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When is it time to just "give it up" ?
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Author:  srnitynow [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 6:04 am ]
Post subject:  When is it time to just "give it up" ?
Just for discussion, what do you think are some of the "signs" that it is time for a karaoke host to just "give it up"? I've seen some very good hosts just lose interest in the show, and just que up songs, and announce singers, with absolutely "no interest" what-so-ever. These USED TO BE very good hosts, now they're just there. I personally think if I ever get to that point, that I would have enough respect for myself and my reputation to just get out, instead of losing everything I've built up. It already shows in the singer attendance, which is practically none. I guess it's kind of like an athlete, or boxer that just don't know when to quit, on a high note. What do you think??

Rosario
Author:  jamkaraoke [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 6:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
Tough but good question -- many things can lead to a host losing interest.
personal issues at home, the ratio of work to pay to fun just isn't there.
meaning the host is just not having fun and the money isn't enough to justify the work and investment.

steady shows and venues are great !!! --- But can cause BOREDOM when the same singers ..sing the same songs.... week after week after week after week LOL.

I asked many time on this forum of how to make KARAOKE FRESH ...and it's always meet with the same old ... CHANGE IS NO GOOD ... meaning anything but 100% karaoke is frowned upon by most singers and half the KJ's.

I guess the sign is when you dread going to your show it's time to get out .....
Like anyother JOB.... you need to like what you do and the more YOU like it the customers will feed off that and the energy will be HIGH.
Author:  BigJer [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 6:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
Or maybe the alternative is to hire and train a host to cover the gig and take a bit of time off.
Author:  theCheese [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 7:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
Having done this for 10 years, i've been there.. same Tuesday night crowd.. same faces.. singing the same songs.. same stale cigarette smoke hanging in the air.. same setup.. same tear down.. it's almost like you're living the same night week after week.

Doesn't really matter what profession you're in.. you do the same thing night after night, things can get routine and boring.

I'm a techie geek kind of guy, so one way I entertain myself is to buy some new gadget to fiddle with in the system.. a new processor, some new voiceover music, different mics, that sort of thing.

Another way to keep things fresh is when somebody brings in a slip that has the same 10 songs they've sang for the last month, I just say, "No."

"What?", they say with a look of confusion on their face.

"Dude.. you've been singing these same 10 songs for the last month. No. Go find something else."

They either find something different, or they get mad and leave. Either way, I win. I don't have to hear the same songs again.. and neither do the regulars who also (@$%&#!) about people singing the same songs over again.

They (@$%&#!) to me.. they don't (@$%&#!) to the people singing the songs.

In this biz, you really have to keep yourself entertained.. because if YOU are entertained and having a good time, so will the audience.

Another way to shake the KJ blues is not to quit doing Karaoke all together, but quit the venue.

I usually only stay at a venue for a year or two. Generally before the two year mark rolls around, some other bar will offer me a spot at their club paying more money, and I take it.

Fresh faces, new club, kind of makes the job new all over again.

Yes the AR crowd will boo hoo and toss their strained peas in the air in protest at the thought of telling a singer they can't sing a song, or mixing up the rotation, or quitting a venue for greener pasture.

But the truth is, the minute being a KJ starts feeling like a 'real' job.. it's time to look for another venue. Otherwise you'll burn out.
Author:  Lonman [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 7:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
When it's no longer fun! I am in a position right now where I am not wanting to be there every night - it happens every few years. So I have a couple hosts that I already use on weekends that are usually more than willing to work on some weeknights if I don't feel 'up to it'.
Author:  letitrip [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
I just went through this not too long ago and admittedly am still in it. I had a few regular shows, every Tuesday, Thursday and monthly on Saturdays. It got to the point where I dreaded going to the Thursday shows and the Tuesday show just wasn't keeping a good crowd, so I dropped them both. The saturday show slowed down to an every so often when we need you gig due to their "budget issues" so I decide to just focus on what I found most enjoyable which is mixing bands.

I'm now full-time FOH engineer for two bands and our production company does a bunch of ad-hoc gigs working with some other companies from time to time. Additionally, we've got the recording studio renovations done and the pro-tools rig is up and running so I've focused a lot of time on the recording engineer role that I play there. The result is I've become totally rejuvenated and am starting to pickup more Karaoke and DJ gigs. I still turn down offers for regular weekly gigs, I'm happy just taking the ad-hoc and fill in gigs that I get. It gives me more freedom to set my schedule and I no longer have to tell people that I can't do anything on Tuesday or Thursday nights.
Author:  ripman8 [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 1:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
When I can't carry my equipment, can't afford to pay someone to carry it and I can no longer read the computer screen or whatever technology that will be there in 40 more years! ;)

Lonnie, 7 days a week. Need a break. 5 days a week, need a break. I have 36 days of vacation a year from my day job. I pick up 24 hours per month. Of course you are burnt out if you aren't taking a few days off here and there and not changing the routine.


