Karaoke Forums

Bar owners that want to run the rotation because "they" are paying you?   "You'll play them next (or again) because i pay you."

I'd probably push back pretty hard - make an announcement, "Hey, if you're wondering why you haven't sung yet, or the rotation seems weird, the owner is deciding on the rotation. Talk to him if you're not satisfied."

I would tell them no & if they insist would pack up & leave.  If they can't wait their turn like everyone else & insist, then they can find a company that will be willing to piss off their customers that are coming in to wait patiently.

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I'm with Lonnie on this one. I worked hard to build the client base and many of those folks are from my base of customers that have been coming to my show for years. Just because the owner pays for my services does not give him the right to call the shots on the rotation. Occasionally I will allow this when business is slow or we are in need of singers. Otherwise they wait till it's their turn.

I had a bar owner challenge me on this and I told him that he should be on the lookout for a new KJ for the following week cause I don't allow any bar owner to call the shots on my rotation. He thought I was kidding until I packed up all my gear at the end of the night and loaded it up (Normally the Equipment Stays there all week) I got paid and left. I got like 2 miles down the road and my cell phone rang, it was the owner and he was very apologetic and I said the only way I would continue is if he stayed out of my business and let me do what I do best. He agreed and I took the equipment back the next gig. I have had no problems since then.

At some point you have to stand your ground.

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

I have friends that KJ and the bar owner was having a contest.  Not a regular contest but every time you sing a song you get a square.  Well he wants to sing with every girl (wonder  :drool:  why?) in the bar every rotation and some of them several times each rotation.  So they end up getting more squares.   The pot gets bigger every week if it doesn't go.   Totally unfair for the singers and the KJs.   The regular singers see what's going on and they are not happy about it.   It hurts the KJs and their attempts to build a crowd.    They have since moved on.  I was asked if i would do his bar.   No i will never work for him.   Not now that i know his M.O.  I won't do it for any bar owner.    I have had some owners get cocky about the old "i'm paying you" deal.    Wanna watch how fast i can pack up, if i really want to?

Another how to handle question.

Saturday nights i play a sports bar.

He has Pay Per View events advertised on his sign out front not always sometimes.

Last week was the UFC.   Ultimate Fighting Challenge.   A month or so ago it was a big title boxing match.

This all goes on during the karaoke show.  The sound for the fight is off.

But both nights now there has been a real fight break out in the bar.

This time it was a guy that was causing trouble with a girl.  You know who's  gonna lose that fight.   The girl is going to get a lot of male help.

It was handled after some rolling around outside.

I told the owner at the end of the night to quit showing fights on karaoke night and put cartoons on instead.   Someone suggested a Nickelodeon night.

I went to this one venue a few times... 4 to be exact. 3 of the 4 times a fight broke out. One time, the KJ was the recipient of a black eye! (her sister-in-law had a beef with her and knew where to find her)

The only thing on every TV in the place was the karaoke lyrics.

I guess it's just that part of town... lots of youngsters frequent that bar on Fridays and it's packed. (Saturdays there's only like 5 singers and 5 listeners)

It's not what's on the TV its the Alcohol ..plain and simple

Even if they showed a rolling brook thru snow topped mountains in the TV's you will find that an A-Hole is an A-Hole when given a few  beers

Depends on your situation.  If it's a house system you're pretty much at the mercy (I call house system KJs, houseboys - no disrespect).  House KJs don't get to call shots, they're pretty much an employee if the owner sees it that way.  I have my own equipment and the show is 100% mine.  If an owner tried to tell me how to run my show, I'd let them know differently AND find a new gig.  I've made it clear up front that my show is my show, let me do my thing and we'll all come out smelling like roses.

I had a gal punch me in the jaw last Friday because she wanted her husband to sing back to back to close a show.  She was tanked and my reasoning with her wasn't working.  She kept on and on, and I said I'll do what I can, but please don't expect it - I was already cutting singers off the end.  I continued ... If things don't work the way you want, please don't beat me up (trying to be funny).  She hauls off and smacks me.  (not too hard, but hard enough if you know what I mean).  Gotta stay true no matter what; singers appreciate consistency and fairness - at least that's been my experience.

This is the one part of my show that I feel very strongly on.  Let me run my show the way I run my show.  I will not let any owner tell me, who gets to sing or what song to play.  That is my job, my choice.  They or anyone can suggest, I appreciate all requests and 99.9% I'll do my best to comply.  I have had an owner give me a list of the approved songs, to which I crumpled up and thrown off to the side.  If they want to control their jukebox, go ahead.  I don't have time or the mentality to deal with little games like that.  Like Croakdog said, this is 100% my business....I can choose who to listen to.  Treat me with respect, (give me the benefit of the doubt that I may just know what I am doing), you'll for sure..get 100% respect back in return!  MrD

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

I don't think i have ever seen a house KJ around here.  

I'm my own boss.    I always put the best interest of myself and the bar first.   If it can be a mutual thing.    I won't do anything to hurt their business, but i expect the same.

I agree about the alcohol part but i still say watching people get beat up all night on TV isn't helping matters.   I would rather they had on the travel channel...  :hug:   Or Leave It To Beaver....

"I pay you"
"Yes - you pay me to do a job, let me do it - these people are here singing and buying your beer.  I stop playing, they stop drinking!"

I've employed house djs and kjs for many years now. They are instructed to do their assigned jobs (dj or karaoke) UNLESS instructed by management to do otherwise. The managers have a BETTER idea on what's happening at the bar DAILY and sometimes when last minute changes are needed to cater to the MANY vs. the few, then the bottom line is the bottom $ line. We are still paid regardless.

