Karaoke Forums

Everyone has thier favorite place to go. When looking for a place to go and come back to time after time, what are the factors that make it so?

Now of course they all have the following in common:
-A clean, well kept venue
-A fair rotation
-A personable, helpful host
-Good to excellent sound system
-Good to excellent song selection
-Good service and fair prices

But what OTHER FACTORS help you decide??

Do u prefer a small neighborhood tavern, ealier hours, primarily country crowd, younger crowd, older crowd, dance music, filler music, upscale downtown nightclub setting, large crowd, smaller regular crowd, cordless vs corded mics, computer vs discs, lots of rules vis free-wheeling, a restaurant, a combination with pool hall or anything else, sports bar, hole-in-the-wall??

So what makes the "BEST" Karaoke place for you??

_________________
"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

My preference in addition to your list would be a medium size venue, preferably a restaurant, or non-smoking bar (lungs can't handle smoke any more) that also has, at least appetizers. Friendly crowd, mixed ages, or older crowd. Type of music can be varied, rock, soul, country, classics, lounge lizard, haven't seen ANYONE that can pull off rap, so preferably no rap. If there's a pool table, prefer it to be in a different area. Don't like karaoke in sports bar, too many distractions, totally different type of audience. Prefer filler (transitional) music between singers. Maybe a dance tune when the host has to go to the bathroom. I like computer based, BUT still want to see a book. Don't like karaoke WITHOUT books, (always draw a blank when I get there) as to what I want to sing, don't mind disc based either. Ideally computer based with a cdg player also. I personally like corded mics, I hate having to look for the person singing, as I do enjoy watching other singers. I don't mind rules, such as no swinging the mics, leave your drink at your table, and if it is a smoking venue, leave your cigarette at your table also. Also like hole-in-the-wall places.

Well Mr. Kurt, comfort-wise, I like a friendly audience and host. From a listeners' standpoint I prefer a fair number of good singers with a variety of song styles plus a decent sound system. I've even started to sing a bit more myself so I'm paying closer attention to the song selections and versions offered too.

I just want to get drunk.

Seriously, no peanuts or popcorn at the bar, disgusting. I couldn't care less if the mics are wired or not, I have both (Shure SM58) and I can't tell the difference in the sound. I can mesh with younger crowd, older crowd, middle crowd, mixed crowd. As long as they aren't ALL nursing home age, it's all good. I want to hear pop, rock, blues, maybe a bit of country. No jazz please, closest to jazz I like would be Steely Dan. If someone can nail a hip hop song, it's all good. I can personally do "This is how we do it" and I just turned 50 last week so I try to keep an open mind. As long as it isn't jazz!

I want good looking friendly waitresses and clean bathrooms that I can't see the other guys thing while I'm peeing.

Personally, I like a good sound system, good wireless mics are preferable, and a good fair rotation is a must. I don't go sing very much, but when I do, it is nice to run across a kj who is as fair as I try to be. My wife hates going out with me because I sit around all night and talk about things that would make the place better.

My values in a venue as a singer:

* Fair rotation
* Good sound system
* KJ who knows how to level correctly
* Good library
* Friendly KJ
* Fast bar service
* Fairly priced bar

Just a place that is clean I can party and make friends with all . Sing a little bit and not have to put up with the karaoke nuts and silly rules.

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

ALthough I don't GO out to sing much anymore my feelings are as follows:

Succesful venues are succesful for a reason.. Usually a great friendly staff with good service , reasonable prices and an overall welcoming atmosphere. If you put a halfway decent host in a venue like that and you get a good show. But sometimes you'll find an exceptional host in a dive venue and you can still have a great time.

For me the #1 reason to continue to return to a venue would be to feel WELCOME and not like an outsider or stranger. And I HATE shows that the KJ has made "clicky" if you know what I mean. When there are certain groups that make anyone NEW feel unwanted.

Apart from all the obvious reasons you have stated -

For me, if I'm there as a singer wanting karaoke, I can't stand the type of place which advertises themselves as having "Karaoke" and you get there to be "entertained" by a DJ whose more interested in playing HIS music and occasionally slots in the odd karaoke request.

You tend to get this more in the holiday resorts. Even when theres just a few singers they keep you waiting for ages - drives me mad.

But at least thats better than the bars that advertise they have Karaoke - AFTER 12.00 MIDNIGHT ! ????????

This tends to imply to me that they are assuming that any karaoke participants will need to be drunk first (and of course usually are by that time).

Just occasionally you can find one (I'm talking holiday resorts) who are dedicated to karaoke.

_________________
[font=Fantasy][/font] "Travellin' at the speed of light"

I 100% agree. Been to a place where the KJ didn't have the best system, didn't have the best library, but was so welcoming I felt like a regular as soon as I entered



Or singing himself all night. Been there, seen that, left.