Let's all go visit Lonnie, have Bruce run his show for him for a night and we'll take Lonnie out and get him wasted!
Author:  mrscott [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 3:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
ripman8 @ Fri Aug 27, 2010 2:32 pm wrote:
When I can't carry my equipment, can't afford to pay someone to carry it and I can no longer read the computer screen or whatever technology that will be there in 40 more years! ;)

Lonnie, 7 days a week. Need a break. 5 days a week, need a break. I have 36 days of vacation a year from my day job. I pick up 24 hours per month. Of course you are burnt out if you aren't taking a few days off here and there and not changing the routine.


Let's all go visit Lonnie, have Bruce run his show for him for a night and we'll take Lonnie out and get him wasted!


hey, I'm down with that!!! I'll find some cute little stipper to him a lap dance...his wife will never forgive us!!! hehe
Author:  exweedfarmer [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 3:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
Lonman @ Fri Aug 27, 2010 7:53 am wrote:
When it's no longer fun!


Amen and amen! If you're not having, fun they're not having fun.
Author:  Paradigm Karaoke [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 4:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
i have started taking the slips and asking "whats your new song tonight?"
kinda like cheeses "no" but a bit less harsh.
my wife (who is the real face of the company, i'm the knob tweaker) is good at picking songs that fit in peoples ranges and styles they may not have thought of, so, they have just started saying "i don't know, i trust you, you pick something." and we just keep one of their regular songs loaded as a backup in case they dont know the new one.

back to the original subject.....when i look at the clock, it's time to go to the bar and i say "damnit"....may be time to hang it up.
Author:  jerry12x [ Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
Rosario Great topic.

Some excellent replies from all of you.

Jam I hate your avatar. It does my eyes in.
Your post was spot on.

All posts were good.
Author:  Cueball [ Sat Aug 28, 2010 3:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
A few years ago, one of my JOLT friends was going through a Karaoke burn-out. What he did to refresh himself (and the show) was to have Guest Hosts. Each week, someone from the Regulars would take a turn at managing the Song-slips and announcing the people up to the stage, and the KJ would just handle the equipment. The KJ would even have visitors from other States be the Guest Host too (if they wanted to). It was fun for the KJ, because he got some of the Regulars see what the shoe on the other foot felt like... When am I up?... I want to sing next?... What am I singing???.... etc...
Author:  seattledrizzle [ Sat Aug 28, 2010 7:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
The guest host idea sounds like fun.

How about having some mini glass mugs for a free beer sample when someone tries a new song. Those who frequently try new songs will probably skip the sample, but it might be an incentive for others to try something new.
Author:  jr2423 [ Mon Aug 30, 2010 1:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
When it becomes WORK!
Author:  mrscott [ Mon Aug 30, 2010 1:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
When I get abducted by aliens and the travel distance is just too far!!! lol

Seriously, it's been said in previous posts, but "when it's no longer fun to you as the host"

I have been hosting for 6 years, and I still get excited about going to shows. I can see one day, however, that will no longer be the case. I actually have a goal (I am pretty goal oriented) , and that is to end my karaoke shows and move onto my next line of ideas by the end of 2012. I am still going to do one of my shows tho until they have to carry me in!!
Author:  Karen K [ Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
I stopped doing both weekend nights a couple of years ago - I find as long as I have one weekend night to go out and do something, instead of hosting, I don't get burnout syndrome as bad. Working both weekend nights was the thing that made me want to break the board and have a night off.
Author:  johnny reverb [ Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
If you're not having fun, the aggravation isn't worth the money. But if money is your main motivation, anything less than $150 for four hours(re-occuring gig) is time to quit......just my opinion..... :)
Author:  jclaydon [ Tue Aug 31, 2010 12:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
I will give up tring to run karaoke when they pry my RE2 wireless from my cold, dead fingers. :P


Or maybe if I become homeless from spending too much money on karaoke crap! :lol:

-James
Author:  Chrosiris [ Sat Sep 04, 2010 12:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
I've been wondering the same thing myself. Sometimes I feel like I'm beating my head against a brick wall with all the problems I encounter in the biz. Being a KJ/DJ is my full time job but I'm so glad my equipment is paid for. I can jump at any point. The money is what keeps me going. I don't make what I should as a KJ but I make more than I would anywhere else for the hours I work. But, it also severely messes with my sleep patterns and time with my family. I will say I don't have nearly as much fun as I used to doing it. I'll quit when it's no longer profitable to leave the house with my equipment or when I can consistently make what I make now doing other DJ gigs such as weddings/private parties.
Author:  jefcully [ Sat Sep 04, 2010 7:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: When is it time to just "give it up" ?
I read all the stereotypes of a Troll above, and this "gray" for most
of them. As you can see, all we can do is put up with it, and I hope it just goes
AWAY!
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