out, and get laid. I was living the dream...