Karaoke Forums

Best of luck with this Scott - sounds like you've got a good handle on it. I think each of us has to realize that our own methods of dealing maybe apply to our own situations and we certainly can't be aware of everyone elses' situations. Post some pics!

Best of luck Scott. Let us know how things go. If problems crop up, let us know about them too so we'll all know more if we're in this situation.

These are the same people who complain about DIVAs at their shows yet here they are creating a young diva who will someday be at your shows as an adult expecting that same special treatment. I wonder what this little girl will be telling all of her friends at school about how the karaoke show starts early "just for her" to be a star. Maybe 5 or 6 of her friends talk their parents into going to the family karaoke show and now you have 6 or 7 little girls who want the same treatment as their friend. Fast forward 6 or 7 years and this girl is on one of the audition shows for American Idol and everyone is laughing at her and she is telling Simon that he doesn't know what he's talking about because all of the karaoke hosts in her town tell her that she is a special singer. They even would start their shows early just so people could get to hear her sing.

Be fair to everyone regardless of age..if your not you might lose some singers

I think you just need to ENFORCE A WHOLE BUNCH OR RULES for your kids show!! That would take care of it. The more RIGID AND INFLEXIBLE the better!!!

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"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 have the exact same type of venue, restaurant seperate from the bar. The only problem that I see that you may encounter, is if the restaurant is busy on that certain night of the week, the owner may not want you to set up earlier, as it may be disturbing to the restaurant patrons, and they don't want to lose any restaurant customers to accomodate karaoke. That's why the show usually starts AFTER most of the restaurant crowd is gone. But if they night is slow for the restaurant, it should be beneficial, as you could pick up a few adult regulars in the process, along with their daughter. Good luck.

Rosario

Taylor Swift's record company, Big Machine Records, has her entire first album in Karaoke format using the original tracks. TS is a big karaoke fan. I think that's how she got her start.

I know this because I bought it for my little girl at WM a few weeks ago. I think it was around 12 bucks.

You'll probably want to also pick up all three High School Musical CD-Gs and there are 2 Hannah Montana and 1 Miley Cyrus CD-Gs all published by Disney Karaoke, so basically you're getting the original tracks.

UPDATE: Big Machine is releasing TS second album in karaoke format today! (3/31)

--Tad

Jones Bros - two CDGs for them at W/M too. Tad, that's probably the TS I saw at W/M last weekend. There were a LOT of songs on it.

I have one of the HS Musical CDGs, and a few individual tracks, but we don't get nearly the requests for those. It may be that applies to a 12-14 age group and I don't get that many of that age (most of my young girl singers are 6-11).

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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.

I find the children are better behaved than some of the adults we've gotten.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

They grew up with a karaoke machine and they are not karaoke nuts. They dont sit there tracking the rotation or trying to get bumped like its the last song they will ever sing. They try new songs ad when requesting tell you what cd's they are on or where to download in fact they might download at the bar. They are not drunks but good kids who have classes the next morn. They socialize and talk about other things besides karaoke. They range in age from 4-21 and yes most can fit into a local bars social structure even under age. They do expect preferential treatment like karaoke nuts because they dont need it. Some kids go thru a strong karaoke phase and need to be encouraged and cultivated.

And yes they make the nest hosts and are easily trainable because they dont have all this crap in their mind about how karaoke should be ran.

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Scottie

I have much experience with the "environment" you have described and I do understand exactly how you feel. Unfortunately in this thread, as in so many other threads, you have posters who change and/or make up circumstances, such as BFFL (it's a trait of his), and people whose ideas don't address your IMMEDIATE dilemma, though Bill H has, IMO, a sane approach for the short term.

Sometimes to resolve a problem one must think "outside of the box", and some posters have tried that. Sometimes to resolve a problem one must think in extremes, and I think that latter approach will serve you best!

So consider that if you strive to make the youngun's comfortable, people will notice and eventually bring their kids and grandkids to sing next time. In fact, I am surprised that hasn't already happened!

So, ask yourself, "what do you think would be the best approach to the rotation if you had three adorable little singers waiting patiently for their next turns as the clock headed towards 10PM"?

Sometimes those non-traditional singers can get the crowd fired up. I had a 90 year old lady in the bar with her son last Friday. He made her get up and sing "Wonderful World" and every eye was on her as she warbled it out. I was watching and there was more than one "smirk" in the crowd. But when she finished, 3/4 of the room gave her a standing ovation and it really set a good tone for the rest of the night.

I did a Boys & Girls Club Family Night show a few weeks ago. I went to WM specifically to get the Hannah Montana, Cheetah Girls, Jonas Bros. & High School Musical (actually picked that one up at the local Goodwill, unopened, brand new in package for $3.99). Singers ranged from about 6 to 18 - HM was the big hit of the night, then HSM much to my surprise (I think it was the 2nd edition) - and they all sang along to that. I've never had an adult, EVER, sing off any of these, but this selection kept the kids busy. I had selections from other Disney movies already in the book - Little Mermaid is always a hit, too.

I listed the songs on cardstock in fairly big letters and then laminated them, and I made about 6 of those sheets - listing songs on both sides. It was much easier for them than flipping through books, especially since so few of them understand alphabetical order (seriously) and being laminated they are pretty well indestructible.

I kind of miss doing kids shows, really - too bad most of them turn into a 'drop off the kids' situation.

UPDATE*

OK, to all those interested in the outcome of this little "situation", here is what happened last night.

