Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge
There's nothing Polynesian about the box at this beloved Northeast joint
Where they haven’t been replaced by charmless, trend-crunching tune-bots, jukeboxes say a lot about a place—nay, enhance the place. In Jukeboxing, Decider spends some quarters and punches some buttons at Twin Cities bars and venues. This edition takes a look at the jukebox at the venerable Northeast hotspot Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge.
The box: As you enter Psycho Suzi's, you'll notice it—as big and loud as the tiki-themed surroundings—flanked by two bamboo lamps that match the geographically incongruous decor. It's a giant beast of a juke and a relic in this day and age, making loud, mechanical noises as the innards fight old age and defy the iPod that's also hooked up to the Suzi's sound system.
Price: Not much of a bargain at two songs for $1, but you can step it up to seven songs for just $2. Think of it as a musical happy-hour special that's offered all-night long.
Drinkin' songs: Nothing inspires thoughts of buying the next round quite like Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." Thanks to numerous pop-culture nods, this song has become a universally recognized cue for bar patrons to quit their bitchin' and drunkenly join the chorus. Also included is the shot-friendly '80s classic "Whip It" on a Devo greatest-hits (and, yes, plural) disc.
Nerd jams: A little bit of ska is the fastest way to separate yourself from the average juke plugger (and the opposite sex). Good thing Me First And The Gimme Gimmes are there to keep you company. Other geek-worthy options include Modest Mouse and retro icons such as Burt Bacharach and Eartha Kitt.
Mixes: There's no shortage of compilation discs on Suzi's juke. The best of these are single-artist comps featuring the likes of Johnny Cash, Queen, and the snuggly, soft sounds of The Carpenters.
Locals: If you like a locally conscious juke with your tattooed people-watching, go to the Triple Rock. Suzi's box doesn't make much room for Minneapolis bands. Besides, isn't the abundance of bamboo and tiki heads meant to make you feel like you're not in Minnesota?
For closing time: It's always safe to go out with Cash's "Ring Of Fire" or any Queen hit. Come bar time, the head-banging guitar climax of "Bohemian Rhapsody" is worth more than the 50 cents it'll cost you.
If this box could talk: It would probably ask you for a hula skirt, since nearly everything else here has a tiki face or some kind of faux-tropical foliage on it. This jukebox is kinda like the girl who accidentally came dressed in '90s clothes to your '70s-themed party.
Witnesses: A dutiful bouncer—the strong, silent type—stands guard near the box, checking IDs and ensuring that the main in-house music doesn't overpower your juke selection; even if you get wasted, he'll make sure your quarters don't.
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