Every Wednesday, members of FSU’s campus and the wider Tallahassee area all flock to The Bark, dressed up and ready to dance and sing at the venue’s weekly karaoke night, dubbed “Barkaoke.”
The Bark has become a popular hangout spot for students, especially because of its proximity to campus. It’s walking distance, has a great atmosphere, and, best of all, the karaoke is free, making it an ideal spot for people to come together and have fun singing the night away.
Unfortunately, some students’ weekly karaoke trips are coming to an end. On April 13, The Bark announced that karaoke would now be 21+. This provoked mixed opinions from the community, with the majority of them outraged, disappointed, or confused about this sudden decision.
Reactions to the Announcement
When The Bark dropped the announcement, community-wide backlash was immediate. The comments on the post were flooded with people sharing their opinions, both positive and negative. Some applaud the venue’s decision, agreeing that it’ll help improve the karaoke experience, whereas others are disappointed and frustrated with the sudden announcement.
The Bark said in the comments, “Over the past couple of months, karaoke night has become harder and harder to manage safely. We’ve had increasing incidents of property damage, outside alcohol being brought in, and behavior that creates a real safety concern for the patrons and staff. We need to be able to maintain control over our space in order to keep operating. Going 21+ for karaoke is the best way for us to do that right now. Our other events and shows remain all ages!”
Those agreeing in the comments argue that the decision will make The Bark safer, drive up revenue, and improve the atmosphere at the venue by making it exclusively 21+. These commenters argue that community members who aren’t 21+ have other opportunities for karaoke at different venues, such as 926 Bar & Grill, and that other events at The Bark are still open to everyone 18+. Also, with the venue being 21+, it’ll drive up revenue from drink sales.
“I feel like The Bark will lose a lot of money from this decision, but also may make some money from alcohol sales. Overall, though, they’ll lose money and business since a lot of freshmen and sophomores have lost a place to go to,” said student Joel Hernandez.
On the other hand, other commenters disappointed in the decision argue that the venue can implement policies like bag and ID checking. Also, even though there are other venues in Tallahassee, The Bark is walkable from FSU’s campus, making it an ideal space for community members to gather. Another argument is that even though those under 21 years old can’t purchase alcohol, they can still purchase food.
“Reading the announcement, I was confused, and I thought it was a late April Fool’s joke. The post also makes it hard for people to understand their decision without proper context or explanation,” said student Gabrielle Daley.
The announcement was extremely sudden, with no prior warning from the venue. It was posted on a Monday, and immediately went into effect the week it was posted, giving students and other community members no time to visit the venue again before it closed its doors to karaoke for anyone under 21 years old.
“I guarantee Barkaoke will be at least a little bit more dead. Overall, I think that a lot of students, even those over 21, will now be less likely to go in solidarity. Not to mention, we move in packs, so if one person is like ‘oh, I hate The Bark now,’ all their friends are gonna be like, ‘well, yes!’ and agree,” said student Jillian Derodel.
Losing an LGBTQ+ Safe Space
When this Instagram post dropped, along with the outrage, one could hear the sound of every gay person in Tallahassee dropping to their knees in anguish. More than just a club, The Bark has become a haven for LGBTQ+ individuals at FSU and in the wider Tallahassee area to come together in a safe community space.
“It’s very disappointing that yet another welcoming queer space where young people were able to meet each other is being restricted, especially since the actions of the few should not represent the majority of 18 to 20-year-olds who have been showing up and supporting Barkaoke for so long,” said student Erline Constant.
While other spaces in Tallahassee host karaoke, The Bark is among the most popular and has become an accessible, safe space for queer individuals. The Bark is only about a 20-minute walk from campus, so it’s accessible to anybody, whether or not they have a car. Places like 926 Bar & Grill, Fire Betty’s, and others are further, and FSU students have to drive, find a ride from a friend, or pay for an Uber or Lyft.
“The Bark is a lot closer to campus than, say, 926, and is a bit more welcoming than Railroad Square,” Derodel said. “While they do host a lot of other events, karaoke was the one thing that was a safe, common denominator for all types of queer students and students in general.”
These other venues aren’t as accessible as The Bark, so it completely removes the incentive for students on FSU’s campus to go to them. Also, The Bark isn’t just accessible; the karaoke nights have become a weekly tradition for queer members at FSU and in Tallahassee’s community.
“While I’m over 21 myself, I think that there’s absolutely something to be said about ripping an LGBTQ+ safe space away from our younger queer population. Especially because it’s the only one that’s easily accessible from FSU and FAMU’s campuses,” said student MJ Pierre. “Students who don’t have cars or another mode of transportation can easily walk 10 or so minutes and be surrounded by people like them, in a space where they can safely express themselves.”
My take on the policy change
Here’s my two cents on the issue: even though other events at The Bark are still 18+, I’ve rarely, if ever, seen an event at The Bark more popular than karaoke. There may be other events that are just as popular, but Barkaoke is more than just karaoke — it’s a weekly tradition for queer people to gather.
It’s created connections between community members, and losing the event is also losing a safe haven where queer individuals can freely express themselves. Making karaoke 21+ doesn’t promote inclusivity; it promotes exclusivity, taking away an accessible, safe space for queer people.
“There aren’t many third spaces in Tallahassee that openly welcome queer people. Making a popular one less accessible because of someone’s age defeats the purpose of ‘inclusivity,’” Daley said.
Even though The Bark is still up and running, weekly Barkaoke has become a staple of the FSU and wider Tallahassee LGBTQ+ population. Without it, we’ve lost a safe haven and a tradition that’s a staple of our community.
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