Karaoke Forums

Ok, so I've heard the term "runs a good show" over and over. What constitutes a "good show"? Great sound? Big selection of music? KJ who entertains in some manner? Other than being friendly to everyone how does one bring 'em back?

I believe several things go into it, a good selection of music that is appropriate to the venue. In other words, no Led Zepplin at the old folks home, no Sinatra at a teenage party, no country at a hiphop club and likewise no hiphop in a honky tonk. Good equipment that is properly adjusted, ie: doesn't distort the sound or make someones ears bleed. The KJ, charming without being condesending, fun without being too zany; and doesn't 'showboat' or add themselves to the rotation every round. After all people go to sing, to be a star for a minute not to listen to someone do a mini show. A good KJ will open the show with a song and not sing again unless requested to or maybe to close out the night. Then you have to maintain the rotation. How many times have we been out at a place only to have the KJ getting his friends up there two or three times for every time you get a chance? It sucks!
If you want to get a new singer into the rotation, you add them into the mix but then stay with it, keep the pattern going so EVERYONE gets onstage an equal amount of time. Alway encourage, help if neccesary, and under no circumstance is teasing allowed, even a little bit! It's hard to do especially when you get someone that's drunk and acting the fool. They might think its funny, but it's usually someone that doesn't have the guts to get up and try it themselves. Everyone needs to realize that you're all there to have fun, not audition for Carnegie Hall or The Opry!

To me, running a "good show" can be many different things, depending on who's running it.
A "good show" is one that is successful. A successful show is one that brings in custies and the venue makes money.
How one runs a "good show" is as varied as the venues and the KJ's that run them.
It's about creating a fun atmosphere.
The ingredients to get there can vary from night to night, depending on the crowd.
If my patrons have fun, they will come back and bring their friends.
To me, it's not about any ONE thing, but a combination of them. And you can have one thing "lacking" and still have a successful show. Just make sure you make it up in other areas.

Good show to me: Lots of happy singers who don't have to wait too long to sing (double-edged sword - REALLY GOOD SHOWS WITH GOOD SINGERS = LONG ROTATION). A great selection of songs for everyone's taste and not having to answer "No" when asked if I have their song. Everyone leaves at the end of the night and thanks me for a job well done. Compliments on sound mixing and the quality of the equipment. Compliments on helping those who ask for it. Compliments on equipment that functions as it is supposed to. Compliments on a book that is easy to read and easy to find songs in. And longevity at a venue, though lack of longevity in these times doesn't necessarily correlate with the quality of the show. Places in our area are closing up, sad to say, at a startling rate - sign of the times. It's going to be an uphill battle for the next couple of years for those who don't have really well established gigs already.

Good show = Bartender saying "that was a busy night".

Whatever it takes to make that happen, repeatedly makes it a good show.

Sure you may have 30 people in the bar but if on a comparable night without karaoke/other entertainment the same bar might average 50, that makes it a "failed" show.


Sure a singer may walk away from the show and think they had a great time singing, but if there were only 5 people in the bar all night it is not a "good show".


Even a show that can get packed every week, may not be to a specific individual's style, and they may not enjoy it. The definition of a good show is finding a style that works to bring enough people into the bar to make it busy, relative to what would be the case with no entertainment or compared to other forms of entertainment.

I think the best measure of a "good show" is how many of the people that came for the first time on a show, come back again to future shows.

A good show is an entire bar that is having fun with lots of energy. A good night is one where the Bartender is happy to have called in extra help.

The best night is one where the bartender says "Good night" and everyone else says "Wow! We had great fun!".

totally agree, Grf!

Karen, I'm afraid I can't agree with the long rotation... to me, that means the venue did GOOD, and people want to sing at THAT show. They know they're going to be treated well, prices are good, kj is doing the best he or she can do!

Heck, I WANT that kinda pressure to have a longer rotation. If people don't want to wait overly long, then find some other show where the sound is just okay, where the book smells like an old beer stein, where the kj is a button pusher and has crappy mics and a stolen library! !

I think everyone covered it pretty well but I'll add my 2 cents anyway. A "good show" depends on who you ask. If it's the bar owner, it's the bottom line. His tape at the end of the night covers your fee and is greater that it could ever be without you there. If you ask a customer who sings, they'll tell you that the sound is good and you have the songs they like to sing. If you ask a non-singer, they'll tell you that the atmosphere is better on karaoke nights than other nights and there are alot of good singers.

Let me rephrase - if people have to wait 2 hours, that is the double-edged sword I'm talking about. It's that fine balance, I guess - obviously if there are that many people there, it's a great show...but in my experience, when people have to wait that long, they start searching out another show that may not have such a long rotation. Weekends are one thing but when people strike out on a Wednesday night, for example, to sing and get to sing one song because they want to be home early enough to get up and function the next day, they'll often find another place just to get their singing fix.

Naturally a long rotation indicates a show that is making money for the venue (hopefully)....and ideally what you want. I am, as usual, playing devil's advocate here. And what kind of post would it be if I didn't offer someone a chance to disagree? .

I have to agree with Karen, here. While a show is successful if there is a long rotation, it also means a long wait for the singers.
As a singer, I would probably hit the less well attended show to be able to sing a couple more, rather than wait 2 hours just to sing one song.
I've been at shows like that in the past and it can be very frustrating.
As a KJ, if I have that kind of wait, I'm ecstatic because I know that the bar is doing well, but I'm also a little stressed because I know how the people waiting feel.
Double-edged sword, indeed!

Remembering my singer's days, I had one show I loved to go to. These are the reasons why, in priority order:

1. The KJ had a nice personality. And even though he (still) is one the best singers I've ever heard, he never sang, at all. Very rare exceptions, friend's birthday, etc. Absolute humble and friendly personality. Made everyone feel welcome.

2. He kept an absolute fair rotation. No matter who you were.

3. He had a good selection of songs and good equipment. Not super, but it sounded great enough for me.

So today, I try to do the same thing, because I know back in the day, those aspects drew me out to his shows all the time. And so far it works. People do enjoy my shows and I built quite a crowd over the years. Even friendships. Most of them also do understand the meaning of supporting a Karaoke show. So the bar owners and staff are happy, too.

You always have bad nights in between but overall everybody's happy at the end.

Lots of things for me to think about when I start my first paying gig in a few hours. Thanks all!

#1- Decent Sound System
#2- The right selection of music
#3- Personable and Friendly KJ/Host
#4- Pre-Determined plan of rotation management and show DO's and DONT'S
Running a Succesful show is not the same as having a Succesful Night or being a Succesful Karaoke Company. If you run a SHOW succesfully you will have many SUCCESFUL nights which will make you a SUCCESFUL Karaoke Company