Yellow Bellies + Karaoke = Good Times

Every now and then you need a good excuse to kick it old school . A night to drink cheap beer; sing karaoke; and eat some kind of dirty pizza/taco/burger combination while watching the sunrise. That my friends, no matter how you slice it, is still a good time. Sure, the hangovers are ten times worse than when you were 22, but every so often, it’s worth it. An old friend in town is the perfect excuse.

A couple of weeks ago my good friend, who I like to call Dogwater was in LA. Dogwater is the type of guy that is always down for a good time. Period. We became friends during a transition phase in life. We were fresh out of college and slowly starting to enter the rat race (kicking and screaming, of course). Back in the days when being to work at 8 didn't stop us from staying out until 3AM. Let's face it, some entry level jobs don't require much more than a pulse, so we managed. 

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It's rare that Bryan and I get to see Dogwater and it is even MORE rare that we stay up past midnight these days. This night was an exception. A romping, roaring, singing, smokin' good time. A true regression to the days that have long passed. 

We started the night at City Tavern in Culver City. A cool tavern/restaurant where if you are lucky enough to swag one of the booths, you can pour your own beer--straight from the tap! The easiest drink refills ever! There are three choices of craft beers right at your table; Telegraph White Ale, Stone IPA and Downtown Brown. However, like most places in LA on a Friday night; it was packed wall to wall. After stuffing ourselves in a corner and enjoying a couple beers, it was time to move on to the next place; Backstage.

My first time to this fine establishment, I had no idea what to expect. We drove up to find a line of people waiting outside the door. Ugh, seriously?! Again, typical LA. Luckily the line moved fast and soon we were in the party zone. A true hole in the wall; Backstage is what you'd expect from any good timin' karaoke joint. Small, dark, crowded and plenty of off-key singing. The kind of place where it's best to stick with a simple drink. And what I ask you, is more simple than a good ole' Coors? No, not Coors Light. Straight up out of your Daddy's garage fridge--Coors Original. Or as Dogwater affectionately calls them "Yellow Bellies." At $3 a pop, they can't be beat. A couple of rounds of "Yellow Bellies," a male rendition of "Rehab," from Dogwater, and Bryan's tried and true karaoke go-to "Say it Ain't So," and the night was in full effect.

So the next time you are in LA and need to let off some steam, gather you buddies, warm-up your pipes, have a throwback to yesteryear and make it a "Yellow Belly" night at Backstage.

To good times!

--Jessica