Karaoke Forums

I recently took over a bar that was nearly decimated by a bad host. The previous host was running a show with 1,500 songs and a home machine that fit on a bar stool- speakers and all. She had the show for over a month. In that time, she took a thriving show, and decimated it to straglers.

On my 1st night there, there were 3 singers to start. By the time I was done with my first rotation of 5 (myself, my assistant, and the 3 singers), all 3 were on their cell phones calling other past regulars to say there was a new host. By the end of the night 5-6 more singers came from those calls. This was a bar far from my normal area, and I didn't have any regulars follow me. The next week there were 10-12 singers there. It has been steady since.

My point there is that it does NOT take long for a decent KJ to turn around a bar from a bad host if that was the problem...

_________________
Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

You got a lucky break.  It's not the norm.   Some times it's a very big up hill battle because the regulars have set up shop at other venues and they like the bar enough to stay there.


WHY didn't YOU (Mr. I HELP Everyone) take her under your wing and show her how to keep her job instead of stealing it from her?   Kjs are all pals.  RIGHT?

Work with her and guide her until she can take your next job.    That's what its all about.

If she came to me and asked for my help, I would give it. That's what most people that want to better themselves do. I have come seeking advice on these forums numerous times.

You see, when you are confident in your own abilities, you are not afraid of helping others succeed. Only when have poor confidence and paranoia, do your doomsday prophecies come true.

I have lost only a few shows that were replaced by other hosts, and none were at lower rates. Make your own conclusions...

_________________
Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

dbk- good points! Confidence in your abilities makes you secure and you come from a place of helping others, not hindering them.

EGO, or know-it-all mentality comes from either being burned badly, or really being insecure about your talents. The saying goes...."The bigger you act them smaller you really are..." -it's a fascade most of the time.

C'mon SW...'fess up and tell us your war stories about why you're so pessimistic on these forums and THEN get them out of the way forever!

If you know 1/2 of what you say you do, why not share and educate the illegals into going legal and newbies into becoming good hosts....instead of hindering them....

If YOU are SO confident of your knowledge and abilities then share the good stuff- not the bad- most of it isn't the most educational- especially the callous way YOU post it.

Being PROACTIVE is more effective than being REACTIVE!  :yes:

There are many reasons.

First of all, in their minds they are already too successful to change anything.  

Second they don't think they need to.  

Third they have the it's good enough for karaoke attitude.  

Forth they don't want to spend anymore money.

Fifth they like being losers.

Sixth, If they wanted to do it right they wouldn't have done it cheap & illegally to begin with.

Seventh they don't really have the committment.

Eighth, they must have hearing problems because they can't tell they have a crappy sounding system.

Ninth they are happy to be in their minds second to me.

Tenth if you are all so successful why do you need to ask any questions?

Eleventh, they like doing everything the easy way.  They all have Staples Easy Buttons to push.  No dues to pay just instant gradification.     One or two crappy speakers, 2 $50 microphones, Vocopro mixer and a $400 laptop, and hard drive.   Fits in my trunk.     10 minutes to set up.   Why should i be a sucker like you and take 45-50 minutes to set up?    Why did you watse all that money on so much useless equipment.

Twelfth, they don't really need to make what you and i make.  $75 a night is $25 more than their regular full time job pays.


I have heard many times from many KJs that they can't do what i do.  Now there are three definitions of the word can't....

One is can't do it like, i can't maintain your weekly schedule.

Two can't like, i don't want to.

Three can't like, i don't have a clue as to how to do what you do.  I can't keep that many steady jobs.


DBK< Really why didn't you help her keep her job in the first place, if you have so much compassion.     Poor fellow KJ probably needs the money to feed her babies.    Give it back to her now.     Show her how to keep it.   Teach her all you know.     Every last bit.     Make her good enough to take you other jobs while you're at it.    You're so good it's the least you could do.  And besides there are other bars you can work in.     Plenty to go around for the other starving KJs in the area.    They all need work too.     Hard drives aren't cheap.    They need the money to improve their systems.     They are looking up to you.  Share your knowledge.    

Send some of them over to JR, he wants to help them too.  There are planty of jobs in Hawaii.     He only has 6 KJs, Hawaii can hold more than that.    That's only one for each island.     Don't be stingy put together a seminar and get us all good flight tickets.  We all could use a learning vacation.   Especially the illegal KJs.     Reserve me about 100 seats for our starving KJs.

 LMAO  LMAO  sidewinder!

