Michigan Journal

Issue date: 11/25/08 Section: Bar Guide

Media Credit: Holly Willliams

A little piece of Karaoke heaven sits in the heart of Garden City. Formerly known as Jamie's, Rockstarz is the freshest face on the singing scene and it offers a new twist: unplugged instruments for maximum rocking out.

Aesthetically pleasing, you're immediately greeted by a long, well-stocked bar and an ambiance fit for a real rock show. The space between the bar and the stage is sliced in half by an island that seats eager patrons itching for another embarrassing rendition of "Hit Me Baby One More Time" by a middle-aged blonde woman.

She squirms and writhes, tossing her hair from side to side like she's really Ms. Spears, as two younger men gleefully hop onto stage to provide her with a band.

Dancing and jumping around like madmen, (one even turned his unplugged bass into a surprisingly large fiddle) the two guys get the crowd going. The audience keels over in hysterics. This is just the beginning of one hell of a night.

Karaoke bars have been the vehicle for embarrassment ever since their mainstream success in the '90s. From that charming woman belting out Britney Spears, to the middle aged men yearning to walk a couple miles in Johnny Cash's shoes, Karaoke bars make dreams come true - if only for a couple minutes.

Rockstarz goes above and beyond, making the performances all the more interesting. At first the bar crawls with people who can almost be called legitimate singers.

They're quite good, actually. But as the night progresses, the drinks keep flowing and the dollar shots begin piling up. Enter the once shy woman sitting in the corner: she practically floats on stage as she dances on the microphone pole like she's been possessed by the soul of Steven Tyler.

The instruments are staring you in the face, and trust me, the amount you drink is directly proportionate to the unyielding urge you have to take the stage and rock your heart out.

Not all is well in the land of the rocker, though. Unfortunately, the lack of drink specials does affect the crowd flow. It seems the owners are banking on the fact that they have a unique twist on the world of Karaoke. Let's hope it works.

Rockstarz does however offer very reasonable $4 domestic pitchers as well as $1 shots.

The domestic drafts are Bud Light, Miller Light and Pabst Blue Ribbon.

The shots may change from day to day, but usually include Jäger Bombs, Pineapple Upside-down Cakes, Lemon Drops or Jolly Ranchers. It's a healthy selection for almost any brand of drinker.

Everyone wants to be a rock star; now you can be.

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