I’m a huge music fan…especially live acts with a Brit influence (Oasis is my #1). That said, I don’t really sing…aside from in my car or in the shower…which we all do from time-to-time, no? Well, that changed last night.
About six of us were looking for a place to go after an amazing dinner and experience served up by Justin at hapa izakaya (see my July 30 post in the ‘Food’ section for more details on hapa). We found one…Fantacity on Thurlow Street in downtown Vancouver. 
What’s Fantacity aside from some crazy play on words that sounds like something you might run into on Khao San Road you ask? Put simply, it’s a karaoke ‘experience’.
I mean honestly, I felt like Bill Murray from Lost in Translation when we walked into this place. Picture a plush lounge stocked with every type of Johnny Walker known to man, and six or seven private rooms (didn’t count) complete with couches, a private karaoke video terminal with remote song selector (in korean, i think…we figured it out…thanks Kye), two microphones, rotating disco light, streaming karaoke video that has absolutely NOTHING to do with music whatsoever (people jetskiing circa 1986, koala bears eating leaves, kids making sand castles, etc), a song list so big that it could honestly anchor a ship (in english, korean, japanese, and something else), and of course…my favourite…a REALLY loud tambourine. After assessing our surroundings, I thought this set up had all the makings of a night that was sure to be full of memories.
As I entered our private den of song, Jason was already halfway through a number that probably should have stayed on the roller rink where it last was played. And then, it happened…I picked up the tambourine and selected the next song (much to my, and my girlfriend’s surprise). I don’t know what Liam and Noel would have said about my performance, but I had a blast.
The servers were uber attentive, checking in on us a number of times. I never knew scotch went so well with karaoke…and nachos.
After rousing tributes to Def Leppard, Metallica, Madonna, Oasis, Radiohead, and many others, the time came to settle up…which is my only complaint about this place.
Now, I’m a finance guy and I’ve been in the business world for some time, but, I will NEVER understand how this place gets away with charging you what they do for the pleasure of hearing yourself and your friends make fools of themselves. The room comes at an hourly rate which is probably not being set or monitored by anything other than someone who ‘estimates’ when you got there and then rounds up. I mean no disrespect to the staff, but c’mon guys…you’re a tad on the high side.
Anyway, I’m going to give Fantacity a fairly good rating because they really have the karaoke thing dialed. It was a great night and thanks to them, my friends and I are all rockstars (in our minds).
T&D Rating: 3.5 mics (out of 5)
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