Karaoke Forums

Why is it an attack on the OP. Most people said they either don't do it or wouldn't frequent shows that are other that strictly karaoke. I wholeheartidly agree! If I see a show labeled as karaoke & I go in & see a bunch of other crap going on, anything OTHER than karaoke is no longer a karaoke show. I do not & would leave if I saw this happen in a show that was billed as karaoke...if I was looking for a show that was billed karaoke & other acts/surprises or whatever, then that's what I would expect. I would probably go into it & may even enjoy it if I knew from the banner/sign outside said that karaoke was not the only form of entertainment.
Strictly karaoke shows just seems to be going along the wayside. More & more shows are incorporating other things, around here it's more karaoke/dj combo. If a karaoke show needs a bunch of other gimmicks or other forms of entertainment to keep it interesting, then they (the bar) should reconsider bothering having karaoke at all or bill it differently. Like knight said this is "Karaoke" Scene and the forum is named "Karaoke" forum. Not karaoke & other forms of entertainment to help push karaoke out of the main form of entertainment forum!

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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 used to play triva before karaoke but never during. Magic and comedy at the show were all right so long as it occured in the time it took to switch singers.

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Okay, who took my pants?

Holy macerel! (I'm the OP) I'm impressed by the wide swings of opinion here. From Neat idea, to I'd never go to that show... wow. First, let me explain a little better what happens at my show... The three guys in tutu's are hilarious, and dance DURING someone's song (everyone here is friends, or if not, they love the craziness) so the rotation continues. Second.. mine is very much a dedicated K show, so much so that I don't allow guitar-playing singers, That's called open mic, and I've never had a rotation that would allow any "dance music breaks".. just can't happen.. they'd hand me my head on a platter, and that's not my show. My show is Karoake fun... Yes, with distractions, but always someone singing karaoke. the original question was "do you mix it up a bit with other fun stuff?
FYI, although your shingle may say "karaoke show", the people come for fun. Yes, also to sing, but in my experience no one has ever complained while they are laughing. Doubt it? Put three crazy people in tutu's and turn them loose while someone (friend of theirs) sings Bohemian Rhapsody. You'll pee yourself.
Another question to those who seem a bit upset by anything other than Karaoke during a show. What would you do if a conga line started snaking through your crowd? Or if an air guitar competition broke out behind a singer? Do you allow "Do-wop" backup dancers during a Temptations song? or a high-kicking dance line behind someone doing Herod's Song?
At my show pretty much anything fun is encouraged. The standing rule is always get "THE NOD" from the singer befroe screwing with them, and some singers prefer to just sing by themselves, and the crowd respects that. Also cutting in or joining in uninvited is verbotten. (We formed a spanking line one night to "teach" a guy not to but in,,- and we laughed all the way through that, too.)
It took me 7 years to "craft" my show, and it's almost out-of-control fun...karaoke. Just because other things happen during it does not make it less of a show. quite the opposite...in my opinion. If all you offer is the standard model, my crowd would yawn all night.
In truth, there are nights that actually follow the standard model, without all the fun stuff added... but those are not the nights people talk about the next day. Trust me, if you ever see "The Dumpy Divas" do their thing you'll remember it.!! Oh, you 'll try to forget, but you won't...

This is precisely what I mean by taking things too seriously. Nowhere did anyone say they were trying to push karaoke out of the equation, nor out of the forum. Silly, silly, silly. The food for thought, as so eloquently posted by Dax above me, is enhancing a show. I do my very best not to distract too terribly from the fact that my show is a KARAOKE show, but I won't hesitate to mix it up either. If I've got 20 people asking me for a dance tune, I'll throw one in at the end of the round. It's one stinking song. Some of you act like it should be billed on the outside as a variety show because someone throws a dance tune in, or lets people do crazy stuff. Ludicrous and borderline childish. "Not my cup of tea, but more power to ya, guv'nah!" would work just fine. Not this endless whining about how it's not a karaoke show.