When i get back ON my chair, after havin' fallin' off....i'll reply...but where do i begin?

You are soooooooo far off right field i don't know if i can find you. I better use the bathroom first before i have an accident! You're HILARIOUS sw!!  LOL

Stop laughing there are starving illegal Kjs that want to take your jobs.  You have to show them how.    You're wasting valuable teaching/learning time.   Babies are  :bigcry:  because their stomachs are empty and you won't share your vast karaoke job stealing knowledge with their KJs mommies and daddies.    

Please save the starving children  :angel: and show the illegal Kjs how to take your jobs.   It's much too important to ignore.  :hug:

SW

1)  You're the one with the "good-enough" for karaoke attitude.  
You're the one who didn't think it was worth it for me to set up a kiosk with my entire database and which also provides folks with the opportunity to sample tracks.  My entire investment was less than $400 with a new computer, but one doesn't need a new computer for this purpose!!!!

2) And, specifically, you wondered if I was getting paid more because of my kiosk?  Did you get paid anymore when you bought your last new tracks?  In short, that very question belies you're being the businessman you purport to be!!!  

3) You, clearly, do karaoke solely for the financial gain, which there is nothing wrong with.  For me, karaoke has yet to provide a positive cash flow.  I do it because I love karaoke and think that I can offer something new and different, if not better.  

4) You assumed at one point that my describing my efforts as "high energy" had something to do with the tempo of the music.  Subsquently you asked what I meant by "high energy".  All I will say in response is that I noted that I was "high energy"  and being so, I do WHATever it takes to keep my audience engaged (even if it doesn't involve PURE karaok!!![highlight=coral][/highlight]

We have a LOT of places here that are 7 nights a week.  We have the infamous MARY'S, Vino's, Sidetracked, G Willikers, Jack's Pour house, Jack London's and even more.  And all of these are in a radious of about 15 miles(heck 4 of them are in a radious of about 1 mile).  There is a HUGE karaoke presence in my area.  If I thought about it really hard I could list 10 or 15 more places.  But my brain is tired right now.

Sharon

_________________
Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

I'm only going two nights in my home room. But it is known as a karaoke room anyway because it has no other entertainment on the other nights.

The most popular DJ room in the area tried Thursday karaoke for awhile. But it didn't draw anything. I think that some of it was because we were already established, and so was a popular country and oldies karaoke bar in the area. But I think some of it was that they are known as a DJ room, not karaoke.

Bill H. interesting post there. i've never worked a karaoke-only room before. Must be hard to change formats or do anything different if it's been long established.

SW...You're a trip!




...and you're kinda growin' on me like........a fungus.

And I just keep learning.

Too bad karaoke-only venues would not flourish here.  My "karaoke club" is the only such place locally.  It has a nice steady turnout (of members), but it is extremely small and not open to the general public; it requires a lifetime membership fee of $20 to go in.

All of my jobs for the last 15 years have been karaoke only.  It's the only format i have ever used.   Even if i happen to be the only singer.

You are wrong.  I stated that i will stop my entire show to cater to any singers that have to find the correct singing key and i'll start that song over until they find it.   So if that's "good" enough for karaoke i'll kiss your mule.     Doesn't get any more "personal" service than that.   Screw the high energy.   My singers deserve the attention.    It's why i have singers all night and don't have to do sing a longs and magic tricks.

JR, my trip ends at the top.


Karaoke only shows won't florish because you don't know how to run one.  :O

You went in there like every other KJ would... You walked in like a peacock with your chest stuck out like a spring gobbler, laughing and saying to Eric and the rest of your pals...I took her job because i'm better than her.


Or you went in crying and sobbing like a baby feeling so bad about the poor fellow KJ losing her job and you just took food out of her babies mouths and you told the bar owner to pay you half and give her the rest.    Then you offered to get the job back on track and give it back to her after she completed your extensive wayward KJ training program.    Now which way was it?  :hug:   Show us all how much you care about other fellow KJs.

OK- let me be the 1st to say I DO NOT want to know where sidewinder's karaoke shows are- BECAUSE I WOULD NEVER WANT TO ATTEND A BORING-AZZ KARAOKE SHOW where he'll change 5 keys and RE-START THE SAME SONG 10 TIMES to please a customer....AS ME and the OTHER customers ARE LEAVING out of IMPATIENCE!!!

