Karaoke Forums

I am considering adding an Evis impersonator to our show. This guy is coming up and auditioning with a free 30 minute show before karaoke Watch and listen to the video. the owner is all for it and in fact advertizing it. How much should he be paid? Has anybody ried something like this?

_________________
Join The Karaokle Singers Social Network. Upload Your Music!!

My first question would be who approached who about being in the show? If "Elvis" approached you or the bar owner, he might well not be expecting to get paid at all. How many hosts become hosts just because they want to sing in front of a crowd? The money is secondary.

I also wouldn't have any type of act like this perform more than once in a while...how many weeks in a row can one enjoy the same act? Plus you're talking about people who attend a karaoke show because they want to BE "Elvis", not watch "him".

Maybe an occasional special event like a Halloween or Christmas party he could appear...I'd maybe throw him $50.

_________________
[font=Lucida Console]DangerousKaraoke.com[/font]
[font=Lucida Console]"Sing for the day, sing for the moment, sing for the time of your life!"[/font]

I agree with DAN=-==it would be more of a distraction than waht its worth. Plus what kind of crowd would THIS GUY bring in with him?? This kind of thing is no more than a novelty. And very much could generated a backlash from the karaokiers who want to be Elvis themselves. I'd a void it myself. A needless distraction from the real reason people are there----KARAOKE. Why waste the money on this guy---Instead start Karaoke a bit earlier and pocket the dough yourself!

_________________
"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

I usually show up at a karaoke show about an hour in so I wouldn't get to see the Elvis guy anyway. It certainly wouldn't get me to show up early to a show just to see him either. I'd be glad that they didn't try to jam him in the middle of the karaoke show and make everyone wait for 30 minutes for the rotation to start again. A lot of karaoke singers can sing as well if not better than your local "Elvis guy" and I'm sure those singers would like to sing 7 or 8 songs in a row too. Maybe the owner thinks that some customers would come early for the Elvis show or maybe some people would go there for dinner and stick around for Elvis. As for PAYING ELVIS...I'd let the owner pay him and unless I got a little something extra; Elvis better bring his own equipment

We are flush with Elvi (plural?). Elvis impersonators at karaoke are a dime a dozen in these parts. Nothing against the real good ones out there, but I find them annoying during karaoke. Their egos cause them to think everyone there is there for them. And I agree with Dangerous Dan's post.

I'm with you guys. Maybe every once in a while, but not on a regular base.

Besides... I watched the video on his myspace page and I really don't think he is that good at all. Sorry...

I'm with everybody else. An Elvis impersonator at a karaoke show would keep me away from that karaoke show. Even if he did his show before you started, odds are that he would stick around and get in the rotation and that is something I can quite happily live without.

Ha, I agree. He just mumbles like he’s drunk.

Major-boring imho.

_________________
Hate is like taking poison, hoping the other guy gets sick

I have often gone into "rants" about not having to listen to another Elvi or Sinatra emulator, that's the word; I finally remembered that word. Yes, they're emulators. I just hate when someone shows up my show thinking they're something they are not!

Anyway, I once stopped attending a place that regularly had a 'Oldies" band when they replaced the band for a few weeks with an Elvi. And you may not be surprised to learn that I never returned to that establishment; I got comfortable elsewhere.

I wonder, is there anyone under 60 who would even find material from either Elvis or Sinatra the least bit enjoyable? It seems to me, furthermore, that most of the songs in Music Maestro's "Velvet Elvis" karaoke collection are covers. So, I wonder how many original hits did Elvis have and what they were? I can remember more of the Beatles repetoire than Elvis'!

Hound Dog, Love Me Tender, Jailhouse Rock, Can't Help Falling In Love?

Sorry - would really turn me off!

Yep We've tried it and it bombed big time. Part of the problem was the guy came in acting like he was god's gift. If he would have mingled with the crowd first and was likable it may have gone over better.

When you have a crowd of singers as an audience I think they tend to be more critical of a professional singer. If it isn't a person who has a reputation already or is famous they'll rip him to shreads.

That was my experience.

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

Babs, I would agree with you. I have found out that you can get away with emulating almost any singer, but if you try to do Elvis, you better be perfect. For some reason, and even I know this! Elvis is sacred ground! There was only one Elvis and there will not be another.
Does anyone under 60 actually enjoy his songs? Hey! I guess they do! Even I have been asked if I would do an Elvis tune from time to time. I had the band work up Dont Be Cruel just for those who ask. I do it with my cowboy hat and I dont change who I am but for some reason, it puts a smile on a lot of faces when we do the song.
I dont think I would want some Elvis impersonator working part of my show! I think that would be a real turn off and could impact your show in a not too positive way. Then again, what do I know? I sing country! However, my fiddle player toured with Elvis as his very first drummer. Maybe that is why people ask me to do an Elvis number! Gee! I thought maybe they liked hearing me do it! --Mike

Ollie,

We just did the elvis thing and it went over very well. It was a little different though. It was a one time thing and advertised very well. I was expecting a bomb, but was actually quite impressed. Although he was not anywhere near perfect, he was but a young 16yr old kid, but who has a definate passion and did surprisingly well. He did 3 sets of songs and the place was packed and the people loved it. I set up and let him do his act on my equipment and me handling his change of songs....MrD

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

I think Elvis impersonators have become the brunt of a lot of comedy, and at times for a reason. I can see Mr. D's deal going over - a young kid who is good. All the circumstances would have to be right. I'd almost want to take a poll beforehand of the singers who frequent your show, Ollie, just to make sure. Most people go out to sing, at least in this area, and not watch a marginal Elvis impersonator.

Yeah I don't think the singers will appreciate it one bit. But depending on the non-singing clientele and location of the bar, if advertised he might draw.

I wouldn't do it in my room. It's just not the right type of place for this kind of thing. I've had great Elvis singers come in for karaoke and it doesn't go over at all.

We had tried a couple in the past as well, never did anything. Definitely didn't bring anybody in that didn't already come to sing & actually po'd them people because they came in to sing NOT watch someone singing songs that they didn't care about anyway.

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I have musicians plug in to my system almost weekly. I got Elvis and Roy Orbinson and some local guys with there acoustic guitars(I have to take the subs offline) They perform just a anybody else in the rotation. They then have the opprotunity to hand out fliers to interested people on where there preforming next. A few lead singers from local bands do the same thing.

Am I right in understanding that he would be perfoming before your scheduled start time? If so, he should be paid by the bar, not you, and he should also pay YOU to be allowed to use your sound system. Otherwise, it appears the only ones to be getting anything out of this deal are him and possibly the bar owner.

Of course, you may be willing to run the sound for him as a courtesy. Just make sure he doesn't put his peanut butter and banana sandwiches on your tab.

Reading other posts made me realise it may depend on the type of bar and crowd.

You'll need to make the call on this one Ollie. What age group comes into your bar? When it's the anniversary of Elvis's Bday and death do people in the bar make a big deal of it?

Ask your regulars what they think. Is this something they want?

To many times our bar owner tries something new without consulting the regulars and the idea bombs. Like when he brought in the comics. People were upset he took up part of their singing time with something they didn't ask for.

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

I just listened to that persons video. He sounds just like the guy I have to share one night of my weekly cruise nights per month. Sings badly, no one likes him but ONE person in a certain car club foots his pay for that night when that particular car club shows up. Once he was doing Viva Las Vegas and a bunch of wags sang Viva Viagra. The Elvis guy got so mad at that he packed up and left. In the video Karyoker links to, I noticed most in view weren't even paying attention to him except one lady who wanted to dance and couldn't even get one guy to complete the dance with her.