Karaoke Forums

So I went out to sing the other night, with about 4 friends of mine. I gave up drinking a couple years back so I usually only drink pop. The bar we were attended was a smaller place, that didn't serve food. The KJ went through one rotation, then skipped me the next. I went up and asked them if they lost my slip, and they said that since I was not drinking alcohol, I only got to sing 1 song. I thought that was some ol' bs...especially because this bar sells their soda's by the can, and I was spending just as much on them (cause I was drinking faster than my friends) as my buddies were on their beers...I had also bought a couple rounds of shots (shot of red-bull for me, and alcohol for my friends). Now at this point some other friends had come out, so there was maybe ten of us there...in a bar with maybe 40 people total in it. I didn't bother correcting the KJ's presumption that I wasn't a "paying customer", since he didn't bother checking to see if I was... I told my friends what had happened, and we decided to leave. I told the bartender why we were leaving when I went up to pay the tab... he didn't seem too happy with losing a quarter of the people in the bar... Then he asked me if I knew anyone else who did Karaoke who would be available that night. Gave him some numbers of other local KJ's(not my number as I have school that night) and left.... any thoughts or comments on this situation and if anyone would have handled it differently

that sounds like a load of BS to me, but on recent threads on this forum it seems to be along the thoughts of about half the KJ's here. you are just as important as anyone else and penalizing you for giving up drinking is completely asinine. yeah, it's a bar, but if they did not want soda drinkers, they would keep the soda just for the drinks and not offer it for purchase. that sounds like "oh, you want a burger....sorry, you have to buy alcohol to get the food". buying is buying in my eyes. i think you did the right thing when you left and told the bartender why, if the policy is taking paying customers out of the bar, the point will get across.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

I usually let the decision if someone is singing or not up to the manager/owner. The way I look at it is, I am hired for doing Karaoke, NOT to police the venue. It's just not my business... literally.
Now if I notice that someone isn't buying anything at all, I might point it out to the person in charge, but again leave the decision up to them.

Agreed. I am a host as well as a customer. I don't drink alcohol at all, or even drink soda pop (bad for the kidneys). A vast portion of the bars in my area don't even serve food, except maybe a small bag of chips or popcorn. But I buy what I can, and I even tip heavily for water. Some bars just don't seem to get it. The fact that someone might not be a drinker, so they should offer food and/or other forms of refreshment for purchase. After all, there are those who just simply like to sing and not get drunk. The bar and owners set the tone here, not the customer.

To the owners, "Get a clue".

Our bartendress monitors that and we actually even have one person who brings in her own iced tea in her own cup. But the bartendress is aware of who comes with her as far as making up for it so she is welcomed. The bartendress knows who spends what so it is her call, not ours. We might alert her to something privately but we don't deny singing privileges based on what we think we see.

My postion as well.

I will deny a soda drinker a spot in the rotation IF:

1) They never buy anything else BUT soda/water.
2) They are not with a group of people who are drinking
3) They are not a designated driver
4) It is busy and more lucrative customers have to wait.
5) They are a below average singer.

It would be a very rare occasion, but yes - I would do it.

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I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

1:no reason to cut off if they are paying for their drink. If the bar owner is not bright enough to charge for it, that's their problem not mine. Don't expect me to fix what they break.
5) no way am I gonna say they can't sing. Karaoke is for the wannabes not the idols.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

We had a waitress tell a customer that they had to leave the bar if they weren't buying anything but soda. I brought it up to the manager, she said the waitress was absolutely in the wrong. If they didn't want to 'sell' soda, they wouldn't offer it on the menu - she was fired a couple days later.

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

I know alot of soda drinkers that spend more money than some of the groups that come in to sip from one pitcher while they all sing then run off to another bar to get into the rotation there.

Dead weight comes in many forms and must be identified individually by the bar staff. Since the KJ should be busy entertaining, the KJ should treat everyone the same until receiving direction otherwise from the bar staff.

