Karaoke Forums

I know this has been discussed before, but I normally haven't had to deal with it. The last 2 weekends (Sunday Night...Uggggh) I filled in for a friend who was on his honeymoon. It was set up for a 9-1 slot, fine (Normally I play till close). The 1st night, only about 8 people was there at 1..the manager comes up tells me I can shut it down. On the the 2nd night there is about 15 people there and as I'm winding down a the last group had just came in and wanted me to play. So wanting to feel out how the manager works, I kept playing...played till last call, played another song......shut-er down...so about an extra 45+ mins. When I get all packed up to leave, she had the check already written out, I did not even get a "thank you" for playing for the extra hour (which would've been enough), just here you go. That tinkled me a little bit ontop of the fact the amount was 1/2 of what I would normally charge. One of the lessons I guess is that the owners/mangager want it both ways. If it's dead at 1, they want you gone. If it is busy, they want you to stay...but not have to pay no more. One MUST discuss the timeframe and expectations up front. How do you deal with that. Is it...OK, It's 1am.....we're done (click)....silence.......?MrD

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

I would have given them an extra 15-20 minutes off the clock (I do this all the time, it's just a few minutes out of my life) but I wouldn't have gone that long without getting the go-ahead from the bar for a little extra money. But that's just me and there will be others I'm sure who do it differently.

Ditto what Bill said. Next time I'd speak with them before going over that much. If there's nothing extra in the offing, I'd quit at the normal time with a "Sorry, I'm only paid until 1AM" to the patrons. Now, if they wanted to tip you to keep you around...

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hi-voxentertainment

I'm paid from 9-1. If I go to 2, it's an extra $50. If the owner is there, he makes the call, if not, the bartender. After all, regardless of the head count he has a better idea of how much is going in the till.

However, I start at 8:30. This allows my older regulars who might not stay as late to get in a few extra songs and it puts my "free time" up front. By doing it that way they don't look at me to give any free time late.

I start on time and end on time.

Kelly

Unless there is something set up that addresses this issue then the bar owner will take advantage of the situation as long as nobody says anything. When I set up a gig I always set the fee for the regular hours, then I have a overtime rate that is pre-set and the bartender makes the call, if we are busy and everything says go longer then I get my extra pay.

I would suggest your friend set up something similar with the bar owner.

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

The problem here is it isn't your gig. Your friend needs to talk to the owner.

I play til 2am and if there is still a crowd the owner makes the call if I'm to stay until 3am. Half the time he is sleeping at the end of the bar and has no idea what's going on. Aaarg! I get an extra $50 if I play an hour later. Sometimes I'll go 30 min at a time. ($25 for 30 min and $50 for an hour.)

This arrangement came about through time. I absolutely refused to stay even one minute later. Everyone knows when my time is up I won't stay for the pope if I'm not getting paid. When people started complaining I directed them to the owner saying it is out of my hands. He first told them if they wanted me to stay they had to pay me. Okay he's an idiot. The regulars teased him saying he was cheap. So instead of looking like a chump he decided he should start paying me to stay.

This is where owners hurt their own business. If he would just have me stay until 3am the people would stick around. Most people will sing what they think is their last song and leave. When the bar is packed end to end all night and people leave when I leave you'd think this was a no brainer!

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[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

I'm with you on this one, Babs - bars close at 2 am here so we usually run our shows until 1 or 1:30. I just don't go over if I'm not getting paid. I used to say to people who begged and begged - Hey, if your boss came to you on Friday afternoon after you'd work a 10-hour shift and said will you stay another half hour or so? I can't pay you but....

Yah, right.
k

Karen - we have a lot in common I've noticed.

I always put it on the owner. I tell people it isn't up to me talk to the owner. Or it is out of my hands, my contract says I have to quit right at 2am. unless someone says something to the owner and he says he'll pay me to stay late.

The only way to get paid to stay later is if the owner pays me more to stay. I'm not going to go beg him. It is much more affective if the crowd is begging him.