Dax's show sounds like a riot to me. I'm probably about the closest thing to his show around these parts as you'll get, and I tell you, if I heard someone else was running a show with that kind of energy and fun attached to it, I'd be there every week.

SunKing, you actually posted without the air of pretentiousness I feel around here sometimes, so nothing was directed at you.

I dig everybody around these parts (even those I disagree with on occasion), because everybody has something to offer, but I gotta agree with Rudy. Sometimes there's a holier-than-thou thing that permeates this place like stinky poo. It's really quite off-putting.

I think it best if I exit this discussion before it gets any more heated.

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hi-voxentertainment

I have to agree with the swirl a little bit here -more times than not a simple question put forth by somone does turn into a "my way is best" verbal confrontation.

I've said it too many times before there are many variations of a succesful Karaoke Show. Yes some do play dance sets and some play games and some have contests and yes EVEN men dancing in TU TU's it seems. AND SOME EVEN DO 100% NON STOP KARAOKE EXCITMENT

It goes with out saying if you're a singer and don't like a particuliar show - You wouldn't frequent that show or never go back.... THAT'S OK. variety is good and so is choice. This site is called Karaoke scene and KJ's and SINGERS do discuss a wide range of topics and one of those is NEW and DIFFERANT Ideas or TWISTS to a SHOW format ---neither wrong or right ...just differant.

So if you're standing on your soap box ...get off and open your mind to what someone else might like..no need to get pissed off or rant about how your WAY is the only way......... ooops fell off my soap box

The behavior I've had to do lately when going out to a new venue, is to find out things about the kj. Or the company that runs it.

Do they accept customer discs?

Are the books easy to understand, do they list manu codes, or dupes or whatever...

Do they do all karaoke, or filler music, or magic tricks, or stand up comedy, or live mic or whatever.

Whatever happened to a karaoke show is a KARAOKE SHOW?

SOME investigation I don't mind. But the thoughts lately that a karaoke show is boring by itself is not anything to do with karaoke, but the HOSTS that run them are probably BORING.

The only poo poohing I've seen lately is ((gasp)) the first person that mentioned on the thread!

So I'm a karaoke purist? Sheesh, SUE me for it!

I'm not putting the other shows DOWN so much as I am trying to show that there IS a difference in those type of venues.

I will say that I appreciate when someone LIKE DJ Swirl states how they run their show and to avoid it if that kind of behavior upsets you.

As much as ANY place that serves the public, if they do things that upset you, knowledge is a force to be recon'd with.

I'll admit that there is nothing like an exciting all karaoke show complete with great systen stage and some lighting not to mention a good KJ. but what I've seen those shows are dwindling..not because of bad KJ's but because of need. If you have a great show and a HUGE rotation ...many singers don't like that show cause they can't sing more than 2 songs in 4 hours --so they go to a less popular show ...until many more singer do the same ...and now the popular show isn't so much and the new show gets more and more popular every week until the cycle starts all over again. SURE all singers prefer a KARAOKE ONLY SHOW but I believe you need to diversify ..a little ( the little you can leave up to your imagination ..dancing tu tu's ?)
You need to keep the most people happy in one night as you can ...if thats all singers ....GREAT ...if thats some dancers along with singers GREAT ....if thats some video gamers who also sing ...great .
That's Karaoke ..singing and having fun ..NOT the whinning singers who complain and stomp their feet because they feel they had to wait 4.3 minutes longer to sing the same song they sing every single week. JUST HAVE FUN AND ALLOW OTHERS TO HAVE THEIR FUN TOO. If waiting 4.3 minutes longer to sing one night is going to make you leave and never come back.....see YA

I like the idea..sounds fun..last week at my karaoke show we had a sexy bra and boxer contest..now talk about getting wild..anyway..the last sunday of this month Gemini Karaoke will have a wet T-Shirt Contest..I say...go for it..do things a little different is always fun

Daxalaska... Thank you for elaborating some more. Your show actually does sound like a lot of fun.

