Karaoke Forums

I've been to Asia and if you call a bunch of drunken Japanese or Korean's trying to sing an American/European song real karaoke then your tastes have a lot to be desired.

I realize that Karaoke started over there but still in all they are trying to imitate our singing and MOST do not do a real good job.

Lone Wolf

Live band karaoke? What I wouldn't give.

It's an ambition of mine to be recorded with a live band...

Well the ambition is to do this live at Wembley - but since they knocked the old one down - I refuse to step foot in the travesty that replaced it.

That's my excuse anyhow

Even so, if he had issues with certain types of songs, he should have asked you about your song if he wasn't already familiar with it before queuing it up.
Still entirely his fault, not yours.
And to call you out about it is, in my opinion, tacky, classless, and a guarantee to make sure you don't return and perhaps tell others about your bad experience.

Where We are, if a band is playing or a special show (hypnotist, for example) is presented, they will ALWAYS tell you the show starts at 9:00 pm That's when the venue that usually hosts these types of shows opens, not when the show starts.
The show will usually start at 10:30 or even 11:00.
Most of us have learned not to bother showing up until just before the show REALLY starts.
All the venue owner has done is to teach us not to bother coming until later.
The SMARTER move, in my opinion would be to have the show start earlier, on ADVERTISED time, and have the people having a good enough time by the time the show ends to stick around for the next hour or so before closing.
Makes much more sense than having a few people show up "early" and have them P O'd cause they have to wait 2 hours before the shows starts.
All that happens by having them show up early is that the stage is set for boredom and restlessness until the show starts, which in turn, could lead to fights, especially if the testosterone level in the crowd is on the high side.

Having a start time that is a real start time is important if people travel a distance to come to your show. Those of us in rural areas understand this better than most. If people drive 15 miles or 20 miles to your show, that requires more planning than a 5 or 10 minute drive, and a wasted half hour is just not a nice thing to do to them.

Think about it this way - if you take your kids to see Santa and the sign says he'll be there at 6 p.m., and you arrive at 10 minutes to 6 ready for the visit, and he doesn't show up until 6:30, whaddya have but a bunch of ticked off kids who get restless and obnoxious really quickly.

Promptness demonstrates respect for others. If you are late, especially chronically late, that more or less indicates an attitude of self-importance, and "you people can just darned well wait for me." Really unprofessional.

Live music can be trickier and in my mind I allow more leeway - different stages, different sound systems, etc. With a karaoke business, there is limited equipment. If you maintain your equipment well, following your setup if you're not permanently set up in a place, you should be able to fire it up and get going. Unless it's a room full of drunkards you're playing to who don't care about time, it's just courteous to start on time in my mind.

Same thing in a bar situation!


A professional experienced band should be used to this and should have little to no trouble setting up anywhere. Should only take them an half hour or an hour at MOST (if they have technical difficulties) depending on the number of band members.

I personally agree. Respect your customers and start on advertised time.

As stated elsewhere, I show up at least an hour early and am ready to go at show time.
The only time I don't start on time is if I have no singers. But I AM there and ready to go and will be trying to recruit singers from the crowd already present.
Haven't had that happen for a very long time now because a lot of my regulars show up early in order to get the extra few songs in.

What I usually hear from people that don't understand is:
"Why do you have to go so early, you don't start til....."

I am usually at any assigned gig at least 1hr to 1-1/2hrs early. I may grab a bite, have a drink or two, mingle with the people there, set-up, minor sound check, etc. It doesn't matter, I'm also usually ready to go 20mins or so before start time...I'll start playing music. I don't like to rush, that when bad things happen. I like to be ready to go at start time, reguardless of who is there.....MrD

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

I kept hearing that from my hubby and my daughter who goes with me until the day I forgot the power supply for my laptop.
I had to race back to get it.
I live an half hour away from the venue and hubby met me halfway to give it to me.
I don't hear that complaint from them anymore.

I've heard that too. It only takes me about 10 minutes to setup and I like to visit first, so I'll come in about 30 to 45 minutes before start time. The bartender and the owner will say things like "boy you're early tonight". It's funny because I've come in that early for years. Sure sometimes I'm running late, but late to me is still starting on time. I just don't get there early enough to visit.

