Karaoke Forums

I took on a new show recently. I inherited the show from another KJ who the bar let go. The bar gives all you can drink alcohol for the KJ. But, it is so far from my house that I won't drink but two all night long... Interestingly, the bar said they let the old KJ go because he "drank too much". REALLY?

Anyway, part of the reason why they let him go was because a water drinker kept complaining about him. I know this guy. He has come to my other shows in the past, and would get mad at me because I would not play his burned disks, and I told my guys not to play them either. And, btw, he cannot sing, PLUS he does not sing anything that was originally recorded after 1970. Furthermore, he sings all depressing music, most of which is rather obscure.

Anyway, I go until 1:30/ At 1:25, I made the announcement that I had a couple singers left, but don't go anywhere because I have a few dance songs that I will play (as I am getting paid, putting away the TV, wrapping up what I can).

The bartender comes to me and says "Hey, can you let (dipstick) sing one more time?" I said yes, he has a slip in and he will be the last singer. So I call him up, start his song (which he butchers). I tell everyone thanks, we'll see you next week, and he interupts me and says "the bartender said I can sing Wonderful Tonight! I said "I am done, and he insists that he gets to sing that song. I said "I don't care what the bartender said. I am paid to go until 1:30 and karaoke is over". (I admit, I would have not been so callous with a paying customer, but he has never spent a dime).

Long story short, he told a few people that he was going to get me fired. While I would like to keep that show, I will not have a f'ing water drinker demand that I stay overtime without pay to let him sing a song that he cannot sing anyway.

Then, I heard that he complained about all of the dance music that I played. Well, this was not something that I started, nor is it something that I like to do. The previous KJ (for whatever reason) played a lot of dance music and I get a lot of dancers that come in for the sole purpose of dancing. (I'd like to ween them off the dance music a little bit and move more towards karaoke, but there's WAY more dancers than singers.)

Anyway, that's a rant from me. Thank you for letting me go off!

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

Just remember that the patrons come in because YOU are there, not because the cheap, bad-singing water drinker is there.

Guess which one MAKES money for the bar?

I had an old guy come in last week with a ProBurn disc.... when he couldn't tell us the brand names of the tracks burned on the disc, he was out of luck. But he just couldn't wrap his brain around the idea that we wouldn't play his "very own, burned by a professional compay, compact disc."

Obviously, couldn't/wouldn't read the "no SC Poster."

Dance music, did somebody say dance music?... sounds like my kinda bar!

That's gotta be rough having to sit through & listen to a singer(s) butcher a song & there's really nothing you can do bout it cause it comes with the territory of being a KJ. I bet when you're done for the evening, you can't wait to get in your car & turn on the radio or pop in your favorite CD... I know that's what I would hafta do. At least with online karaoke if someone butchers a song you can just turn it off with a click of a button & move on

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MUSIC+DANCE=LIFE

My way of dealing with this would be to take the bar manager for a meal

sit down and discuss this ,say that you know of this individual and that you have noticed he is a water drinker and a disruptive influence and he is stopping you making it a more profitable night.

say all you want is for it to be a fun profitable night for the bar as you know if they are making money then you are secure in a job . but this trouble maker is stopping dancers coming in and spending there money , he is singing depressing songs that make people walk and he has discs that have the potential to get the bar sued or shut down.
all that without contributing anything to the profit margin as he is a water drinker.
say i would be his best buddy if he helped the night or contributed to the bars success but he is hurting the bars bottom line and also causing a bad atmosphere with his comments all the time , people want to go out for a good time not for some drama and if they are the drama types then they are the ones who don't spend.

If after this the bar owner is not interested in doing something like refusing entry and/or advising his bar staff not to pamper to him
Then i would say sorry i can not improve your night and move on to somewhere else.

BTW i personally have no problem with bad singers or people singing depressing songs , but if they are rude and demanding and try to play you off against venue staff or are gossips , that's when i get rattled

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"Your Never Fully dressed without a smile."