I stated something earlier....
quote:
"Now, these guys that you mentioned.... I have no problem listening to someone sing a cappella, as long as it's his/her/their turn. As for the three old men in tutus, that's just wasting our time (the Singers who are waiting to sing) unless they are also singing while they're dancing. There's a time and a place for everything. Are you advertising your show as a Karaoke show or an Open Mic show? If it's a Karaoke show, I can see a lot of us that will be grumbling if the person on stage isn't singing (regardless of whether the person sings good or bad)."
end quote

From the sounds of what you describe, none of these crazy and fun antics are interrupting or taking the place of the Karaoke show itself. As I said (above), if these were acts that had nothing to do with the Karaoke show, I'd probably be one of those who is grumbling. Even when I made the statement about the men dancing in tutus, I pointed out that as long as they were also singing, I didn't have any issue with it. I probably should have added that if they were performing to someone else singing, it would be fun too (as long as the singer on stage didn't object (as you also mentioned)). I should also have stated that I have no problem going out to a Karaoke show that offers a Variety Show or an Open Mic night AS LONG AS it's advertised as such. If it isn't advertised that way, THEN I would probably be one of those who will be grumbling about the show.... BUT from what you just described in your 2nd post, you are running a Karaoke show, and these are just some of the funny/crazy things that happen during your show. It's something to make your show more memorable.

I've been to a show once, where they have had a display of musical instruments, and they had a Pianist who also accompanied the singers. The singers could actually hold the instruments and pretent to play them while performing (at that show). I've also been to a show or 2 where a Singer has come in with a musical instrument, and used it while performing their song. These things have been entertaining. I've even seen one person play Harmonica (sp?) during an instrumental break while also singing.

In many ways I have to agree with the main points of Swirl's posting.

Have you ever considered how many times you've been to a show where the Karaoke is interrupted by trivia "contests". I don't understand how trivia has become associated with karaoke? And that surely takes away time from the "show". Yet, I've never heard anyone on the boards object to trivia. I've always despised trivia at karaoke

Karaoke contests usually give preference to the contestants while everyone else waits until they get a turn to sing. Why is that okay?

I have wondered for quite awhile what Karaoke "is all about". Until the introduction of "Guitar Hero", karaoke has been the only form of self-entertainment at outside venues.

A recent thread I started asked who do you cater to at your show? Strictly speaking, the responses to that question were brief and provided little "substance".

The point of that post was to gather the reasons why you go to karaoke. The reasons why you think others go to karaoke? Why isn't any form of entertainment enjoyed by the crowd acceptable to all of you KJ's? Why assume that if someone gets up and does a magic trick, for example, that someone is losing a turn at singing? Meanwhile, again, I've never heard a single complaint about trivia questions/contests. Isn't that the same?

I could go on and on but I hope my point is gotten? And, of course, I realize that if your show has 20 or more singers, there isn't any time and probably little interest in anything but karaoke. I doubt that is the case for most of us?

Okay, I lied. I'll make one more post.

See, this is what I meant. When I first decided to jump into the karaoke mix, I went out to research as many area shows to see what I liked, didn't like, what I could do better, etc. I was stunned by how many shows were just plain boring, and 95% of that had to do with the host. It's why I tried to give my show an upbeat energy. My personal motto is, "If you're not having fun, I'm not having fun. And I want to have fun."



I'm not sure I understand...



Nothing wrong with that at all. What I took issue with was people saying how much they wouldn't like Dax's show, calling it a variety show, etc. It just wasn't necessary. "My show is pretty much straight up karaoke, but hey, if your guests dig it, more power!" Doesn't that seem like a more encouraging response than, "That's not a karaoke show, that's a variety show. My regulars would booze up and riot if I tried to do that." Dax was essentially being told that his show was "wrong," and I kinda snapped a bit.

There are many KJs on this forum who have been doing it much longer than I, and I feel maybe there's an air of, "I've been doing it this long, so I think I know better than you." It's not very welcoming, I'll say that.

