Karaoke Forums

What would you do if you noticed your Saturday crowd going elsewhere to hang because they didn't want to hear karaoke ALL NIGHT. I'm being told by the "bar staff" that the younger crowd is going to the bar across town because they don't want to hear karaoke all night long as I usually run a "back to back " karaoke show with very little filler music. I usually have 7-12 regular singers who come down almost every Saturday but the bar fills up with many non-singers who play pool and listen to the music.
I'M nervous that if the "bar staff" starts to tell management that the crowd is going ELSEWHERE they might look to replace karaoke

If I change the format to include more REGULAR MUSIC and some dance sets I think it might keep the crowd coming back and therefore keep the register full $$$$$$$. But then I risk the chance of losing the regular karaoke singers .....WHAT'S A KJ TO DO ?

Start karaoke later in the night? Play more regualr music in between songs? Now keep in mind I also do a Thursday karaoke show at the same bar ...Maybe if I keep Thursday ALL KARAOKE I can get away with a mix show on Saturdays? HELP !!!!

why don't you print out some comment cards, and ask your people to give you a honest appraisal.

Hey, sometimes you hear some bad singers... and that sucks man!

Some people don't have the patience for it.

KNIGHTSHOW
I think I'm passed the comment card stage..I already know that the
non-singers would prefer a little less karaoke and more regular HARDER music as karaoke tends to be more on the country mellow side. The karaoke singers LIKE IT JUST THE WAYS IT IS
It's a tough call but I might not have a choice but to PLAY TO THE CROWD... If I have 15 singers then I can do more karaoke..But if there are only 5 singers at the start of the night ..I might have to play a FEW regular songs in between singers. Tough call I know ..but I don't want to lose the gig. The worst enemy can be the bar staff..If they are not making TIPS ...They blame the DJ/KJ.

Talk to the owner/manager. It's their bar, let them make the decision. If your ok with their recommendation, follow it. If everyone is more or less happy with the changes, keep them. If not, try more experimentation.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

it is a tough call, because if you change it, then you risk alienating your karaoke supporters.

Most bars go thru this stage to a greater or lesser degree... I have many nice people that just won't come out to karaoke night. they like some of the singers... but normally, they just frown. Even on the good ones!

They're music purists... and would rather feed the jukebox all night long!

I dunno--it sounds pretty ig'nant to go into a bar advertising a karaoke show and then complain because there's karaoke going on!

I don't know how big this bar/club is. Does the karaoke clientele outweigh the "other" clientele? 50/50? What's the breakdown?

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Spreading the karaoke gospel

If your jammed up ( 20 to 30 ) singers then ya got to keep it in Rokeland. BUTT if your only bringing in 7 (country yikes ) singers then play some music till your singing clientle builds up.

The ratio is about 80%-20% --20% being "dedicated " Karaoke singers
The ONLY reason they are there is to SING..The other 80% are playing pool and just hanging out and by the end of the night 10% of THEM want to sing . Sometimes when the 20% bring in their friends to sing it gets to be about 60-40. I guess I'll have to "play it by ear" so to speak and look at the crowd during the night and adjust the show as the night progresses. I just hope the "regular singers" can understand if there is a little regular music being played. The night is advertised as karaoke/DJ and I'll just have to explain to the regular singers
Ijust want to keep MOST people happy with the music and show ..don't want to lose the gig $$$$

There is a good chance you may lose some of your "regular" singers if you play full music songs in between. You are advertising a karaoke show & they EXPECT a karaoke show. Singers are kind of funny that way when they go out to sing & don't get to, they see regular music being played & that could be a chance for them to sing again. They most likely will find a place that DOES have karaoke all night & your ratio will not grow, but will get smaller.

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

I agree that you'll probably lose some of your regulars if you cut back on the karaoke. How many regulars do you get on the other night? Is it more than the 7-12 regulars? I think the answer is you're going to need to increase your following so as to make up for the loss of business from the non-singers. Then, you can just say the H--- with them. But, even if you didn't lose the non-karaoke types, who go elsewhere because they don't care for the karaoke, chances are you'd lose the show anyway as the owner would say I'm paying for the show and not getting the return I need as I'd have had X amount of business without it. Therefor, its not covering the cost of putting the show on.

if you have less than 15 singers, i would do a rotation, then a 15 minute set of dance music and popular music, maybe some interactives.

If you sing well, maybe learn some new songs from the genre of the crowd that is not singing, or bring in some "ringers" to slide inbetween the bad singers

Jam,
If the ratio really is 80/20 then it's time to DJ in between songs or do those "Dance sets" as put in earlier. Or Even add some different music to your Karaoke selection. I agree with that scenario.. definately discuss it with the club management..