To Visit my website Rob Star Entertainments Click the link in my profile

"Strangers are just friend we haven't met yet"

The bar staff is on my side. They don't like his music, and one even told me "he is why people are leaving". I have only been there 3 weeks and I am yet to see the owner....

I did inform the bartender that they should not give away water. Water is free only with a meal - otherwise SELL bottled water.

One other twist - he comes there by himself and sits with this other group. He plays like "Me and my friends...." when he complains, but I know the entire group, and they can't stand him. They allow him to sit with them only because they are polite.

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

selling bottled water is your best bet...

it will get rid of the "water drinkers". but you have to also be courtious to the "designated driver" or you will drive their group away...

"water drinkers" will pay if they like to sing and like your show.

I read one comment in here some where that he buy's his own bottled water and does custom labels on it and sells it himself at the bar while his show is running, the bar does not sell water or give free water at all during the show.

sounds like this is a good way of advertising and gets rid of free loaders!

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It's all good!

sadly in the UK its illegal not to offer tap water for free at a bar or resturaunt..or i would do that definately

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"Your Never Fully dressed without a smile."

To Visit my website Rob Star Entertainments Click the link in my profile

"Strangers are just friend we haven't met yet"

You shouldn't have to take that from any customer...water-drinker or other....

I think it's the same in the US. But I'm not sure about it.

I would hve told him that the bartender asked that he be allowed to sing one more time. As a FAVOR to him (dipstick), you did so. The bartender never mentioned a title, and if "dipstick" wanted to change his selection, he should have done so. He didn't, got an extra song in, and should be thankful for that.

On the other hand, I hve been known to get a little curt with end-of- night "dipsticks" myself...

The bottom line is that he wanted to show control over YOUR show, and you didn't allow it. You handled it well.

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

" Disc based and loving it..."

You are mudslinging because he's a "water drinker?"

I mean, you should not tolerate that from any customer, and have a right to give him a firm "No!"

But seriously, I can't figure out the whole rant over water drinkers. I am one myself 90% of the time when I go out. I order food often, I spend money in the slots machines, I may pay for soda (but they often give it for free, and I'm not a soda drinker).... my local bar would never think of putting me down for drinking only water when I go in there to sing, either of the 3 places I frequent.

You said you "only have two drinks the whole night"... since you have a ways to drive. Ok for you but not the customers to make the same choice? Apparently KJs have the right to observe the drinking/driving laws but drunken karaoke singers can ignore them? Perhaps it doesn't always mean a water drinker is "cheap"; maybe they simply just choose to not drink and drive either?

It just strikes me as silly that the post was not about the bartender or some guy thinking he could make you let him sing another tune... but about "that dam.n water drinker." Silly as hell.

And selling bottled water to get rid of water drinkers? Not likely. Lmao, nobody is THAT cheap that they'd forgo karaoke singing to save what a couple bottles of water would cost them. I WISH all bars offered bottled water rather than having to drink the drudgy smelling stuff that normally comes out of a city tap:/

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

It's a few simple equations:

Water Drinkers + Bar + Karaoke = NoMoneyForBar

NoMoneyForBar + KJ_Fee = LosingMoney

LosingMoney + Bar = NoKJNoMo

See how simple that is?

In the UK i have seen people sat at tables all night with just the one glass of water then buy take away food some where else on the way home as i have driven past them. i have seen many bring in there own alcoholic drinks. i have seen some singers stealing left over drinks off tables and pouring them into there own glass and bumming cigarettes outside off others.

Never under estimate the cheapness of some people.

as a KJ i drink water as a singer I drink sensibly but get a taxi or if i am driving i drink water but take a partner who does drink.

When you have been a KJ you see things slightly differently as with many jobs things are often very different on the other side of the fence.

i agree his attitude is the real issue but picking on the water issue is one way to point out he is not contributing to the bars bottom line and gives the host more leverage rather than just his attitude.

