Karaoke Forums

Sidewhiner:

Wow, why are you trying to make me feel defensive about offering a venue for "kids?"  I enjoy them...they are not a bunch of hooligans..I see more hooligans in neighborhood taverns. They are respectful of us, appreciative that we get them 'their' music, and are very thankful that we provide such a great system and song selection for them.

These kids clap for everyone ... they buy food along with their shots ... They come back week after week ... They welcome new performers ... They don't backstab or make snide comments ... Other than the occasional droopy pants, they dress respectably ...

Geesh, other than their music style, they seem like a great group to host for. Great thing about this country - don't have to go there if you don't want.


K

Who called who a karaoke nazi?

They are not all gangstas.  Yes there are some very respectable young people.  I worry about the ones that aren't.  It takes only a few in any bar to chase good people out and turn the tide of the evening.

Yes i can afford to be picky with my crowd.  Yes the bars are still busy.  Yes there is hardly ever any trouble.  There are kiddy bars around with nobody over 30.   Keeps them out of my hair.

I [highlight=red]HATE[/highlight] rap music.  So i am not going to buy it or play it.  PERIOD.   Everyone is free to patronise any karaoke show they want.  If the young kids don't find all the songs that chase people away.  They don't stay either.  It works very nicely.   If they want to stay and sing what i have to offer, they are welcome.  But they won't be taking over the show and they won't be chasing away good business.   A bad reputation has wings.   Nobody can ever say my shows are rowdy or insulting.    Take what you get.  I call the direction of my show.   I don't have to settle for someone elses leftovers.    They get mine.

Everyone (all ages) are welcome to sing all of the nonoffensive songs they can sing.

I am in high demand.   If you owned the bar who would you hire???

Someone that promotes trouble or someone that has taken the precautions to eliminate most of it?  And still have a good crowd.   My bar owners don't have to take every stray dog crawling just to eat..  I have given them the choice of excepting and expecting quality patrons.

Every week we have the same outcome.  There are never any bad surprises.   That's a rock solid reputation.    Whether they know and the word is out that i don't tolorate nonsense, (swearing and outragious behavior)  maybe.   When they do come in, they either get with the program or take a powder.  Either way works for me.   Many others have tried to duplicate me.   TRIED....

heck, almost EVERY Kid Rock song out there has F-bombs, Wassup Bi%ch, and all sorts of stuff... Heck, Cowboy alone with the suggestive lyrics is a nono in many venues I've been in.

"Gonna paint his town red, and paint his wife white... ugh!" L M A O! Let alone if you do the lyrics that the Radio Edit are taken care of.

and I LOVE singing his songs! ! BUT that's me. I knew when I went to Lonnie's show, it was out. I don't think they'll let the song play, even if you DO censor yourself.

We also don't allow the hip hop/rap in our club (due to bar rules), but I tell you it does not affect the age of the clientelle at all, out avg. age is in the mid 20's and with the added fact they are NOT allowed to swear on the mic (again due to bar rules), there is no loss of customers because of it.  If they complain about not being able to swear or sing certian songs over the mic, I have a couple of places they can go to do so.  Rarely do they actually leave, but often they do come back!  You'd be surprised!!!

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

Doing actual kid shows is a kick!  I did a couple a few years back in a club I was working & these were some of the most popular nights.  The kids today are going to be the bar customers of tomorrow!  They are typically more respectful of the equipment over some drunk adults!!!!

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

Nah depends on the nights atmosphere whether I will allow something to be played (grant you censor yourself).  Suggestive lyrics is one thing, the downright swearing is what the bar doesn't allow.

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

Makes perfect sense. Let me correct myself and say that at my venue, hip-hop songs aren't requested nearly as much as 80's rock or modern rock BY FAR.

But we dO have our wanna-be Kid Rocks, Eminems, and 50 cents ,that come through each week. A lot of modern rock songs have explicit lyrics i've noticed, and naturally Fergie, Common, Pu*sycat dolls, Snoop, etc...are popular.

I agree that after a big *sigh of disappointment* if i don't have a particular popular rap song, the kids eventually find a non-rap song to sing to. And in the end, i wouldn't lose a customer- they'd return as stated...until the kj down the street provided both.

I guess i'd rather have both and not limit myself. I actually STILL feel bad when i can't provide what a customer wants- even after 10 years of doing this!

i do find, however ,that my investment of karaoke music over the years has paid off. I have many more songs, genres of songs, and preferred versions of songs that some of our more discerning singers want. But it seems lately that my younger singers want me to buy Party Time Karaoke discs- the one's THEY buy at Walmart and practice at home with.

It seems to be true that Karaoke Industry as a whole is targeting the home user as it's real profit maker. They could AT LEAST sell SC or PHM at Walmart!
Party Time......

Who called who a karaoke nazi?

I didn't call ANYONE a karaoke nazi. I just suggested that in order for karaoke to be the fun activity it is supposed to be, there has to be some levity.  If you want to kill the fun atmosphere, pile on the rules...the tough inuendo, the 'my way or the highway' attitude. I have a very excellent 12-year following. I'm in demand. I choose where I play. I get my price. Some things don't need to be said - I guess perhaps I instill a level of respect by the way I treat my clientele. That's a pretty hard thing for some to say.

I play to the crowd. I worked in a casino for two years - no swearing, no cussing, no inappropriate songs (just like Lonman's situation). On the other hand, the Monday  night bar owner caters to the 'diaper' gang - 21-28 year olds. The place is busy every Monday, it is a fun place to be, there are no fights....and believe it or not, some times there is absolutely NO cussing at all! imagine that!  

