The initial idea of Human Resource’s Breaking Up With Amerikkka—a night to commiserate with friends, alcohol and music and get over the worst breakup ever (that with our country) with the help of karaoke breakup-songs—sounds like the most fun way to get over the dystopia that is reality right now. The outcome, however, fell a little flat.

Human Resources, the nonprofit gallery in Chinatown, has many amazing qualities, but the acoustics for karaoke singing is not one of them. I know, what does it really matter how the acoustics were in the room, how nitpicky! But seriously, it was such an echo chamber and so loud that I had to take breaks outside. Still! I wanted to stick around and commiserate, and plus there was alcohol to drink and songs to be sung.

The only problem was, it seemed as if the karaoke DJ (a much underappreciated job, I must say) wasn’t being strict enough on enforcing the breakup-song only rule. Essentially the event devolved into a low-key hangout for art kids to drink beer and chat and sing karaoke, which is fine. The only issue is that if that was the case all along, maybe marketing the event as a political one could be problematic. When anti-fascism is en-vogue, I’m wary of being sold something else under the guise of being political when it isn’t really the case. The scattering of anti-fascist flyers in the front lobby was a good start, but it honestly seemed like a cop out. Still, I can’t complain too much, as someone did a most-impressive rendition of Selena’s “No Me Queda Más” that will live on in me forever.