Karaoke Forums

I do see your point on this one angel.

I recently did my first ever karaoke show at a place that never had karaoke before. Since it was kind of a last minute ordeal we didn't have time to advertise to get the karaoke crowd. The only singers were pretty much the regular customers that would be there anyway or happened to walk in. Well I ended up having almost nonstop karaoke after about 9pm or so with many repeat singers and the night was a success overall. It also gave me the chance to lose my cherryoke as a host, and put my equipment to the test. However I learned a lesson and vowed to never repeat the same scenario again.
In other words as the night progressed, the same drunk, very bad singers kept coming back to sing and it just wasn't entertaining to the customers as it should have been. If I would have advertised to get karaoke singers to the bar it would have made a big difference in the quality of the whole show.
Now I have no problem with bad singers or even drunk singers (as long as they are reasonably behaved) but there does need to be a good mixture of talent to make it interesting and fun. I still consider my first night a success and had a lot of fun, but the next time will be a little different hopefully.
Since I only have 1 show under my belt, call it my 1 cent

A bar that never had karaoke before.

The people that were there will fall into sevreal catagories based on that one night experience.

1. Some people will think karaoke is a bunch of drunks singing or trying to sing. And they may not return and they will tell other people about their NOT FUN karaoke night.

2. Some people will say they had a good time. They will tell people about their FUN time.

It will remaqin to be seen exactly what the impact will be. If more people had a bad time, it perpetuates the old "karaoke is a bunch of drunks singing" stereotype.

If more people had FUN, then you may start getting a nice crowd.

How many nights will you be back if the BAD word spreads?

Second, if that happens your reputation is a karaoke show that is a bunch of drunks singing. It was your first show. There is nothing else to go by. Right or wrong.

In any future show are you hoping for more BAD singers or GOOD singers?

There is your answer. Just because the drunk singers are having FUN doesn't mean all the listeners were having FUN.

Do you want the drunk singers at your karaoke show or the one down the street?

For that very reason everything i do is geared to attracting good singers and it works.

This is where your reputation comes into play. The type of crowd reflects on your reputation.

Do you want the "karaoke is a bunch of drunks singing" reputation?"

I don't.

FUN DRUNKS or FUN good singers?

The singers are only part of the crowd. You still have the nonsingers to worry about. Singer aren't walking out because of other bad singers. The nonsingers are walking out and talking about your show. The drunks don't care where they drink and sing or on what kind of a system.

How much does your reputation matter to you?

I would say your chances of success are easier with a bunch of drunks. Easier to please someone oblivious to everything. Discriminating patrons need more work. Where do you want to be?

My feeling is my reputation matters more than any singer. The singers will form their judgement on me and how good my show and sound is. Nonsingers will form their own opinions too.

The till will reflect on the fun drunk night better more than likely than a fun good singer night - though not always.

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FUN drunks also present a bigger liability to the bar owner. Making all the money you can make in a night doesn't neccessarily reflect the best of business decisions if someone goes out and kills someone.

If i owned a bar i would rather error on the side of caution. Lawsuits that can ruin your entire life aren't worth $25 more a night?

A wreck i read about in the paper the other night cost a biker a leg at the knee and his wife a foot. Two cripples for life in one second. If they were drunk the last bar owner is very screwed. What's two legs worth?

There is more to karaoke than singing drunks. At least for my business reputation.

Is Angel actually Mrs. Woo from San Francisco?

I started this thread and ended my OP with a question for those who are NOT fixated entirely on the SINGING experience of each singer:

I asked each of you who have found that your show is NOT in fact TOTALLY about EACH singers singing experience --- or really about the singers at all --- to tell us what makes your show work

Angel: Please stop hijacking threads to offer your unsolicited opinions and advice on matters that are at best tangential to the question at hand.

Since you are clearly NOT among those who minimize the importance of each participants singing experience in running your show, what is the need that you find to post obliquely related gibberish such as the following?



Actually, the FUN ENDS when I have to read self-serving, anecdotal, unsupported gibberish about how to run karaoke. I am tired of posters who don't care about what has worked for others. I didn't join this group to TEACH others how to run their businesses. I joined to LEARN from others how THEY run their businesses.

After hearing from others what works for them and how they make it work, I'll decide what if any ideas I will try to incorporate into my business.

And I am curious how it is that Angel is so concerned about his reputation as a KJ, while showing little concern about the reputation she is developing on this forum?

Let me preface this by saying " No body should drive drunk "

But Karaoke would not exhist without Alcohol. Alcohol allowed most seasoned karaoke singers the courage to sing for the first time. Not that people can't sing without being falling down drunk but ..ALCOHOL allows most to do things they never would.

I'll make note to exclude those with "problems" or recovering alcoholics - This is not meant to offend or insult anyone

A bar full of non drinking singers ??? Can you say "out of business"

Oh yes karaoke CAN exist without alcohol. Maybe not is the USA.

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

Jian

I agree - Here in the US -karaoke and Alcohol go hand in hand

In a non-alcoholic karaoke outlet (usually muslim open-air eatery), the norm is a pay-to-sing system.

