Karaoke Forums

While perception doesn't pay the bills you need to be aware of what's going on around you. Bar owners talk and KJs talk, occasionally

For those saying business is business I hope you're as accommodating should someone take a gig from you. I get the feeling more often than not folks lose a gig here to Rip's reason yet we all rally around the individual with cries of how unfair it is.

Diafel: Do other KJs still ask you to cover their shows?

Without surrender, be on good terms with all people. You can move in on someone's turf and take the gig without being a prick. Just figure out how to do it <shrug>.

Gryf: This is NOT a situation where a KJ asked another to sub. The VENUE OWNER is the one who approached the sub. Not the same thing. Had I been asked by the KJ, it's then considered sub-contracting and would certainly be looked at differently.
As far as moving in without being a prick, as you put it, that's all anyone here is advocating. I for one am NOT advocating that he push to take the gig. That would be wrong. However, if OFFERED, I think he should.
As for someone else taking my gig, if I'm not doing the job, then so be it. I would deserve to lose the gig and I would hold nothing against a replacement.
There's a world of difference between being offered to take over a gig versus actively trying to steal it. The OP is not trying to steal.

I've carefully read and considered all posts. All have been helpful in one way or another. Here are the facts:

I've only been in this establishment once. I had visited it a couple times years ago, different owner, different name.

That night (2 Fridays ago) I walked over to this place from next door which was having a karaoke contest.

One of the bartenders recognized me and knew I had a business.

I had heard from several persons that the current KJ had missed a few engagements (and heard since that she is late many times) without calling in.

I noticed her primitive set up, let me rephrase that is it isn't fair to those on this forum who still used disks. I noticed she used disks. Sound was decent, mics were crap. Lots' of dead air space. Lots of restarts. Singing into a heavy rotation and playing straight music into a heavy rotation. Her set up took up a lot of room. 2 6 foot tables.

Having said all this, it was a decent size crowd for a small bar, maybe 50 or 60 persons.

The owner (not the KJ) called me and asked me to sub. I should note that I did converse with the KJ and exchanged cards.

One other fact, as far as I know, this is a one night deal. It is not an audition or a try out. There were no promises either way. My "contract" is to perform tomorrow night and that is it. The regular KJ had another committment according to the owner.


Now, again, IF the owner should happen to call me up and tell me he wants me to be his regular on Friday nights, I probably will jump on it. Due to the economy, not only did I take a huge cut in pay, I now have to work regular hours and they start early so I don't want any weeknight jobs for now unless you count Friday.

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

OOPS! I'm an idiot, and didn't read the first post thoroughly. I was under the impression that the host asked. If the the owner called, and then asks the OP to accept the venue, go ahead and take it.

You will still run into some negativity from other hosts and some singers- due to perception. However, IMHO, you are working well within ethical standards.

Please accept my apologies for the misunderstanding, and thanks to Di for pointing out my error.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

Update

Smaller crowd last night, maybe due to long weekend. 30 to 40 patrons on average. They have an outdoor patio so smokers hang out there for the most part. The deepest my rotation ever got was 9.
This was the first time I was able to set up my Yorkies in a small venue. I arrived 2 hours early with the intention of leaving after set up to get a bite to eat. I skipped the food as I just couldn't tear myself away from the sound coming out of the set up. I even let several persons sing well before start up.
Glitches- early in the night, my performers rotation window in compuhost switched from showing names, positions and times to just times. I don't know if I did something wrong or it was just a reboot thing. Luckily I had all the song slips (good arguement for keeping them). I tried everything to get the names back up including (regrettfully so) clicking new session and losing all my months of data. No luck. So I started up virtual dj and picked out a couple songs so I could shut compuhost down and keep some music going. As soon as I started the song and switched back to compuhost, severe static in the background (more like foreground) began. Switched back and tried a couple things to no avail so I powered down, rebooted and when compuhost came back up, I had singers names again. All in all I had about 2 mins of dead air space
and about 30 gray hairs as I thought I was going to have to read the names from the slips the rest of the night.
Other than that, technically speaking everything was great and I had lots of compliments on my system and the fact that there was always music playing.
It's good to be KingBing! Several very alluring and drunk babes gave me big sensual hugs during the night! Shaaaaaawing KingBing!
As I had to work in the morning at 6, I only played until 12:15 (deal to play to 12) and at the last minute they asked me to stay until 1 but I couldn't. It took awhile to tear down as people kept coming up to converse and 5 people asked me if I was playing next week. I simply told them that this was a one night fill in but if I was asked to come back, I would.

5 requests for songs I didn't have, I will have them if I go back again.

It sucked getting to bed at 1:45 and getting up at 5:15.

I still like this business!

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

You had the display dragged over to the right. If you put your cursor on a singer and hit the left arrow, it should come back.

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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.

You may have pointed me in the right direction as I kept looking at the title bar to have dividers to grab and pull left or right but for whatever reasaon didn't think to put my cursor on the dividers below. I see I can drag them left and right from there. However,,,, try grabbing the Next Perf. title and dragging it all the way to the left. It just doesn't happen. In my situation, it was the only section up. No "position, name, time in, or last perf.

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]