Oh and Holiday Resort karaoke is a beast unto itself. Quite often you will find the place has a few transient guests of the resort, but the core 3 or 4 locals who sing there, every night. And believe themselves to be "hometown heroes"

I got to go to a new place a couple weeks ago and the kj there was new. His previous gig? The bartender at the same place. I was lucky enough to catch him on his first night hosting. No set rotation and no mixing abilities. And twice I heard the following conversation take place..." I would really like to sing this song but I don't know it" KJ says...."I know it, I'll sing it for you"....."great". In one rotation, the KJ sang 3 times out of a 12 person set. My wife was having a good time so we stayed. But that's the last 60 bucks they get from me.

Great sound, good selection, host that knows how to run the sound & good drink prices are my primary choices for a place for me!

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

I like an intimate place, comfortable bar stools (no backs), my favorite brand of soda in cans (yes, I'll pay a premium for that) not in guns. Chips or other snacks should be available. I've been to bars that had no snacks or munchies of any kind. What am I supposed to do? Bring in my own? Friendly people of diverse make up and a cross section of ages. KJ must have a decent sound and a good selection. Doesn't matter if the system is disc based or PC. Clean terlits as well, not with loogies on the wall or pee all over the floors. Ripman8, your eyes should be focused on the business "in hand", not the other guy's p e n i s (its actual name, not thing), and why are you so afraid of it? What's worse than a KJ who inserts himself into the rotation? A KJ who inserts himself into the rotation and can't sing.

Let me rephrase that, I don't want the other guy looking at mine! You'll never catch me looking. I'm a little phobic about that. Besides, if he is really drunk, he could pull the stunt Richard Pryor used to talk about in his routine of recognizing me and turning to shake my hand while he forgets to stop the hose and it gives me a shower. Certain things just shouldn't be shared.

Good one, ripman8

I don’t really have a favorite place I go but I do have a host I prefer. He doesn’t have the best sound but he does have a good song selection but the main thing is that he is a great person and friend.

We usually go out as a group of us. To me it’s about hanging with my friends that makes the “best” karaoke place. We can have a good time almost anywhere.

Rarely to I get the chance to go to other shows, because of how busy of my own schedule. But if I were to go out looking for a show to attend, here's what I would look for.

OK, first let me tell you I don't drink at all, not even soda pop. So water is totally fine with me. But a venue should have some good food to eat. I love food ! What can I say??? hehe. Second, a very nice friendly staff and patrons as well, with lots of energy. Because it's all supposed to be fun, right? So I say "let your hair down, relax, and have a great time". Next would have to be a karaoke host who puts the patrons needs above his/her own. After all, isn't it all about the customers, not the host? A good selection is all I am looking for, not the biggest, I can always choose from whatever songs they have, i'm not picky. I have never considered myself a "singer", so I don't try to go out and try to "take over" the crowd with my ability, cuz I don't have any, ! A sound system that is good enough to hear and not hurt ones ears while listening, a huge plus. And then comes the hosts ability to be fair and keep people in a proper rotation.

Usually when I go out to other shows, I am there trying to pick up different techniques and ideas. That's usually the reason I go out, to try to make my shows better.

Scott

Where the beer is cheap and so are the cowboys;)

Okay, so you want a serious answer....

Good sound system, good song selection, host who is sociable and knows what he/she is doing with the equipment, venue with more to offer than "just karaoke"... like pool tables/darts/etc. My hubby doesn't sing, but loves to play pool... so I feel less guilty dragging him out to karaoke if he has something to do other than listen to people sing:)

(though, a combination of some of those can make me overlook one or two areas not being the best, ie- one place I go does not have the best sound- it's mediocre at best, but the hosts are awesome and keep their music updated, it's a huge bar with pool tables and darts and video machines.. oh, and Nascar on a big screen, that keeps the hubby occupied, Lol)

I like there to be an option to buy food/snacks, but I don't care for freebie nuts/popcorn, as I wouldn't touch a "community" bowl of ANYthing anyways.

I like a good mix of music, not a totally country crowd- or rap- or god forbid 7 minute metal songs- a good blend is best.
I don't care about "age of the crowd", I like a mix there too. The best nights are when a 21 year old girl will get up and nail a Pink song, followed by a 50-60'ish gentleman who does a good Johnny Cash rendition, followed by a business looking guy doing a Sinatra:)

Oh, and most important factor of all to me... I get about 12 mpg max in my Bronco... I don't like to drive far. I stick to what's local most of the time.



.

_________________
♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

Where the mic is always hot
Where the songs sung are diverse
Where the beer is reasonably priced
Where the fry oil is frequently changed
Where karaoke music comprises the great majority of the show
Where everybody knows your naaame

Alright Seadriz - sounds like you're talkin' about my Thurs night show - come on up. PM me for directions. 7 to 10 on Thursdays....