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

If a good number of the singers are drinking heavily, which is often the case, I don't believe that they will be concerned with the mix and the quality of the equipment I use?

And if the singers are drinking why wouldn't you expect to find singers
1. who don't even remember/know the song
2. who voices suck
3. who get up and are so drunk they can't follow the swipes
4. who get up and sing off key

And when it comes to the preceding types of singers, they can't be helped no matter how good the mix or the quality of the equipment

At my shows, we foster a general camaraderie with ALL patrons, singers and non alike.
It's simply a fun, party atmosphere. I think that is a main feature of my show that keeps them coming back, singers and non alike.
As for having a show with all good singers and few bad, I can say this:
were I the type of person that is insecure in themselves, if I went to a show with nothing but good singers, I would leave. Why? Because how the heck can I compete with that?
I've heard this attitude over and over again and indeed, in my younger years, I felt the same way.
I would never have bothered with a show like that because the "risk" of being criticized and looked down on is too great. The risk is much less at a show with "bad" singers. That, and I find that most "good" singers can tend toward being diva-esque. Definitely NOT fun, even for non singers who have to witness that kind of behaviour.

If there were no singers, there would be no karaoke, so yes, in a way it is really always about the singers FIRST.

As far as drunken singers, there are shows that are dedicated to those people. I choose not to run a show that consists of obnoxious drunks because the only people who like to listen to obnoxious drunks are other obnoxious drunks. They have very little consideration for equipment, sound, other singers, etc., etc. That is NOT fun hosting to me so I don't take gigs that require me to work under those conditions.

There are other ways to pay for karaoke - a great menu where food is served the entire time that karaoke is running. We do things like a "Pay Half your Tab" draw of singer slips near the end of the show. There are ways to make karaoke pay without huge amounts of alcohol being consumed.

I leave the drunks to the people who love that drunken party atmosphere ... they can deal with it.

Your right Angel. Like the need to be drunk to listen to the bad singers,

just kiddin', no one take seriously (if anyone ever has)

Our main stop has all kinds:
non-drinkers
reformed drinkers
social drinkers
and the occassional drunk

it's a great mix with no problems.

I'd have to agree with Diafel, that a karaoke show full of GOOD singers can be a curse. I,ve personally hosted a few shows where we had a room FULL of people, and only about 5 singers, why, because the singers were GOOD. My girlfriend makes the room while I host, and when talking to people, (trying to get singers), they would tell her, "NO WAY", because they were intimidated by the GOOD singers. So, be careful what you wish for, because your show can be (too good) for your own good. The people that were intimidated may not come back. I believe that it's ALL about the singers (in theory), but you have to have a mix of good, and not so good, AND a few AWFUL, after all, everyone has to go to the restroom at some point.
Karen, also has a good idea about the drawings, we also did that, but for 1 drink, and choice of appetizer, we put the songslips in a jar, and picked a name twice a night.

Srnitynow

I still think it is a combination of all things that makes for a good show. I have different people that come for different reasons, but I think most get sucked in by the people. They know I have the songs they want to sing and I'll try my best to make them sound good, but the people are inviting and friendly. Before you know it you'll know all the regulars and feel comfortable talking to anyone.

I do my part by making the singers feel special and keep a fair rotation, so what sets me apart I'd say is the friendly enviroment.

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The last few posts, particularly Diafel, Karen and Babs confirm that there often is more to running a successful show than just focusing in on EACH singer. Clearly how you run a show, depends on the singers, the crowd, the venue and the KJ

When I asked in my OP "is it REALLY ALWAYS about the singer" I literally was referring to the singing experience of EACH individual who is up at the mic at that moment in time (not the experience in general of the entire rotation).

If the person up at the mic is a good singer and is in attendance in order to show off his abilities, YES, it is probably best to focus upon making that singer sound great during his MOMENT IN THE SUN!

If the person whose turn it is at the mic is singing the first time in their life and has brought up three friends to support her, then I believe it's about making the group comfortable and to help make them appealing to the audience. Words of encouragement to them can do just that as well as snappy remarks.

Or sometimes a singer just needs help getting started or keeping up with the song and I will gently provide that help

Regarding the frequent references on this forum to drunk singers, I don't encourage singers to drink.

What I like to say in regard to "helping" sales of alcohol is as follows:

While I do not encourage those of you who are singing to drink because from experience I know it won't make you sound any better

I do encourage the listening audience to drink heartily because the more you drink the better I sound and I need all the help I can get!

Several things come into play.

Tovmod, from your last post about wanting the crowd to be drunk so YOU sound better, can you sing or not? Could this be the reason for your lack of singer concern and interest in attacking my years of experience with singers and hosting?

The one before that suggests that you don't have good enough equipment and you are trying to justify it by saying the singers don't care after enough alcohol.

You seem to have more issues than i do.

My information is just a valid as the rest. Take it or leave it. You asked the question and now when you hear stuff that won't justify your position for lack of whatever it is, the info is no good. You have the problem.

My hero . . .

Could he not be talking about a real life scinario that happens to us all.
Except you... Sweetheart... My hero