Karaoke Forums

Steve

The local bar I host every Saturday now has a lot of young guns come in (depending on who is behind the bar )  The young hot bartender brings a lot of young guys in  LMAO  LMAO .  I love playing the current stuff even some Hip Hop etc etc.  I've learned to appreciate all types of music .  This bar has a very wide range of people from 80 to 20 ..this is never a problem for me.  The bar itself Iwould say is an OLDER type marina bar.

I want to KJ at a place full of 20somethings in a place that looks like it can afford to pay a KJ/DJ what they should make (if you know what I mean) .

Most of the jobs i get now are from referrals from singers going to bar owners and talking about karaoke.  Get some singers to go in and ask why they don't do karaoke.  And then they can name drop you and tell them how good you are.

I won't stop hiding my gray hairs.    I personally don't care that i have gray hair, but i color them to look younger for business purposes ONLY.   Not to attract young girls.    To get hired by bar owners that only want to hire young hot bartenders.   Don't think they don't look at you and make a judgement about your capabilities when they see old "silver hair" walk in.    Act like you or nobody else notices your gray.  Deny you are looking old.    And stay at home in the recliner when you could be working.

Entertainers need to look larger than life.   That includes not looking like death warmed over.    First impressions still exist.    What do you do when you see a silver hair driving like a snail in front of you?     I don't want them in front of me or behind me hitting the gas instead of the brake.     Happens in every town almost everyday.   If you think your gray hair is going to get you hired, because it shows your maturity and experience, then do it.   I don't think it's going to help get a job anywhere but the retirement village.

20 yeras ago it wasn't an exceptable thing for a man to do.  Today anything goes as far as looking and feeling younger.

Click on WWW below The fellow on the left recently proposed to the gal all the way on the right. They celebrated at our show. They are students here at UNC Northern Colorado University. I love them like they are my own kids. They are polite very good singers BTW they both sing country and not rap. The drunks burned me out these kids give me a reason to setup and go to work. Young crowd?   YES YES YES!!!

BTW These singers are all below 25 except for one.  Two are not old enough to drink

But they are my kids!!!!.

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Jam Keep at it.  If you don't get the first dibs, in time you likely will land it. If you like the environment, and they become somewhat familiar with you, seems it's just a matter of time.    You might not get it the first few months,  you might wish to get to know  somebody who'll treck down to your current show, and let the facts sell themselves.. I don't think age is a factor assuming age isn't worn (whether it shows physically or not isn't what I mean by worn,  attitude is what I mean), Appearance, hair style, well there's a flip-side too, alot of kids like that which is DIFFERENT, and somebody the parents age who's known to be "awesum" is different...if the kids like you, that's about all that matters, kids today shave their heads, some are preppie, some Goth, some look weirder and older than we possibly canNot so sure it's about looks and age anymore, but rather "tude".. getting the foot in the door is just having the right person know you.. probably best to appear there too a few times since it's closer, let them know you fit in, loet them know you are familiar with "their stuff".
I think we adults tend to respect kids that take a liking to our classic rock music, I think similarly kids feel it's cool when adults take enough of a liking to their stuff too, it confirms to them that their stuff is accepted.. We always liked the HS teachers that spoke our language,  kids that spoke our language were a dime a dozen, but as age in this case MIGHT be to your advantage for all you know... Liking THEIR stuff within itself makes you cool, and all employees wish for some stability and experience in those they hire...

Just a few thoughts..  Music and the arts when folks speak a like language is interesting to most because the prior generation showing they like OUR stuff is pretty rare !

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

And Kappy my rock is smarter than your rock!!  LMAO  LOL  LOL

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Ollie,not here and now,  GO TO YOUR ROOM !  Mr Kaplan has to do some adult activities now, and doesn't want to play with you.  It's not that he doesn't like you. <pets Ollie on head>  No go play and leave the adults to their chatter and activites.

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

Side, you were doing alright until you added "for business purposes only. Not to pick up young girls".  I know of a few alternative lifestylers, and they're OK in my book.

I would think that someone would want to apprear young for themselves, to attract others, and not for business only...sounds anal...or maybe that's the point?!

Business only.

I have so many women laying at my feet, i have to step over them.

I left it turn gray until i got in the business.

I'm not vain, just getting older.   I don't care if it's purple.

 :hi5:

True,  but we're not discussing your day job at the morgue  LMAO
(sorry Sidewinder,  I couldn't resist, honestly, it was EATING at me to let that one loose)

(you know I like you Sidewinder,  I'm just being ditsy-  I'm exhausted and run down, feeling OLD)

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

We provide karaoke and dj services here in northern Colorado. This comprises an area which includes CU, CSU. and UNC. It also includes several trade schools and minor colleges which honor students with honorable associate degrees.We cater and provide professional parties for school events. We do not cater to any age group in particular but are equally capable of doing 50th anniversary parties with our library of big band music. Our music library includes the top 200 from every decade from the 40's untill now.