I think if you have a contract that states you ONLY run karaoke, and on your terms, then you can get a little peeved at a change (boxing match, birthday party music requests, wedding party coming in) when you can't do exactly as YOU WANT and are payed to do.......but to pack up your stuff is just plain Stooooooooopid!!

being inflexible in a bar or restaurant is not wise and you'll be replaced (good or bad) because of an unprofessional "sense of entitlement". To believe you have complete control over your show in someone else's venue every single time you perform is setting yourself up for the unemployment line. Someone else will take your job the next week.

Djs or Kjs with EGOS are the ones that sit at home and wonder what happened.
I 've never tolerated insubordination from my employees to the ones who were paying us....that would be just professionally dumb....

Your employees, is the key word.  I'm not your employee.  I run my business and you hire me as an independant contractor to provide MY show.  Not your show.

I am to provide 4 hours of the best karaoke around.  That is the draw to your bar.  MY SHOW.    You telling my what to do or what to play or how to play it, is no longer MY show.    It's your show with my equipment.    NOPE   you can get another KJ that wants to do YOUR show.  It won't be my show or the reason you hired me in the first place.

I can handle the wedding party that wants to sing.  I can handle your private party.  But not at the expense of hurting my show or the regulars that i attract and come faithfully every week.

Side, sounds to me that you have a little bit of a complex.
ME ME ME MY MY MY MY, it's your equipment and you direct the show, but you can't actually believe you OWN your following or anything. It's NOT that they come out specifically for Y-O-U. Or do you actually believe that? People come out for a good time, alcohol, socializing, and for food. Karaoke just adds to the fun.

If a venue that is ACTUALLY OWNED by someone else wants you to do something different at times, or an owner wants you to cater to a group and you refused, then it's pretty DUMB to think you'll have a job the next week- they'd FIRE YOU.
BUT you think you're sooooooo good and worth lots of $$$$- not only is that nieve but wreckless, as your beliefs WILL put you in a bad situation, sooner or later, and you'll be sitting at home with your ego and worthless pride...on your recliner.

LIKE IT or NOT, you work for someone else, as e-n-t-e-r-t-a-i-n-m-e-n-t ONLY. So unless you OWN the place, get off your soapbox and stop acting like you're the boss.

The perception that you're the end-all say-all is ridiculous. But if it strokes your EGO, makes you feel like a Big Boy, and you NEED that to overcome any insecurities...,
...then perhaps you need therapy.... a slice of humble pie my friend.
YOU will always have someone over you who can make changes..including your employment situation............GEEZ Business 101!  :no:

Question: Do YOU ever read what you've written? If you do, then would you like yourself or someone like that?...... who said that karaoke-nazi word again....?

Btw,  Like that Scarlet Macaw Mr. D.  but they can be NOISY guys !

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

Well if i wasn't there, you could hear the crickets chirping.  And yes they do come out for MY karaoke.  

Maybe YOU don't get that reaction about your show.    I DO.

I am not in favor of holding up the show for any reason except as happened a few weeks ago, medical emergency.

Not for a dart game, football game or anything else.

If you come in, expect to sing karaoke or listen to it or both.    No extra curricular activities or hold ups.

Yes i direct my show.  Who does yours?

If you hired Richard Pryor to do his routine and you decided that he should do the whole thing your way.  Would it still be Richard Pryors show?    No Richard Pryor would be there doing your show.   So why hire him?

What is your definition of "catering" to certain groups?   Let them sing all night and ignore everyone else?     Sing more than every other singer?    Tell me what to play or not to play?     I'm not letting the bar owner pay me to ignore the regular customers that are there because i am there.     I built the crowd and i won't let them ruin it so they can act like they own the place and me.   Do you tell them how full to fill the drink glases?  Do you tell them how much to charge?     Do you tell them your friends will be singing all night and anyone else coming in won't be?

EXPLAIN HOW YOU CATER.

Who builds your karaoke crowds, the bar owner and bartender?

Most of my bartenders can't keep up so they are actually hurting MY show.   But they have their low cut blouse and push up bra on.  Isn't that all that matters?   Most times, the owners are busy getting drunk and oogling the bartenders, so that helps too.

My job, I build it.  Nobody else does anything to effect the crowd in a positive manner.    I'm all alone.

I have a bar owner that loves to hear my Girlfriend sing.  He actually asks her to sing songs for him.    She sings when it's her turn.  No catering for him or her.

He rarely asks me to do anything for him.

My idea of catering is to tell them the toilet's over flowing.   Turn the heat or air conditioning up or down.   There's a broken glass on the floor over there.   There is gonna be a fight in the corner.   (These thing are actually catering to him & me.)     They help to keep my crowd there safe, happy and large.

Everyone,
 Well, Ive been following this post since it's initial inception.....by sidewinder.
Seems to me that regardless of the "responses" or "suggestions", posted in good faith by those attempting to  assist him with a "possible situation", SW already knew how to handle the first situation, as well as the second one he tagged to the OP. It also seems evident that this post was another "forum" for sidewinder to ask us how WE handle specific situation, so HE can explain how we're wrong, and he's right. Has anyone of you that agreed with SW thought about an answer like "whatever you and the owner can agree on, prior to the first show, and all or most probable  circumstances have been discussed, and you can live with that agreement...done deal". Bottom line is, there really is no "correct, across the board" answer to the scenarios put to all of us by SW. All agreements are based on personal experiences.
 SW...I'm not attacking...you. I am questioning your...style. Naturally, this is  just an un-biased observation from a KJ to other fellow KJ's. The door was open, so I grabbed my walker, turned up my hearing aid, sat at the bar and ordered some
"Moxie". Me thinks you could use some.

                               Donny "B"  

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It's a wonderful life!!