Karaoke Forums

I am really good friends with another KJ in my area and we constantly help each other out. When I get a show I can't do, I give him the information and the other way around. He covers shows for me and i for him.

So anyway, there's this OTHER KJ in my area. He is a slime ball. He plays favorites, is mean to people at his show, etc. As if that is not enough, in the past 2 years he tried to get 4 of my shows behind my back. At least what I know for sure, could have been more. He did the same thing to my KJ friend. In both cases, he never succeeded, because his bad reputation is well known in this area.

The last thing that happened was, my friend had a Tuesday night show at a nice sports bar. He got an offer for another nice place on Tuesday nights. So he talked to the manager of his "old" place that he might have a new show coming up on Tuesday nights and is planning on letting his wife run his show there and if they would be ok with it. The place knows his wife already and had no problem with that. So he took on the new show on Tuesday nights.

The moment he started promoting the new show on facebook, this other KJ goes into the "old" Tuesday night place and tells the manager that he just wanted to make them aware, that their KJ just took another Tuesday night show and won't be running his show personally there anymore and if they are in need of a "better & cheaper" KJ, etc etc etc...

The manager actually knew that other KJ from another place he managed before and said, thanks but no thanks! He also told my friend what happened.

So now my friend calls him on the phone and asks him, what the heck he thinks he is doing, walking into his venue and trying to steal his show. He didn't even deny it! My friend asked, what would you say if I walk into your venue (Wednesday & Friday nights) and try to get your shows? Would you like that? The reply was: Go ahead, be my guest. I'm there now for 3 1/2 years and I'm the best there is anyway. They're not gonna fire me! Please, go in there!

So against my respect I usually have towards other KJ's and my opinion about taking somebody else's show, we went in there the next day and talked to the owner. And boy, what a surprise. The owner was more than willing to fire him, because that other guy constantly gets into fights with customers, calls them names and he gets one complaint after the other about him.

So bottom line is, we actually got both days. I will handle Wednesday night and my KJ friend will do the Friday night show.

Karma's a biatch!

Gotta love Karma eh? Good on ya Sevarin! That's the kind of thing that gives me hope. I would like to think that "right" will outdo "wrong" and "truth" will triumph over "lies" every time. Thanks for sharing !

I personally don't see anything wrong with letting a venue know that you're in the Karaoke biz, and giving them a promo pack/business card, regardless.

One day they may just get sick of their current host and decide to shop around. What's wrong with having your business card in their card file if/when that day comes?

I don't care for guys that do deep undercuts just to get work.. guys like that just make it tough on everybody trying to make a living in this line of work.. but like i've said before, the cream rises to the top.

If you're good at what you do, and draw and hold a crowd that drinks and spends money, you'll never have to worry about some $50 a night punk taking your shows.

Pretty funny this dude tried to snag your buddys gig and you two ended up scoring his.

I'm sorry Cheese, but he did not just "letting a venue know that you're in the Karaoke biz, and giving them a promo pack/business card". He intentionally tried to stir things up. Good thing my friend cleared this subject with the manager before hand and got his ok.

Every time he did that to me I just let it go, because he never got any of my shows. Not only do I have good visited shows, I'm also in good standings with all my venue owners and managers. They know and like the way I run my shows and are happy about the profits. So it's not that I am afraid of losing a gig. But just the fact that he repeatedly tries... it just gets to you at one point and you start thinking. WTF? He doesn't have a problem with trying to steal shows. Let me show him how it's done!
Not because I needed that gig, but just to give him a taste of his own medicine.

EDIT: Even though I'm convinced that he had it coming, I still don't fell a 100% right about it. Just FYI

I don't think you did anything wrong. I don't think it's all that bad of the other guy to have asked for the Tuesday show, either. There's nothing wrong with asking for a venue's business. The better KJs got the shows. Hopefully that idiot won't put price pressure on you guys now that he has lost two nights!

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

I don't think what you did was wrong either. The only reason I'd feel guilty is if I acted like just as much of a slimeball as him. If I could honestly say I came by the gig fair and square then I earned it. From the sound of it, he would cut anyones throat and not think a thing about it. I've learned in this business that if I get the opportunity to get one of my competitor's gigs I'm going to take it. The reason - my major competition has talked to every one of my clients and are ready to pounce if I lose a gig. I had a KJ "friend" in my area cheat me out of a gig once, and that's the only time it's going to happen. I won't however take a gig unethically. I will show the owner/manager why I think I'm better and the best fit and leave it to them to make the decision. If they truly feel they have the best KJ for the job then they will turn me away. I'm also not saying you can't build friendly, trustworthy relationships between you and your competition, I just haven't found it here yet.

How could you have done anything wrong, all you did was take his challenge and beat him at his own game. Doesn't sound to me like you went in and badmouthed him, so I see no reason to feel guilty about it at all.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

<Rant/ON>
Ok, seriously people....

Why is trying to "steal" a gig from another KJ so poo pooed on this forum? I am not talking about going into a gig and lying about your self or another KJ, but going in and saying what you can do and how much you charge, weather it is $50 or $500 a nite.

My god people, is there any other business in the world that won't take new business because their competitor already works/supplies that business????