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KNOW THYSELF

Face it, bar owners like drinkers because many will lose control and spend way too much. It's that simple. I often know when it's a bar owner serving me, because I get the vibe. They know I may spend $20, but I won't lose control and drop $100 on pull tabs or run a huge bar tab. Screw 'em. They make their money off of the alcoholic's misery -- I supported many of them for years and years. If they can't serve a retired veteran of the drinking wars with a smile they are pretty small.

But a lot of bar owners *aren't* like that -- they serve non-drinkers with a smile. They know that alcoholics shouldn't drink, and have no argument with not drinking. I know quite a few who give away soft drinks, and they do pretty well. I count several as friends.

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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.

Not a kj's job, don't think I'd work for an owner who told me not to let someone sing for that reason. Doubt it would be legal anywhere, and viewed as a form of discimination. What's next, not drinking enough? I drink one alcoholic drink per hour, with a bottle of water to sip before I sing. I like mozerella sticks, chicken tenders, fries and sometimes pizza when I sing/drink, but not a full meal . Some places don't have much of a menu, though. If I have to drink enough to get a DUI, or slur the words of the songs, then it's time to stay home and sing........if the karaoke is in a hotel lounge, it's a good bet, that soda drinker is paying for a room.

Wow,,, Lonnie you hard azz!!!!!!!! I hope that wasn't the only issue with her, I mean one and done?

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

No that wasn't the only issue, just the nail in the coffin. She wasn't karaoke friendly to begin with, trying to tell me who can and can't sing. She actually told a few people that SHE was the manager.

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

^^^ This ^^^

Ok, I retract my name calling.

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

I second. NMJ.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

I very rarely complain about things when I go out to Karaoke, and it's even rarer that I might leave early because of it. I did have one bad experience at a show a few years back, where I did leave because I felt the KJ had snubbed me. I had ordered a meal, and I was still drinking when she had started the show. After patiently waiting for my turn (over an hour), and then noticing that she was putting up people that had just walked in minutes before, I decided that my patience had hit its limit. I approached the KJ, and before I said anything, she looked at me with a grin, and said that I was going to be up next. I told her to remove my name from the list, because I wasn't in the mood any more. Her jaw dropped, and I walked off. She didn't even make an attempt to approach me to ask why I was leaving. I then approach the Manager (since this was a restaurant and Bar, there was a Manager present), and explained to her why I was leaving. The Manager was sympathetic to me, and even offered to go up to the KJ, and make sure that I got up to sing right away, but I told her (as well) that I was too upset to want to sing (there) anymore. I then left, and found another place a few blocks away, where I had a great time.

Based on my experience, I would have made it a point to contact Management the next day about this as well. Bartenders don't always communicate what transpired in the evening with their Managers, and it could easily have been forgotten as soon as you walked out the door with your friends.

BTW... I agree with what everyone else has posted about it not being the KJs job to police the Customers (with regard to what they are spending). And, for those who keep saying things like, "When you lose your job at that place (because of all the Soda and Water sippers there), don't come back crying about it.", it's still not your job to tell them anything... That's the Venue's responsibility. If you see something that you think bothers you, or may affect your future at the place, then tell the Staff or Management, and let them act upon it.

i have been on both sides of this issue. as someone who is living on a disability income, i can't really afford to order food and drinks every week. and I have been asked by staff to either buy something or leave. I Never complained about it, I just got up and left, altho the kj did stick up for me.


as someone who used to host, I have had a lot of shows killed by water drinkers, of whom i seemed to attract more than my fair share. its no fun when u just can't seem to hold a study gig cause everyone u happen to know is too poor to spend money on food or drinks. Having said that, i have never personally kicked anyone out or asked them to leave. like everyone else has said, that's not my job

-james

i've been known to drink beer, spirits, soda and even on occasion a nice cup of tea! But I've never been refused a song. If I decide on a whim to go out, I will drive in which case I will not drink alcohol, so does that make me a bad person or a responsible citizen? So I should be penalised for wanting to sing over some drunken lout because I value my life and license?
I agree with the comments (tongue in cheek though they may be) about drinking on medication. If the bar has a good vibe, the KJ has a good sense of humour and banter then the place will fill up with both drinkers and non-drinkers. You never know, if it's that good the non-drinkers will offer to drive their drinking friends!