I'm glad you made this post, though, because it not only expressed your opinion more clearly, but gave a chance for me to express mine without all the venom.

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hi-voxentertainment

AND taken from that perspective, I 100% agree with you.

I just don't feel that other things added to the mix (normally, as part of HOW you run your show) should be other things OTHER than karaoke.

Don't get me wrong. My shows have (almost) always been very fun. People get up and dance around, play a blow up guitar, use the big blow up microphone... spank each other, flash nitties (although we put a stop to THAT! !)... and in between singers, I will play mix music until the next singer gets up.

ALL to keep the energy up and alive. I make splash screens for the customer's names ("Now singing.... BOB!"), make drink and food announcements, warn of impending traffic stops (owner of the club was a former cop, and he stayed in touch with the local police)...

ANYTHING other than the dreaded monotone "next up... bob" type of shows.

I totally hear what you're saying, Swirl. And the original poster's comments DO reflect what you're saying... some shows just flat out SUCK. I DETEST those that would make a fun, eventful night into a snoozefest cattle call.

One reason I formed my company and went into business was I knew I could do it better than those guys. I knew I could do it without taking bribes, and have fair rotation... and have GOOD sound. Good Mics, GOOD song selection.

Treated right, karaoke IS fun. There's a reason it's survived as a "fad" for SO many years.

Take care!

Matt

My buddy Sam runs 4 nights at two clubs.. The owners have brought in bands on off nights, Never seems to last..

Sam does mix it up some.. (Air guitars on site too..) He's been there many years..

- THE MIND OF A BAR OWNER -

Bands:
require 3 or more players with equipment and talent.
Usually play songs from one genre.
Need a stage, lighting, and sound system w/engineer
Often play original music (untested)
cost $200.00/night - up

Karaoke:
requires 1 or more host/tech
Plays huge selection of songs from any genre
Needs small lit stage, sound system, karaoke system (discs/comp)
Plays all the hits
cost $75.00/night - up

Video Game:
requires 0 or more (host/tech) or "do it yourself"
Small list of songs
Needs small lit stage, sound system, video game
Plays only a few genres
cost 0-$50.00/night

BTW
That was meant as a joke no offense to your friend Sam.

The bar owner brought the bands in.. not Sam.. no worries..

I'm pretty much strictly karaoke in my shows now. I don't mind a Capella singers as they are few and far between, I do agree that most of them are not as good as they think they are and should have music but as long as that won't happen all night long then I have no problem with it.

Years ago I would allow would be comedians 2-3 minutes of open mic but learned very quickly that it was a bad idea to give control of the mic to someone during a karaoke show as I usually had to ask several times to wind it up and they would never listen and I would end up turning off the mic and they would almost always give me crap about it so I put an end to it mainly because it interrupted the energy of the show.

I have allowed customers with accoustical guitars to plug in to my system and do a song and so far that has been a good experience and most folks don't mind it as long as does not take too much to mic them up.

The tu-tu thing sounds like a riot... and it would be fun to try the cracker/peanut butter thing too.

I have allowed harmonica players to accompany singers etc.

Normally these sort of requests are far and few so it has always worked out. The only exception is the Wannabe Comedians.

On a slow night I will suggest kamikaze karaoke and I usually ends up being a blast but that may only happen 2-3 times a year.

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Scott

I am a professional I read the audience If they want 30 dissapearng elephants then I go hire some who can make 30 elephants vanish. I am so tired of this notion where 30 drunks trying to sing is a success. It is not what you think it is what the owner and customers want. AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR WHAT THE SITUATION DEMANDS

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Dax your show sounds like a lot of fun ! I would love to hear more ideas from you. How does the cracker and pb eating and singing work? I think that would be hillarious.

I have a lot of regulars and am at the same venue 3 nights a week. I'm always looking for fun ideas to keep the boredom at bay. Some of your stuff of course won't work for me because I need to stay more all karaoke, but I love your fun attitude.

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