If you currently are running a show and a competitor comes in and steals your show, for what ever reason, then either your show was not good, the other guy is a better value for the $, or the venue owner/manage is a idiot.

n these days everyone, especially bars, are watching the bottom line. We as KJs need to adjust for this, or risk loosing a gig. I can (to a point) afford to lose a gig, but it would greatly cut into my lifestyle.

and BTW....I have NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER walking int a venue that has karaoke, and introducing myself and offering a FREE show to show the owner/manager what my show is all about. I state my prices ahead of time, so there is no confusion. I have probably given away 10-12 shows ion the last 2 years (loosing $2000) but from that I have bad at least $15,000 probably closer to $20K from that $2000 "investment".
(Rant/OFF>

OK flame away....[/b]

I agree 110%

Several times i've approached a venue that had karaoke, say on Tuesday and i'd introduce myself to the management.. they'd say, "We already got a guy!" and i'd say, "How about we do a few shows on Thursday and see what you think?"

I haven't ever done a show for free.. but I have done them at what I suggest is a reduced rate, then I make sure when I do the gig, I bring a ton of new faces into the club to sing.

I've got a few singers I call 'ringers' that i'll call out on new shows, buy them a few drinks.

Once they see the difference between most 'normal' karaoke shows and what I do, 8 out of 10 times I end up with the night, and most times I end up being offered the existing KJ's spot, too.

I don't believe in cut throat pricing to get the gigs.. in fact, many times what i'm asking for is MORE than what they're paying their current KJ's.. but what I stress is that you get what you pay for.

It's funny.. I hear it at least 3 times a week someone will walk up to my booth and say, "Dude! You sound like a DJ!"

Well, yeah. Duh. That's what I am.

If the world ran on puppy dog kisses and hugs, I wouldn't be aggressive when it comes to booking new venues.. but this is how I pay my bills, man.

This is not just a hobby.. it's a profession.

I actually target weak hosts playing at nice venues with decent seating capacity.

Again.. I don't bad mouth them, I don't lowball, I simply introduce myself, let the management know what it is I do, and offer them the opportunity to either come out to one of my current shows, or to book me a night or two at an 'introductory rate'.

Competiton is good. Last time I checked, Coke and Pepsi were still fighting over market share and both are doing quite well.

sigh..............

it's no use.....

I think what we all have to remember here is the ol' golden rule. I have had sub-part hosting companies come sniffing around my shows. I don't worry too much because I do a very high caliber show, but it irks me when I hear thru the grapevine that it's happened.

Granted, there is nothing wrong with sending out information and I have done it but to places that are not active karaoke hosting establishments any longer. I also am very careful to state that what I am sending is NOT A SOLICITATION, and it is meant only as a source of information for future reference.

Several of my customers recently have been begging me to go to the next town over from my town and offer my services to a bar there ... for a number of reasons they mention, including no new music, definite favoritism, terrible mixing, etc. I can understand these singers wanting to have a show worth going to but I am reticent to go in with my info for the reason I mention above.

If as a host you have a good (and mutually respectful) relationship with your hosting establishment, and you are doing what you are supposed to do (bringing in a lot of paying customers), you shouldn't really have to worry about some fast talking slimeball taking your show. PS: I always ask my hosting establishments to please let me know if someone comes in "the back door" and offers their services. I like to know who it is, even if they are not a threat.

I'm sure people offering their services to venues you currently play are coming in the FRONT DOOR just like everybody else.

Just like any other service company competing for business in your area.

I don't think you did anything wrong, especially as he was giving you trouble and dared you to do it. But I understand you still not feeling right about it. The one thing I worry about is starting a war of sorts where things escalate.

We have not gotten two jobs over trying to be "ethical" and not applying where there is already an established host. Others more aggressive in their approach or in the right place at the right time got them (one last week as he happened to be singing at a show and the host got too drunk so he approached the owner). I often feel like we are stupid, unemployed suckers but from the dirty tricks that get played on us from people trying to take our established show, I know that anything we do that is perceived as doing something to them will get done to us back double and it just doesn't pay to start it. At one point the competing venue even turned ours into the healt dept., etc. (Passed--it had just been inspected a few months before.) But that is how petty it can get around here so we have to lay low.

Sucks that some folks have to feel intimidated by B.S. like that.. but if you've not done anything wrong, there isn't anything to worry about.

If you're good at what you do, and give 100% to every show and bring and hold a crowd, then you don't have to worry about two bit operations coming along and stealing your gig.

Sadly, you know yourself, that isn't always the case.

Cheese said: If you're good at what you do, and give 100% to every show and bring and hold a crowd, then you don't have to worry about two bit operations coming along and stealing your gig.

I swear, I said the same thing above...and no, cheese, they don't always come thru the "front door" - apparently you didn't understand my use of that term. They lurk, sneak in, come in another time or even DURING the show but are not up front about it. My use of "front door" was not a literal one.

Wow What a story. Does this guy have any shows now?

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

I have an idea. Why don't we put the government in charge of karaoke? The bars can pay $200 per night, because that's a fair price for everyone, directly to the government, which can send the KJs $35 a night, plus government health care coverage, unemployment insurance, workman's comp, retirement benefits, and all of that good stuff, except for certain underprivileged minority groups, which would receive $50 a night, just to level the playing field. This would also solve the problem of offensive lyrics...we just have the government decide which songs we can or cannot sing.

Wait, that doesn't leave much incentive to do a good show, does it?

-denise