Meet Rebecca Hummel | Owner, Pitch Karaoke

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rebecca Hummel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebecca, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
Interestingly, Jason and I are both from small towns in western North Dakota where both of our families worked in the farming industry. It can be a tough job with lots of inherent risk that is completely out of your control. Watching our parents navigate that risk and not giving up definitely sticks with you. It’s a strength you can draw from when the worries start setting in about starting your own business.

We were taught to be humble, helpful and proud of the effort we put into our work. Those lessons help us be approachable and accommodating to our guests, and not be afraid to roll up our sleeves to make sure we’re providing the best experience possible for our customers. The same lessons also help us lean into the hard work of starting a business. When things get tough, we have to just kinda figure it out, there isn’t anyone else that’s going to do it for you.

Growing up we were both always heavily involved in music. Jason was in a band and taught himself guitar, I was in choir. As you might imagine, being incredibly rural, we weren’t able to regularly attend concerts, or go see our favorite bands. Even discovering new music was tough. There wasn’t YouTube or Spotify or Apple Music or anything. You just had to learn about stuff from others, and through that discovery you end up finding your group. Music, then, is something that ties you all together and is the source of this feeling of belonging and happiness. I think, in a way, deciding to open this private-suite karaoke bar is just us trying to extend those feelings to others.

We had a group leaving the business a few weeks ago and I heard one of them shout, ‘You guys are going to leave so happy!’ to another group that was just arriving. That was a great moment for us. It felt like we had accomplished exactly what we had set out to do.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Pitch Karaoke is the only private-suite karaoke lounge in Boulder county. A fun and safe twist on a familiar pastime, private-suite karaoke allows you to book a room with its own audio/video setup. Your group will enjoy singing together without any of the downsides of public karaoke such as performing in front of strangers, waiting through a long queue before your song is called or sharing the microphone with an unknown number of participants. All ages are welcome, making it a great option for either a family outing or a weekend get together with friends.

Pitch Karaoke has five suites, ranging in capacity from four to twelve participants, and boasts a library of songs reaching the tens-of-thousands, with more being added all the time. Guests will enjoy service directly to their suite with a selection of beer, wine and canned cocktails available. As a homage to the origins of private-suite karaoke, sake is available on tap from Colorado Sake Company.

We are crazy excited to provide a much needed distraction for people looking for new entertainment options. It’s a great feeling seeing how happy groups are as they leave. Singing with friends, family or co-workers not only increases a sense of belonging and connection. It has real health benefits as well – everything from reducing stress to stimulating immune responses. Everyone should give it a try at least once!

Opening a concept like Pitch was a no-brainer for us. Rebecca is a licensed interior designer while Jason works in tech, and originally went to school for Music Industry. We have a long-time friend that is an audio technician who has ran sound for huge national touring acts. All the pieces were there to get the business off the ground. Still, doing anything post COVID presents challenges. We were plagued with delays on equipment. Cost overruns from an increase in building material prices completely busted our budget, and the devastating Marshall Fire caused everything to grind to a halt while our community focused on more important things. Through it all, we just had to focus on opening day and the things we could control. It was a very stressful time, but I think the final product was well worth the strain!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I think we have some of the best music venues around. Red Rocks is a must if a band is in town. I think the RiNo district in Denver is fantastic, and love seeing shows at the Mission Ballroom, maybe stopping in at Ratio Brewing Company first, and try to figure out all the musical references on the menu (King of Carrot Flowers – great song and great beer). For something a little more intimate, the Blue Bird is high on my list. There’s nothing like being able to be mere feet away from the performers.

When friends are coming to town, we almost always end up taking them to Meow Wolf. The world building for that exhibit is amazing and something everyone should experience. The Denver Art Museum is high on my list, even if we don’t go in, just seeing the building itself is a trip. I get a kick out of taking people to Lingers and telling them about the history of the building. If there’s a home game, Coors Field is a fun outing, and it’s easy to make a night of it,
maybe going to a restaurant or bar in LoDo or heading over to walk around Union Station. There’s a great little spot by the light rail lines called Sunday Vinyl where you can have a tasty brunch while listening to records, or a live band.

Coming up closer to Louisville – I’m biased, but obviously Pitch Karaoke. Going into Boulder and seeing the Flat Irons close up and walking around Pearl Street with a coffee are great.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutouts to our friends that supported us when we opened both by visiting our establishment and by lending words of encouragement. A huge shoutout to one friend in particular, Justin, who gave up his precious time to help organize and install all our AV equipment. Nothing like spending your weekends pulling hundreds of feet of cable through a ceiling. Couldn’t have done it without him.

Website: https://www.pitchkaraoke.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sing.at.pitch/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pitchkaraokeCO

Image Credits
Robin Salcido www.resphotography.com