I have nothing against water drinkers apart from they offer me no job security and dont keep bars in business if they dont buy anything else (unlike you wildflower) which many do.

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"Your Never Fully dressed without a smile."

To Visit my website Rob Star Entertainments Click the link in my profile

"Strangers are just friend we haven't met yet"

My reading is that it is not part of national licensing law in England, but there may be township councils that require it. Also, it seems that if you have taps with drinkable water in your toilet that is good enough. And you don't have to provide a glass -- you can charge a large deposit for one.

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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.

There is a government code of practice that came out on the 6th of April 2010 .
yes , you could technically charge a deposit for a glass but there would be a massive media backlash if you tried that. It is accepted as law that venues have the right to refuse your custom (but it would have to be for a justifiable reason or would be discriminatory) but every pub in britain i have been in will serve you tap water in a glass for free. If the premises are serving alcohol it is deemed that if a drinker then asks for water you must give them water as it would be seen as your encouraging them to drink irresponsibly.

Have a look at this pdf below most bars do in fact ignore some or most of these until the authorities stamp on them if the bar gets a reputation
http://www.almr.org.uk/hotpdfs/119.pdf

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"Your Never Fully dressed without a smile."

To Visit my website Rob Star Entertainments Click the link in my profile

"Strangers are just friend we haven't met yet"

Wild, the term "water drinker" is the equivient to someone who buys nothing at the bar or doesn't use the "Asian Crack Machines". Someone who buys a meal, a non-alcoholic drink. or otherwise contributes to the income of a venue is fine. Those who come in and buy nothing and sings or play darts or anything else for free is to me a "water drinker", a loiterer, and a bum. This does not include Designated Drivers.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

i agree with Timberlea

as long as they contribute to the till, they are good.

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

Not always. When I DO drink? I can't mix it with food, I get sick. And I don't play the gambling machines when I drink either, cause I end up losing all my money. So, if I spend $50 on gambling and $25 on food and soda... that's a lot more than I, alone, can drink in alcohol. I'd hit the floor long before the $50 mark:/ I'd most likely puke on the microphone and knock out a speaker or two on my way down too... then the KJ would reallllyyy be losing money. When I'm drunk, I most likely forget to tip the bartender. When I drink water only, she gets a tip from me when I leave the bar anyhow, cause she served me. So I'm better off, all the way around, sipping water.

I can see me trying to explain to the cop who pulls me over (after a night of patronage at the bar) WHY I felt I HAD to drink to support my local KJ. I could link him here, but I don't think it would get me off the hook.



That makes sense. Perhaps I just needed to learn the KJ interpretation of "water drinker."

I drink in bars... IF I have a DD, which, is not always as of recent. So, I'm not "always" a water drinker. But I'd hate to think a KJ and/or barowner would wish me to leave and not sing just because I preferred water on those "sober" nights.

Rant over.... ignore the Wildflower. (=

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

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Beer beer! I mean hear hear!

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

we had a similar problem at 1 venue. Our solution was simple in our state bars are allowed to sell bottled water.....if someone is drinking and asks for water with a drink order they are given tap. Soda/tap beer/bottled water are all $2.oo each .2 drink minimum during entertainment. All venues understand we DO NOT bend to owner/bartender pressure on our rotation period. We have had customer want us to play overtime and the rule is if they pass the hat and collect enough for 15 mins we play over 15 mins...if the hat contains enough for 1/2 hour we play 1/2 hour......45 mins is cut off due to ABC laws.... existing rotation stays in place.....we do not do drama....works for us....we do not drink at our show except on rare advertised get the kj drunk nights when we have a driver and sub/KJ...customers love that...HeeHee


These work for us

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"Integrity is choosing your thoughts, words and actions based on your principles and values rather than for your personal gain."
Unknown
"if a man has integrity, nothing else matters, If a man has no integrity, nothing else matters."
Lee McGuffey