You aren't doing it right if your night out on Broad Street doesn't end with Chris Cornell-esque shredded vocal cords, hearing loss, and at least one video of you on Facebook doing something embarrassing. Fortunately I was able to tick off all of these at a recent Yelp Social event at Karaoke Box.
The nascent venue is located off Broad Street in the Regency Wharf area. The space opens to a bar that stocks a moderate selection of beer and cider, several wines, and spirits. There is plenty of room in this lobby to hang out with friends while waiting on everyone to arrive. The Karaoke Box is laid out with two hallways, with private rooms on each side. Unlike pub karaoke, the only audience here is those you choose to witness your shame.
Each room carries a theme, some that repeat on either hallway. The grand dame of the box is their large London Underground themed room that can fit a sizable crowd. Karaoke here is state-of-the-art, with lyrics displayed on large LED screens set into the wall. A control panel allows for the selection of songs. Their library is very comprehensive, and while lacking in the latest top 100, has pretty much any song from the naughts and before worth singing. Up to two mics work in each room, and vocal controls help disguise my crow like crooning.
The venue hosts a limited food menu where you'll find a lot of fried from frozen snacks. Honestly, I would suggest eating before or after, as the foods are a bit overpriced and not too tasty. The bar prices are somewhat reasonable depending on what you order. Basic beers and wines are a value, but steer clear of the liquor.
My time spent at the Karaoke Box was some of the most fun I've had in Brum so far this year. The prices to rent each room may cause sticker shock, but they aren't too bad when split evenly amongst friends. Overall, Karaoke Box is definitely worth a second look. read more