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[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

My hours on Saturday are 9-1 ( anything over is at my descretion0 but NEVER EVER is there any additional pay. SO I try not to work overtime. MOST people don't understand that I"M WORKING ---oh come on one more song @!!!

Just a suggestion Jam. I used to get that a lot too. Once I established I would for "No Reason" stay late, it stopped. If people think they can sway you into staying late they will never stop. They are like little kids. And as you know no matter what time you want to quit even if the bar is closing they'll still beg.

Now if someone new comes in and isn't aware of how I do things I nip it in the butt right away. Usually they yell from the audience "One more song". I'll grab my mic and point at them saying "Who is this guy? He must be new. They usually look all bewilder wondering what they'd done while someone else explains to him it is up to the owner not me.

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[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

I would never charge extra for going over time...within reason of course. Anything under an hour I would just do if the bar didn't have a problem with it, like Jam, this was at my discretion. Actually had some clubs that wanted me done at the specified stop time regardless of how many people were there.

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[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]

I agree with you, unless the bar owner insists you play over. In that case I charge by the half hour.

I felt bad at first, but when I realized people didn't appreciate the fact I was working for free it made it easier. I work a full time job also, so sleep is precious. People seem to appreciate my time more now. When I do stay late they actually thank me.

Plus the fact most weeks I'm making $100 more because I learned to stick to my guns.

I think it is great if a karaoke host will work late for free. I'm not judging AT ALL. It's just in my situation I find it is much more rewarding personally and monetarily to not do it.

I'm sure there are situations where it would be fun for the karaoke host to stay late and work for free. It just isn't the case for me.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

I agree Babs. Ask those same folks if they would work at their job an hour longer and do it for nothing.

I have a full time job also. I KJ because I enjoy it. I don't have to do it; but I'm not going to do it for nothing.

kelly

Thanks for all the help here. Yes, sleep is precious. I work 40+hrs a week at my reg job too, so I know how that is. Sun night....really makes it, uggggh! If there would've been even acknoledgement I played over, would've been enough. I told my friend, he needs to get more $, especially if he is willing to play over. It will obviously get taken advantage of...MrD

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

Easiest way to avoid ivertime is to sync your end time with the closing of the bar. If closes at 12 start at 8, if at 1 then 9 etc, etc, etc. Bar closes, you're done, no problem.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

Im going thru that right now they (customers) JUST get used to coming at 9 AGAIN then the boss wants to change the hours to 10 - 1 b/c weve been staying later b/c its been busy at 12 therefore adding the extra hours fee onto the bill they dont want to pay the extra hour anymore so they think this will do it just having us come in at 10 instead of 9 and staying till 1. I try to tell him people are "normally" where they are going to be at 9- 9:30 and are not going to leave that bar to go to another,especially a bowling alley just so they can sing a few songs. I know I wouldnt . Id find the karaoke spot that started at nine and stay there. But hey what do I know ? His inconsistancy is going to lose alot of people IMO.

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Kelley
Star Sounds Karaoke & Mobile Recording Studio


[shadow=black][scroll]You have to respect your audience. Without them, you're essentially standing alone, singing to yourself....KD Lang[/scroll][/shadow]

For me I do weeknights differently, but expect to do 9 till close (1:45). weeknights are set up as a flat rate. weekends, fri and sat are $50 an hour. there have been a couple where I have actually pulled the plug at 3 hours to save the bar the loss. I had another place i needed to be.

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas

[font=verdana] I have been thinking about approaching some of the local clubs for a during the week gig. My idea is to mesh the start of the karaoke with a happy hour, say around 7pm. Then run the karaoke until 11pm. People could come and sing or just enjoy the show, and be in bed early enough that they wouldn’t have a problem getting to work the next day.

Let me know if any of you have tried this, or if you think it might work.
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Dusty Rose
Blue Rose Classic Karaoke
More Sound! More Selections! More Fun!
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We have tried happy hour shows with no success. Many people just getting off work doing whatever just want to have a few to go home & crash to do it all again the next day. A couple of the happy hour shows I worked eventually pushed the time to regular 9-1 times.

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