Karaoke Forums

Got that last night, a gal said her husband was about to get into a fight because this other instigator that I need to get over there & break it up, I told them that is not my job that they'd need to talk to the manager/bartender or security.
Yes contests will ultimately fall onto the kj's shoulder, even if you aren't picking the judges (which is why I like to pick the judges so I can at least get the best I personally feel can do the job).  I don't think I could live with the bar picking the judges & letting it fall into 1 judge only.  I wish you luck, but I have a feeling you are going to have problems down the road.

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What's really gonna suck is if it's the bar owner judging.  :O

And he decides to pick a friend or relative or some hottie he wants to bed or a steady customer that can't sing.  :shock:  

Seen it all happen before. Big prize money, condo trips for two to Florida, South Carolina...

You just don't know what you got yourself into.

Whose idea was the contest?

Nothing but bad news and heartache for you.

I was approached last week about doing a contest. we are in a new venue, started the end of nov. the owner and manager want to do a contest , and talked to a beer rep who says he would be happy to judge. the manager is a trained singer. she is good but not great. I do believe she would be fair. I told them I want 3 judges and I will make up score cards for the singers. if im involved it WILL be done right, but still fun.
   we compete with a bar a few blocks away that has an established show with a host who has done karaoke in town for years. Im better than her in most every way, but unknown to many. the owner wants to get those patrons in his bar. Im pretty sure that after they come check out the freshly remodeled bar with better karaoke (better sound, more music, and a fair rotation) that many will  switch.
   Ive already talked to the owner that if i do a contest he WILL have bottled water, at 1.25 a bottle, something i have been after him about. (I hate water sippers who take up space and don't even tip the staff) AND if I run a contest it will be pretty much required that the singer be in the contest every week to make the final. I  HATE the show up once, qualify, then come back for the final mindset. It doesnt help the bar that much or get people used to coming to MY show. he seemed to agree with me once I explained things. unfortunately the owner is new to the bar buisness. the manager appreciates that I think these things through and tell him how it HAS to be. other than his cousin who is a bar owner im about the only one who he really listnes to. Ive ALWAYS made his bar money, that gets his attention.

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas

Not my idea. I said in a previous post that this was a new place for me, and that he dumped the contest idea on me when I brought the contract for him to sign for normal karaoke. I told him then that the contract didn't include contests, because of the extra work. He said he would take care of the contest.

I guess we'll just have to see what happens. I hope it doesn't end up with me getting a bad rep. My whole reason for taking the job in the first place was to get more exposure in the area...

If you don't want to get a bad reputation, avoid all karaoke contests like the plaque.

If things do get ugly, and you and the bar get a bad reputation for running unfair contests...what and who did it help?

Oh boy, I can SOOO relate. I got thrown into a situation like that - took over an ailing gig, first thing they did was tell me they had paid their way to being the ONLY qualifying place for a big contest...first off, others were irritated that I had actually got the gig...then they had to come in to qualify if they wanted to compete. Not a good situation at all.  

I know owners have NO idea how much EXTRA work putting on a contest is. Now when I talk to owners about doing karaoke, I tell them I do not BELIEVE in doing contests and tell them exactly why...by the time the conversation is over, they're saying they never want to have contests.  

Well, I hope you're able to come out of the whole situation smelling like a rose...just keep repeating that it wasn't your idea to the people who despise contests...and that somehow you'll make it up to them after the whole ordeal is over with....

K

Nice thought but once they start to bad mouth you, your done.

I've ran many many karaoke contests for over 15 years, most due to the bar asking, I comply.  Since the results WILL ultimately end up on the kj's shoulders & reputation,  I make sure they are run as fairly as I can, the only thing the bar is involved with is putting up the prize money & promoting/advertising.   I take care of finding the judges & all the other particulars on how it's judged.  I would never allow the bar to take care of it.  YOU are still going to have to run it even if you are just spinning the discs, it's with you & your system.  You wouldn't tell the crowd that you & your company aren't affiliated with the contest as this would alienate the bar & your possible relationship.

You said something about your customers being not die hard contestants, but in it just for fun, yes that is the way it will always begin, especially if there are qualifying nights, but as the qualifying nights start getting close to the end, the people that REALLY want to be in the finals but haven't made the cut will start wondering why they haven't been picked since they are good singers (in their mind) & start wondering about the rigged factor.  Once word gets out, usually a couple weeks is all it takes, then the 'hoppers' start coming in, these are the people that make a living out of winning contests, this is where it can start being real sticky as now your regulars may not even get a chance to qualify because the real competition has stepped in.  This now alienates your regular singers that support your club (the hoppers will be gone as sonn as it's over) & so will a handful of regulars especially if one of the outsiders win, but if the outsider is truly the best & don't win but one of the regulars do, then YOU and the bar are now labeled as an unfair place to do contests & possibly karaoke.  This is a worst case scenerio but I have seen it happen almost exactly as I described first hand.

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Worst case scenario, but it always ends up being exactly the way it goes down.  LMAO

Now you guys have me worried. I used to entered contests before I started KJing. I've seen all those senerios before.

My whole strategy for taking this job was to get exposure, to bump up the summer gig. The place I'm doing this at is not able to run year long, because their main business in the summer is weddings. They also run live music.

It's still early enough in the contest to make some suggestions...except I really don't want to run it.

Rigging publicly exhibited contest.
(a) Offense defined.--A person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree if, with intent to prevent a publicly exhibited contest from being conducted in accordance with the rules and usages purporting to govern it, he:

confers or offers or agrees to confer any benefit upon, or threatens any injury to a participant, official or other person associated with the contest or exhibition; or
tampers with any person, animal or thing.

(b) Soliciting or accepting benefit for rigging.--A person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree if he knowingly solicits, accepts or agrees to accept any benefit the giving of which would be criminal under subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Participation in rigged contest.--A person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree if he knowingly engages in, sponsors, produces, judges, or otherwise participates in a publicly exhibited contest knowing that the contest is not being conducted in compliance with the rules and usages purporting to govern it, by reason of conduct which would be criminal under this section.


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This is an excellent reason to stop doing karaoke contests.  Especially if you don't know who the judge/s is/are.

You are guilty by association.  You are technically running the contest.  Ask anyone there.  Who is running the contest?  They will all point to you.

Including the bar owner.

Wonder if I could stipulate something in my contract?

It would be 10 pages long.

You are still associated with the contest by way of being there, playing the songs, announcing the singers and winners.