Colton Andrade, an Austin resident, performs a song on karaoke night Aug. 2 at Ego’s in Austin, Texas.
Photos by Spc. Patrick M. Connery, III Armored Corps Public Affairs
AUSTIN, Texas — Hidden beneath an office building and tucked behind a gas station, Ego’s is the kind of place someone could easily drive past without ever realizing one of Austin’s most recognizable karaoke bars is waiting underground.
That hidden quality is part of its charm.
Dean Mickel, an Austin resident, performs a song on karaoke night Aug. 2 at Ego’s in Austin, Texas.
Established in 1979, Ego’s has spent more than four decades building its reputation as a dive bar and karaoke institution. Visitors enter through the parking garage before stepping into a dimly lit room filled with neon beer signs, string lights and the kind of worn-in atmosphere that feels increasingly rare as Austin continues to change around it.
I have made the trip to Ego’s several times, and despite never knowing exactly who will take the microphone on a given night, there is usually one familiar face waiting behind the karaoke setup: DJ Kevin Lacey.
Kevin Lacey, Ego’s Karaoke DJ, works the karaoke station on karaoke nights Aug. 2 at Ego’s in Austin, Texas.
Over time, our own tradition developed.
Whenever I walk into Ego’s and Lacey is working, there is a good chance the two of us will eventually end up singing “Don’t Trust Me” by 3OH!3 together.
That unpredictability is what makes Ego’s worth the roughly hourlong drive from Fort Hood.
Karaoke begins at 8 p.m. every night and continues until 2 a.m., giving everyone from experienced singers to people who probably should have left their performance in the shower a chance on the elevated stage beneath a hand-painted mural of the Texas State Capitol.
The crowd is part of the experience. Ego’s does not require someone to be a great singer. The room is at its best when everyone commits to the moment, whether that means delivering an impressive rendition of a favorite song or simply having enough confidence to grab the microphone.
Ego’s opens at 3 p.m. before karaoke begins and offers a much quieter version of itself. Pool tables, pinball machines, televisions and a digital jukebox provide entertainment alongside inexpensive beers, well drinks and daily specials.
For Soldiers looking to experience Austin beyond Sixth Street and the city’s better-known attractions, Ego’s offers something different.
It is dark, a little grungy and hidden in a place where a legendary karaoke bar seemingly has no business existing.
Then the music starts.
And before long, somebody is walking toward the microphone.