Karaoke Forums

I was wondering how many KJ out there use written contracts with the establishment the KJ for? how long do they set up their contacts for?...ect???

They are good and bad.

I've never used contracts. I don't believe they are needed in my experience and don't hold up legally. I've never had a reason for them, but others may have.

If you are doing private gigs I think it makes you look more professional even though they aren't worth the paper they are written on. It is also a nice reference if you have a problem.

Most bar owners in my experience won't sign one. If you can get a bar owner to sign one I think it is a great way to establish what each of you expect. You can go back to it if needed, unlike verbal contracts that get forgotten and argued over because you remember them differently. Don't expect a contract to hold up legally because I've never heard of one that did.

Now if you can't get a bar owner to sign one I would suggest an agreement be signed. Explain it isn't a contract, but something you both sign saying what you expect from each other, so there isn't any disagreements down the road.

_________________
[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Never used a contract for clubs. KJ's i've known that have & got canned tried suing & still lost because they club just claimed that the kj wasn't living up to the contract. Contracts in clubs just don't work - provided you can find a club willing to sign one in the first place.
Always use contracts with private parties.

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Contracts will hold up here if they are written properly.
However, bar owners tend to have a little more monetary resources than the average KJ and could potentially hold things up in court for a very long time with legal wranglings.
Having said that, If you are familiar with the court system here and know the ins and outs (and perhaps some key people to point you in the right direction), you could easily get a judgment.
Enforcing it is a whole "nuther" set of court proceedings.
Do-able but it could take awhile.
I haven't used a contract yet, but I do have a venue owner in a nearby town that I expect to come back to me after he realizes that he can't pack the place like I did with just a random draw out of a bucket.
If he does come back to me, I will require a contract written in stone. If he doesn't sign I won't do the gig.
Once bitten twice shy.
Everyone I've spoken to in the entertainment industry in this area fully agrees with me, and they also told me that they would never work for him without one.
He's "THAT" kind of guy.
In my own town, it's simply not necessary. The town I live in still works on a handshake and a promise.
It's almost like stepping back in time, when your word and your honor were worth everything.
I love it.

I only work clubs, and I only work on handshakes. But I do clearly explain what karaoke can or cannot do in a given venue, as well as my expectations, BEFORE I work there.
The handshake is MY WAY of finding out who the trustworthy bar owners are. If I get stiffed or worked over or see bad business practices, I'm gone.
(I'm not talking about misunderstandings that can be worked out reasonably.)

I'm in a heavy-saturated area for karaoke, but I have a very good reputation with singers, other KJ's and bar owners. The demand for my services is high enough that I don't need to work at any bar where I get stiffed. My work is not a charity for needy bar owners: My only job for the past 5+ years is my karaoke show.