I'm not sure why you're taking this so much to heart, and with such defensiveness. There are as many ways to do a show as there are hosts and singers people who go to shows. Every town is different, and for that matter, every bar in every town is different. Certainly regionally karaoke is perceived differently. I would imagine nationally it is different, as well, though I've only ever been to a karaoke in Canada.

Just seems like there's a lot of anger about this. So you don't like rap music - I don't like it either, but I don't feel like I have to keep stressing it. I don't like a lot of hip hop either...but the fact is, there are people who also don't like what I may like to sing. Again, free country.

K

I get new kids coming in a good bit.  I watch them go through the song books.  They have a mission.   They are looking for every song that has a high value target in them.  Meaning big swear words or some obscene subject matter.     I can tell by the page in the book they are looking at.   Alphabetically.   Then i see them telling their friends they can't find whoever.   I know what their intentions were.   But i just disappointed them.  So now they have a choice.  Sing what is there or leave.

I'm just telling you that i don't like rap music and i refuse to play anywhere for money that wants it.  I can find better jobs that don't.    If it makes you happy, do it.

Doesn't the KJ (in general) adapt to the crowd they are entertaining, and not the other way around ?  Depending on what the the bulk of the crowd wants, isn't that the type show you provide ?  So this depends on venue, which depends on age, location, etc etc..  ?   Some want rap, some want Glen Campbell,  and similarly some will walk out if they hear Chapin, and Lightfoot but want rap. Seems it DEPENDS

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

We were in diapers once ourselves. I remember when my parents complained about my 70s and 80s music "turn that crap down!"

Probably happens every generation. Exception now is that it's explicit. Back then, it was innuendo. Sometimes thinly veiled! (Neil Diamond comes to mind... "honey is sweet, but it ain't nothin' next to baby's treat" (could he be referring to cunnilingus?) and in Cherry Cherry "I like the way you do me" (fellatio?)

Speaking of the 70s and 80s... many of the 21-25 year olds also like to sing older songs because when they were toddlers and grade-schoolers, they heard the songs a lot because of their parents listening to those songs.

<sigh> but it wouldn't be cool to sing them in front of their friends

Was Neil Diamond known for explicit sexual innuendo ?  Never thought about this.

_________________
Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Some on here sound like they just go with the flow.  Whatever happens, happens.

When i walk in to do a brand new job, i have the exact same plan for every crowd.   I make the karaoke bar crowd in to exactly or as close as i can, to what i want it to be.

I said it's my show and i mean it.  The crowd will end up being as i want them to be.  They are putty and i mold them.   It will be a mix of regular people that know how to act in public.  They won't be troublemakers.   They will be there for fun.   They will have fun.    They will sing the music i provide.   They will clap for each other, no matter the talent level.  They will respect each other.   I don't play to the crowd unless it's the crowd i want to end up with.  Think about that.  

If i wanted a crowd of wild young drunk punks, yelling and fighting all night, i would play rap and hip hop songs all night long.  They could say and do whatever they wanted.    

Nobody can take control of the crowd.   I don't let it happen.  I control every up and down of the crowd.   The music does it.

and lets not forget the audience participation to Mony Mony...and that was round when I was a teenager

_________________
"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

SW, the bragging is getting OLD dude!

Give it a R-E-S-T...NOBODY can control a crowd. You can only influence them until the alcohol kicks in. One uninhibited, they don't want to be "directed" by anybody- just an occasional reminder of public etiquette keeps things fun and in control- IMO.

This is all I can think of when I read sidewinder's posts.

" 99% of the time it's wannabe rappers"

Boy I too, have been falling into and noticing the obvivious move towards BD in SW's latest posts, they keep going further and further out there!  I didn't read posts for about a week and now.....geeeeze, a lot has happened...since I've been gone.

I also do a few 'kid' songs, most notably cocky, yet sometimes the venue/crowd is not right for it, so then I don't do it.  (I love the I HATE and I WON'T, I,I,I.......I'm so busy, I can command......Why do we always have to get out the tape measures, yard sticks in SW's posts, and try to RAM our superiority down everyones throats?)

I come to this place, to find out answers to my questions and find out what everyone else in the world is doing with their shows.  I have many real life DJ/KJ friends, with a few of the that think/talk/act/behave like they are "top dog"...which all works out great till your reputation catches up with you and then sit back and try to figure out what when wrong, why they are not working.......like the worthless hacks that they are sooo much better than, every weekend!
MrD

_________________
[highlight=midnightblue]MrD - KJ/DJ Specialist
Visit MrD on facebook - mrdsentertainment
& on myspace - larrynance[/highlight]

Hhahaha, I got so far into the post, I never even posted what I started out to!

" 99% of the time it's wannabe rappers"

Is that any different than saying 99% of the people at my shows are wannabe singers?  There is a actual talent in 'rapping' as you put it,, try one of the rap songs sometime and try to make it sound good.  I've met lots of singers that can sound very close to a singer on the radio, I've met a considerable less amount that can do a rap song and even come close...MrD

_________________
[highlight=midnightblue]MrD - KJ/DJ Specialist
Visit MrD on facebook - mrdsentertainment
& on myspace - larrynance[/highlight]

I didn't say that rapping wasn't an art.  I takes a talent to do it.    But i don't like it.

I don't like the way the majority of the crowd reacts to most of it.  Because of the massive amount of swearing, per song.

Maybe that is the difference between your talent level and mine.   I'm answering you.  Yes i can.   I don't need them or want them.    I'll send them all to you.   Someone that can't afford to be picky, should listen more and smart off less.    But then again you said the young ones aren't a problem for you.   If your crowds are into the hip hop thing and the olders ones don't mind, maybe i'm wrong.