LET'S NOT FORGET to mention a LOW-ENERGY SHOW! ! I would rather stay home and scratch my butt.... (sorry ladies)

And you wouldn't give me "personal" service because i would request "Bust A Move" with my own original store-bought cdg!

100% Karaoke-Only shows are pretty much outdated unless you're in an area with MANY MANY karaoke diehards...or in bum-f#*k usa!

ASK EXPERIENCED KJs here- over the years karaoke and deejaying in general has changed in order to ENTERTAIN EVERYONE AS TO maximize profits. Some very seasoned-kjs here now use filler-music, dj lights, props, and run contests, line dances, or do giveaways....it's NOT the same " 101%pure karaoke show" it was many years ago!

BUT OF COURSE  I T-R-Y....(keyword is try- quiz later sw) to run karaoke-only shows AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE,( EVEN MORE SO than you because i make $1 per song!).. but they're more like 90% on busy nights. MY JOB and YOURS is to make the BARS' bottom line B-I-G-G-E-R sidewinder...say it together with me now....P-R-O-F-I-T!!!!   one more time.... GOOD little snaky-in-the-grass.

If YOUR SHOW is ALWAYS busy with singers, like i witness in VEGAS all the time, then GOOD FOR YOU! My peeps/singers like TO DANCE ALSO!!! And guess what happens when they dance? THEY DRINK....wow... didn't know that did you???

A LOT of OTHER KJ's SHOWS require diversity and NEED a REAL PROFESSIONAL to handle the many needs of a diverse crowd!  :wave:   HELLO? MCFLY?

YOUR ONLY BACK-UP PLAN is TO SING 8 songs in a row???  :no: ...we gotta talk...

  60 songs if i have to.  Remember one thing...as a true professional i can sing to entertain an entire crowd.    Not schlep it off by playing dance music.  Any unprofessional can pop in a dance music CD and let 'er play.   That' the reason you don't have singers.    They go to bars that offer "real karaoke."    Do you think nobody ever dances at my shows?    

You don't have to bring Bust a Move.  I have several versions for you to try acting like a wannabe rapper.

$1 a song.  And maybe 20 karaoke songs a night.  Wow you're rolling in dough.  That's how you can afford a 1/2 million  $ house.   I am doing something wrong.


You said previously that your idea of personal service is to send the Japanese singers to another bar.  Don't need no Japanese music for the Japanese.     If you went to Japan would you expect to sing only Japanese karaoke songs?  How many of those do you know?    That's another thing i'm doing wrong to help the bars bottom line.   I'm keeping them at my bar, when i should send them packing over to the competition.     Hey then i would be working at 2 bars at once.  That's another great idea JR you should write a book.    2 karaoke gigs in one night at 2 different bars at once, with one system.     That's a true professional KJ.    I'm such a loser.  

Let me get this right, the faster i can get the singers to go to another bar = a high energy show because you make them "run" out the door to the next karaoke bar?

My crowds are very diverse.   Karaoke singers and karaoke listeners.   Mixed with people that will dance to karaoke music.    Or is there a written law that says all bar  dancing must be to CDs only no karaoke CD+G music.

I'm getting a LITTLE DISAPPOINTED with ya lately sidewinder- YOUR debating has gotten WEAKER and you're pulling the same 'ole "twistin' me words around to suit a moot point".......so try a different approach or i'll  :asleep:  :asleep:

60 songs? i hope NOT IN A ROW as you pointed out earlier- and they DANCE to them all?  Of course i have singers- too many that i usually stay an extra hour to accommodate them all you silly snake!

You have Bust A Move? I'm impressed. I also wanna do Ice Ice Baby and i'll even bring my gold chains and dance for your crowd!

$1 per song plus rate. FOR some reason i'm averaging $50-90 on those......perhaps your calculator is wrong....OR...i might be having more singers.   My dance sets are usually at the end of the show or if i have repeated requests for a dance break due to a large party or celebration.   It's called versatility.

Yes, send the Japanese to their own japanese-karaoke-music-room SO AS TO NOT Kill my regular singer's ears!   I should be getting kickbacks from that place.

So you think YOUR crowds are diverse? NO Competition here.  

TRY American, Japanese, Australians, English, Norwegian, Swedish, French, German, and the Fijians that visit here DAILY!      sorry. game over.   please insert $1 to continue.

I also have the vanilla boy.   But that's about as hip hopping as it's gonna get.

Back off i'm getting a little tired...    Too many shows per week.

I meant diverse like men & women.

I did get $45 in tips Friday night.  To stop singing.