For further information please visit Cabaret Karaoke

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I can understand Jams concern,  we do live in a culture that's influneced by superficiality, often judging by "The book cover", stereotyping many of us that are 50+ just due to our age as "old farts". Age in my day alone made many think they were "Square" or less likely to be "cool", or "hip", I don't know how things are perceived today to be honest.. I was just explaining my concern to a friend in here via PM about certain stigmas attached to "the older generation", that at least existed when I was young, or living in a society (that unlike eastern cultures in certain areas) associates age with sage,  although my guess would be in the mroe industrious areas this isn't the case and they too have become more "Westernized"

This culture seems to disgard it's "older" citizens, yet todays youth might be more receptive to we older folks participating in their areas of "play" since a generation ago the separation between two generations could mean a massive generation gap...although in that day many older had very different backgrounds, and some were immigrants so our "grandparents" and parents generation might've been viewed with a larger gap than todays youth views we (fifty-ish and older) folk..

I think it'd be beneficial to hear from a YOUNG members in here what there thoughts are too..  Because quite honestly, my posts pertaining to this are a guess coming from an older guy that really doesn't know what todays 20ish crowd wants..

NO,  I don't wish to get philosophical about this,  Some things just "are", have been, will be, and what is, is...   IS it tougher for an older person to get a job among the young if much of the competition providing entertainment today IS younger ?   I honestly don't know.

Intersting thread Jam, my behaviour aside...  I saw you mentioned young managers and I honestly don't know how this is viewed,  I shouldn't have been confident that the younger generation are any special way, fact is, when thinking about this, I just don't know... I can hope, bu dunno

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

Young managers sometimes get caught up in other things that are not beneficial to the bar.  They want the young kids and it's a free for all.  They cater to underage kids too often.    There tend to be more fights and trouble in general.    I can think of one in particular.   Always have trouble and cops there.   I wouldn't want it in my neighborhood.    They also don't have the life experience or maturity to handle and deal with certain things.   I would never turn my bar over to anyone under 30.    More like 40-50.

this thread is some good reading. My co host and I are both 35ish, he is a bit older but acts and looks a bit younger than myself. we are MUCH younger (20 or more years) than other KJs in this area  we cater to places that are heavy in the 21-30 crowd, but have many patrons up into there 40s. it seems to be what works well for us.between us we cover a lot of music interest. we both like our 80s rock. he loves newer metal, I like a lot of newer up beat country. he does some 80s rap, I do some newer rap (when I have the right help). and do a lot of 70s disco tunes (no I dont sing Y M C A)..but might give that a try.  even tho our crowds run to the younger side we never know what a night will bring for music. there are the norms that get sung every week, but there is a wide variety that could pop in. We try to keep enough songs that we can do that we can follow the trend that the singers create. other times we get some singers who tend to put in several mood killers, then we use our own songs to push the show back to the level of energy that keeps them drinking. in larger venues we do take in large 18 subs and LOTS of power. I try not to get loud where people have to yell to get a drink (they tend not to order as many if they have to yell for it). with the big subs you can bump up the bass a tad and not have to be loud for the music to carry through a crowd.

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas

Of all the  stereotypes of young behavior I've read in this thread, this is the one that just doesn't fit with my reality the most. Karaoke singers and fans of any age group tend not to be fighters and troublemakers. And in my room that goes for the under 30 crowd too. There's a DJ room close by that gets visited by the cops practically every weekend. We've had them out once in the last 6 months, and it was a scuffle started by a group of guys who were not regular to the bar.

I think we've got the cream of the bunch. The DJ room has the rest.

Yeah... very true about a sound with 18" subs.  You can give the illusion that you are louder than you actually are.

In my room the bar is actually behind the stage (a weird setup and a problem sometimes because I don't have eye contact with the bar staff... another story) but anyway they can still hear their orders.   Mostly.

My level is set by the room. Its up to them. It's louder than I'd prefer, and I'm always looking the place over and thinking "man... am I overdoing this?" But that's where the vast majority of them want it. I hear about it if I throttle it back. I have a  large PA but never have put it in a room this size! I've recently cut it  in half and it's now a little more sane.

The first half of the night (especially Sat... which has a more diverse crowd that probably looks a lot like what many of you have) I hold it back. But after about 11:30, when it's busiest,  I take the gloves off.

I back away from the under 30 crowd.  For the most part.

I love 'em. They bring a vitality and energy that the 30-40 crowd sometimes lacks. And not all the young ones do NEW stuff. I had a couple of guys that did showtunes, RatPack stuff, you name it!

It's the ones that are wannabe rappers that get me...  Stubbling through the songs.   Only a few can really do them well.    I would rather they not.   Some of these new rock songs with the yelling the whole way through can get the older ones queasy and thinking about what the rest of the night will bring.   i watch their reactions to these songs.  I don't have a large selection of these songs for a reason.  

what's the difference between THAT and someone getting up to sing Led Zepplin because they heard it on the elevator at work and wanted to try it???

Bad singers don't have to be a type... or an age. If you don't know it, hey, you're going to stumble. I stumble trying newer songs ALL the time. That's why I practice at home, and make the dog net door howl!

But I WILL agree with you that I won't buy or list the urban tracks. Back when I was buying the six-pack / four packs from THM, I deliberately wouldn't list the urban discs!