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

When I referred above to bar situations, my husband is in a band and I just started in a backup position with a different band than he is. Last night my band played in a new club (to us) ... everyone was there plenty early but there was a glitch somewhere that took a while to resolve. Show started a little late but it was the house system that was to blame. Unless you do your own sound and have your own sound man and have your own sound system , you are at the whim of the club's sound guy and their system. It was a very nice club, though, and none of the people there to watch/listen had any problems entertaining themselves. I think live sound is a little different than karaoke in that respect. Hubby's band is always there 2 hours early at least, and earlier than that if they have to do more than bring backline.

Sometimes things happen, but in the absence of some glitch, there is NEVER a reason to start late.

(Bolding my own)
Exactly what I meant in my previous post!

I completely agree. That is why I have "on time, every time" as one of the features of my karaoke hosting.

Having visited a whole bunch of karaoke shows, mostly arriving prior to start time, the vast majority do not start on time. I would estimate that less than 20% start on time, *if* that. It's a pretty poor record. I will tell you that of the ones I have visited from KS, just about all have started on time.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Good lord, are you that anal about everything in life? Things happen, people are late sometimes. Sending a text saying you're running late is courteous. You'd rather someone just not call and just not show up because they were running 15 minutes late?

How many minutes late before you don't bother?
10, 5, or maybe even 2?

I agreee. It's courteous and things happen.
Maybe I'm late because the road was blocked by a traffic accident.
Maybe I was busy helping save someones life at said accident.
Should I still not bother?
Yes, something like that HAS happened before.
It's called reality.
Before you are so cold hearted towards legitimate lateness, maybe you should ensure that nothing like that will EVER happen to you.
Since you can't, best to not ever leave home and not bother ever going out. Solves the whole issue right there.
Sometimes life gets in the way of life.

Let's put this in perspective.

Sometimes I'll start early if the crowd is there.

Sometimes I only have a few singers there and they want to talk to me before I get started, so they tell me to wait, there is no hurry.

I think we are talking about the KJ that gives no regard to being on time on a regular basis. When people are there waiting to sing while the KJ strolls in late for no good reason and takes his time setting up with no regard to people's time.

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

Sure there are legitimate reason for being late on occasion - this is different than someone that just don't show up on time. There are some hosts that just don't care & come in when they feel making excuses, or worse yet, get there on time but won't even start a show until there are a certain amount of singers - this burns me more than them just being late.

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Thanks Babs,,,that's exactly what i'm talking about. Someone that shows up late, lygags in setting up, alienated their "customers",,all because they have a lack of respect for others and their time. I never said, and never meant to say that under NO circumstances a host should be late, just the disregard for others. There is always legitimate reasons for being late,,and if they are, a good host will apologize to the entire crowd, making it known that they DO care. Hence,,being a"professional". These two yeahoos that call themselves "host" showed to me they put their own needs first before the needs of the bar and singers. Sometimes that is necessary,,,but never once did I feel there was a good reason for their tardiness.

Some of the people on here who are trying to make an excuse for their own reasonings,,,should probably take a good look in the mirror and ask themselves the question -"Why am I doing this? (hosting I mean)".

For those of you like Lonnie, Babs,,,and others,,,,thank you for affirming my belief in being a "professional"

Mrscott:
In NO WAY was my last post directed at you. I wholeheartedly agree with you and the others about being on time.
My last post was directed at the person who said:

It just came off as extremely cold with no room for living in reality, like the rest of us do.
There certainly is NO excuse for waltzing in late for no apparent reason, much less on a regular basis.
Be on time or think about other employment.
It's unprofessional.

I actually get there a few hours before the show, primarily because that's when the parking is available for me to lug in my stuff. Tonight I am adding a powerconditioner to my setup so it gives me time to do that work.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Only time I ever started a show late is due to a house system (where I started) had a football game on... and I had to wait until it was over to start. A LOT of people were in early and wanted to see the whole thing, and management caved...

... ONCE! There was such a backlash that the next time, they moved the game to the back room at 08:50 so I had time to set up the house system. Fortunately, it just required a few minutes to turn it all on, adjust the sound to the GOOD sound I did, and pass out the karaoke books.

Since I went out on my own in business, I NEVER started late that I can remember! Even one time with car troubles, I still managed to get there early enough to lug all my stuff in and start just about on time.