Karaoke Forums

I am considering a move from the Seattle area to SD...possibly...who knows. I'm checking out the apt rental costs and they are definitely more than what I'm used to. My question is, what is a reasonable pay amount to expect for karaoke hosts in the SD area? I am NOT expecting to swoop in and get a hosting gig the day I get into town...who knows if I could ever get one. But I'm trying to get a ball figure on what a host might make on the average. In the Seattle area I was getting anywhere between $150-$200. BTW...talking about a regular bar karaoke gig - not private parties. Any thoughts would be great...thanks!

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Oh thank you...I'm sorry if I put this in the wrong place...

Rates are pretty much the same though out the entire country.

I suggest if you want to make more money moving to an area with a very low cost of living with a decent size population.

I disagree, where I am living in a College town of Athens GA, most KJs would be glad for a 100$ for a weekly gig. Most do it for far less. Most are in the 50-75 for weeknights.

Yes Fred. Mr Dye is capable of typing some strange words.

This is extremely unusual.

Having traveled all over the US going to karaoke gigs, and talking to most of the KJs, I have to agree that the going rate is mostly 150-200 per gig wherever you go. I will say that the one place I haven't gone is SoCali. It could be higher there, I suppose. But I would think supply would be high, and keep the rate in that range.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

I agree with Mckyj57. National rate seems to "average" out at $150 a 4 hour gig.

In my experience running 10 shows on the east coast a few years back, $100-$225 was the going rate with most kjs making $150 at small to medium venues.

I spoke to a kj from san diego this past monday and his show pays $150... but for 5 hours not 4. Medium sized venue.

The average mobile kj in hawaii makes $125-$150...that's why most charge the addtional $1 per song...housing is expensive here.

Hmmm.
Think you will find in the less populated area's
there is less money.

I live in a less populated area. The going rate is $150. This means there are few weekday gigs for mobile KJs, those being in-house. There is a multi-rigger here who puts guys out for $125, and he gets a lot of business. But he is low end and still mostly gets long-running gigs on the weekend.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

San Diego, Riverside, the IE, is COVERED with pirates. I'd say 1 in 10 are NOT pirates. Come out and check into first.

I wouldn't worry so much about the rates as the fact that California is on the brink of disaster.
Unemployment rate it sky high as are the taxes and San Diego? I hope you have a lot of Spanish music and can "Se habla espanol"
Not only that what state in their right mind would re-elect a former governor that ruined the state in the first place?

I you really want to know I'd talk to jdmeister even though he is a little bit north of SD I'm sure he knows the lowdown on it.

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I like everyone when I first meet them. If you don't like me that's not my problem it's YOURS!
A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet

You would imagine SoCal, tourist capital - Disney, Knotts, Universal Studios, Queen Mary, etc., rate would be higher, but I disagree.

I kj’d in SoCal for 8 yrs. Not San Diego, but in Orange County, 30 miles south of L.A. until we moved to NorthCal 4 yrs ago. I don’t know the average going rate in SD, but in Orange the going rate has come down to $100 to $125, either that or percentage of bar sales. Most do it for less. Even if you’re an extremely good, legit kj you’ll be lucky to find a $200 gig. In the surrounding areas - Long Beach, Norwalk, Whittier it’s a lot less. This is due to the fact that kj’s are dime a dozen (Can you spell pirate?).

Just check our host’s Karaoke Scene Magazine (home based in Cypress, Orange County). Venue karaoke advertisers are about 4 in every page. Very competitive market. The law of supply and demand applies. Lots of KJ’s, the equilibrium price tend to go lower.

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!

As I said, I thought the supply would be high.

You can find bottom feeders everywhere, but those gigs rarely last. The real working KJs I have seen charge $150 or more. It's simple economics -- you can't profitably do it for less.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Therein lies the problem.
Pirates can.
Some I know work for beer.
I spoke to a Landlord who got a KJ for $60. 40GBP.
He said at that price he had 20 to choose from.
He is still going through them to see who is the best.

I'd call Manny Pachecho who KJ's at Mr. B's and The Starting Gate in Los Alamitos(he's one of the hosts on THATS KARAOKE). He could give you the skinny on going rates.

I would speculate that its no more than 100-150. He's been at his gigs for many years though and probly makes more than that.

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

Thanks guys...I know there is good and bad when it comes to relocating to larger towns. I do have 15 yrs experience - not that it may mean much to someone that is looking for the lowest priced kj and I understand that there are tons of kjs around but there are also more venues. I think San Diego is inevitable for me as I really love the area and feel drawn there no matter what the challenges are. I might be wrong, but there are pirates and bottom feeders in every city no matter if it's San Diego, Seattle or Fargo. It sounds like the $100-$200 is about the norm there too...

did they elect Schwarzenegger again?...
the state debt "under him" has almost quadrupled....

No they re-elected Jerry Brown who the Gov from 1975 to 1983 he ruined it then and will do it again.

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I like everyone when I first meet them. If you don't like me that's not my problem it's YOURS!
A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet

I lived there in those years. It was awful.