Got there earlier than normal, found a couple of families already there waiting for karaoke. Said to myself,,,hmmmm,,,interesting. Started setting up my stuff, and about half way through setting up, they started bringing up song slips. OK, so now i'm thinking what am I in for tonight? I was finished getting ready about 15 minutes before start time, which like I said is 8 p.m. And by that time I had about 10 slips already!!! HOLY COW! Never had that happen before. Of the ten slips, 5 were children! The little girl that I was so concerned about got there after 8, but I still put her up with the children first in the rotation. So, as far as my plan on letting her sing sound check? didn't happen!, I never even got a sound check! Just started letting the kids sing first. Parents really appreciated that I let them go before them, even tho some of the adults had slips in before the children.

First rotation had 26 singers, including all the children. Took about an hour and forty minutes to get through just that one! OK, back to the kids now, with about 15 minutes left before they need to leave (10 p.m.). Perfect timing for the kids to sing, but still didn't solve the problem with giving them any extra songs, but then again, not sure if they really wanted them. They seemed to be happy as clams just being there and having a fun with their friends and families. The situation still exists for this one girl, but last night it didn't seem to be an issue at all, cuz she got to sing her songs, and sing with her little friends as well.

10 p.m. rolls around, I have to make the announcement the minors have to leave. So the families all said their goodbyes and thank you's and leave. Thought to myself, WHEEEWW! made it through that one, finally! Boy was I surprised. With the children and their parents leaving, I lost about a dozen singers. So I though I might be finally able to get to a normal rotation....WRONG AGAIN!.. Second rotation got right back up to 27 singers almost instantly. Throughout that rotation, I would get singers who would sing there songs and say thanks, had a great time, and then leave! But the rotation still stayed at 27-29 people, lose one singer, get one or two extras. By the end of the night I actually had over 40 singers in all. Second biggest rotation I have ever had! ( biggest was over 90,,,BAD memories on that one).

Anyway, looking at last night, which I believe was a total success, I think I did things the way the needed to be done in regards to the kids. I think the word is now getting out that I have a show that the kids can have fun at, and that the parents think that I am being fair to their little tikes, and not trying to discourage them from singing. Thats my goal in this case. Families are the core of this establishment, and I will give the kids every opportunity to participate with the adults singing.

On a side note, the other KJ, with whom I share the venue with, (she does all fridays, and the alternating saturdays when i'm not there) has been trying to sabotage my shows! I say "BAD FORM GIRLIE" There is room for both of us. She is telling her regulars NOT to attend my shows, because she wants all the nights to herself. She was there first, but from the owners mouth herself, they are not happy with her. She sings more than anyone, has a small selection, and her sound is lacking. She is however, a charming young lady and sings quite well, even if she is full of herself. Her trying to sabotage my shows doesn't seem to working on her part!! As you can see, 40+ singers in a night? I call that pretty dang good if you ask me. Even several of the regulars that attend her show and mine, say they wish I could do it more there. My sound quality, selection and fairness of rotation is getting big compliments from the crowd.

Again, thanks to all of you who gave such great input on this topic.

Scott

That's great news ... glad it all worked out so well. As for the alternate KL, it may be that her attitude and poor business acumen will result in karaoke host karma - and your picking up her shows anyway. Telling singers NOT to come to your show? How does the manager at the place deal with that? Someone pulling people out of his/her place? Tacky, tacky, tacky.

Good work Scott. I used to do a Sushi restaurant/bar that served food until 1:30 am and didn't have a very clear divide between bar and restaurant. When summer came around there were a fair number of families in the bar when I started at 9:00 and they started staying to sing, mostly the kids sang. The kids were in the early teens and the environment wasn't a rough and tumble bar so them staying till midnight wasn't out of place. After a couple of nights the owner told me he didn't want to have minors sing after 10:00 because the bar patrons, the majority of the evening take, were ticked off at losing slots to the kids and were leaving when the kids stayed and sang.

So I started kicking things off a little early to accommodate the kids and the regulars singers started coming in earlier too, same problem but now running even longer. I let the kids have preference in the early 30 minutes figuring it was a good way to send them off. Honestly it was a mistake to do because the kids now started thinking it was "Their Half Hour" and started getting uppity about it.

In the end the kids didn't pay my bills, didn't really contribute to the bottom line and they had to be cut loose. While I got plenty of kind words and appreciation from the parents, the kids just thought it was their due to be put on stage and be made stars and had no sense of decorum. The last straw was when one of the little darlings stood up during a very bad rendition of the singing of "God Bless the USA" and declared the "This singer sucks, this song sucks, this nation sucks and I want to go home."

The vet on stage missing the limb (Iraq) who was singing that didn't hear her but I decided that I didn't really want kids at shows that are not specifically aimed at families. I do a family venue as a fill in for a friend and do fine there but it's in a low price, very family oriented restaurant and the kids aren't nearly so uppity. Might simply be the types the venues attract.

Karen, thanks for your comment. However, I really do wish her well, just hope she learns her lesson before it comes to that. I have been asked why I don't host there more often, and I have to tell them that I have other shows and am dedicated to them. This place is my latest addition and therefore is last in order of importance. My longest running shows get first pick of dates, that's how I work. One I have hosted for over 4 years, and the other 2 have been for over 3 years each. This one I have only had for a couple of months. They accept that fact fully, and I think they appreciate my honesty too. This venue will probably become a bigger part of my schedule as time progresses, but for now I just hope the other host matures and keeps her shows in tact. I believe that is best for the restaurant/bar.

Scott

The kids may not pay but their parents sure do. As for the poor fprm of one kid, there are many adults who also show poor form. Anyone who shows poor form doesn't get to sing. Easy solution to that problem.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

Kids need supervision and rules. I expect the parents to provide the supervision of the wee ones although I have had 5 year olds with better manners than a lot of grownups. They take it very serious and listen to everything I say. Remember they mimic the grownups and do as they do.

For first timers I tell a parent to turn in a slip that is well filled out. I then date it and return it for a souvenir. In bars I wont let a young one sing without parents present and helping unless they are a reg and know the rules.

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