Time for a meeting with management and FAST, If you like your venue.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

Just to follow up to all the good advice--
Last Saturday was kicking ...15 singer rotation and the bar was packed with karaoke friendly non singers and people wanting to dance and so forth... I played a back to back karaoke with just enough filler music for the next singer... Rotation was moving and everyone was having a good time. at the end of 1 rotaion I did play a dance song and the floor filled up immediatley ..people came in from the other room and even from the bar outside EVERYONE was dancing and having a great time. I played 3 dance tunes and then went back to karaoke... One of the regulars who comes to sing was a little annoyed and took his request slips out of the rotation and left .... I guess you can't please everyone...
It's all about the fun ... Gotta keep it real and gotta keep it fun

It musta been J.D. No sing, he leaves and goes to the next show.. as posted in another thread.

J.D. : No Offense intended... We love ya pal!

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Brian D.
(BHB)

let me see if I get this right. 80/20 mix non-singers/karaoke singers=
15 singer in rotation+45 non singers = 60 paying customers and one got P****d, not bad. almost a 1% loss.

We all Know, at least down here karaoke singers are not usually big drinkers. Dancers/grazers are good drinkers. Sounds like you made the bar happy.

Keep up the good work. Still talk to the management, and let them know of the changes and get their blessing. We are entertainers, and you can't please all the people no matter what you do.

One question I have is was the regular who left a drinker or a non-drinker. In the end it comes down to the bottom line for the bar.

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I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

I agree that you should be there to do what you were hired to do, and thats karaoke. I can understand a 15 minute dance break ONCE throughout the night but what it sounds like is you need to find more karaoke singers to bring into your show!
Maybe, start a contest or advertise your shows more, ask your regulars to bring their friends.... go up to some of the non singers who hang out and convert them into karaoke singers... maybe when they have been drinking, have another dj working with you who can work the crowd...
Maybe start a common song, like 'sweet caroline', or 'margaritaville', and have the other dj walk around with a wireless mic and put it into the non singers faces and have them participate in the song...
That always got laughs from their friends for me and in turn, they would put in a song.
Have a little contest.... for instance...
ask the entire bar who would be interested in wining a free drink? Tell them you need 3 volunteers....
Of course the non singers would participate for the drink...
Then pick 2 non singers and one regular out of those who raise their hands.... think of a theme... or have someone in the bar yell out a good theme to you... and lets say it is "musical"...then have those three volunteers each sing a musical song...
Then have the audiance vote with applause on which one should win the drink.
This will do several things.... it will involve the non singers into the karaoke fun... it will make their friends laugh and have a good time at their expense and it will keep "karaoke" alive in that bar, plus someone will get a drink!
Also... karaoke roulette... thats always fun!
There are several things you can try to convert a non singer into a singer without compromising your show.
But advertising to karaoke singers who may not know about your show is the best way.
I hope any of this helps, if not...then just ignore me

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Come and check us out...

We do a karaoke/jd mix. We always play filler between singers. I personally run about an hour of back to back roke then start mixing in the dance. From that point, I let the crowd dictate the mix. If I have dancers hitting the floor between every singer, I keep running dance mix. Once the crowd tires out, then I switch back to regular filler.

When I'm running dance mix, I do a 50/50 split. One singer, one dance song. This seems to keep most everybody happy.

I've lost a singer or two, but usually, the signers get into the dance mix as much as the non-singers, if not more. I think we owe our success in large part to the mix we run.

On a personal note, I will admit to no longer patronizing a show because of what was in my opinion too much dance. But, this guy was running 5-7 dance songs in a row. As I tell people who want more DJ stuff, the show is called a Karaoke/DJ Dance show, but the karaoke must always come first.

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Paid2Party
"I love karaoke. Where else can you get paid to come out and party with your friends?"

This statement has now sparked my curiocity...

Does that mean the singers come in sign up to sing,, if they don't get to sing after a few minutes... Do they just walk out and go to another show??

Maybe we can get J.D.'s input on this one and a Quote??

Or do you just mix the songs with some Fine Tennessee Whiskey?

This post was all in fun.. As I know it was a Typo.

No offense please.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

Brian,

How insightful of you. Actually, that wasn't a typo. I really do mix my roke with Fine Tennessee Sipping Whiskey. Makes the bad singers much easier to take that way!

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Paid2Party
"I love karaoke. Where else can you get paid to come out and party with your friends?"

P2P,
I have been to many states and have done karaoke in alot of different states.. I caught that one just at the right time.. There was ONLY 2 ways to take that statement. Glad I didn't mess that one up too bad.

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Brian D.
(BHB)