Karaoke Forums

Well Babs, since you are probably the closest KJ on this forum to me, I should come up and see one of your shows. I'm about 3.5 hours to downtown Chicago and maybe a bit over 3 hours to Ohara.

_________________
KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

I would love a visit !

JR is right, it usually takes time to build a crowd. If you did that well your first night I'm sure you'd be a hit there. Karaoke is less expensive than having a band. If this guy was smart he'd hire you and pay you accordingly.

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

Didn't you mention he wanted your logo so the beer companies could make a banner for advertising? Sounds like he was all set to hire you--wonder if this IS just a negotiating game as suggested. Straight forward would be easier to work with, though.

Beer distributor companies provide those banners to bars for free usually so using that as a negotiating tactic is cheesy. In the Milwaukee area, KJs average $150-175 per night. Quad City demographics are similar, so don't take less. It's hard to get these guys to pay you your regular price once you've agreed to the lower cost.

Quick update! Owner called, booked me thru September at MY price! Finally, I'm a regular!

_________________
KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Congradulations Ripman.

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

Gotta busy week, won't be able to hang here much. I am only bringing one light to this gig. The Chauvet Scorpion Storm RG. Check it out, it's incredible.

_________________
KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Congrats ! I'm glad you stuck to your guns on price.

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

Congrats Rip! Way to go!

I'd be interested in hearing how your Chauvet Storm light worked out. What size venue? I checked out a youtube video and it looks pretty cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF7dK5btGyM

Just got my fog machine. Fogged up my house. Scorpion Storm is all that and more! Watching the rays come at you is a little disturbing. Next they need to get all colors instead of just green and red! Two machines are supposed to be able to do a large hall of 400 to 500 people according to this video. I got mine refurbished for $260 and paid another 90 for the fog machine Chavet F-1250 and paid another $20 for 2 gallons of fog juice. Maybe a bit for karaoke but what I lack in experience, I make up with pizazz! So rays in the area and spectacular moving lights on the floor and walls.

_________________
KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Congratulations ripman! I wish you good luck and success with your show! =)

Thanks Sevarin and to everyone else!

_________________
KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

WTG Rip,

I thought everyone used lights and fog at karaoke shows... I have five chauvet lights and 2 fog machines for my karaoke shows as well. I think we may need to seek help from the karaoke police soon, Good luck!!! P.S. Can't use the fog machines at all shows.... be leary of smoke alarms!!

And people who are deathly allergic. We used to use fog & had a gal go into a asthmatic attic to the point we needed to call an ambulance, the Dr. directly accused the fog machine - may be rare & possibly a coincidence that had nothing to do with it, but be aware it's a possibility/liability! We haven't used the fog in several years.

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

Point taken. Never seen this as an issue in all my many clubbin' days but I did see a 24 year old teacher have a heart attack right on the dance floor in 98 and died before getting to the hospital. No drugs involved.

_________________
KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

We get the same effect from all the cigarette smoke. (which, come to think of it, could have caused that asthma attack also?).

I like lights as I think they add to the party atmosphere but count me as one of those that doesn't like things floating around in the air--especially the scented stuff.

Owner called me up, asked me to DJ this Friday and Karaoke Saturday in addition to my regualr Thursday karaoke. Cool thing is I can leave everything set up each night!

_________________
KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

ripman, you have got to get more songs though. I started with 7900 songs for about a $2000 investment.

That included SC foundation and all the bricks, sweet georgia brown, all hits and legends 1 - 179!

Craigs list DOES have a lot of good stuff as does ebay.

Karaoke.com has the foundation series and all the bricks on sale right now for less than $1000!! In addition they have a ton of discs on sale for as little as .99!

That's not to mention what you can find in the bargin bins. Search out the nearest karaoke store and go there... yes, the tracks may not be the best, but you can fill some holes till you can your hands on better tracks.

You can't afford .99 a track, so look for bargins... thats a job in and of itself!

Good luck!!

Yes, I know... as I've bragged in other posts the karaoke.com warehouse is just down the street from me, but there are other avenues for bargins too.

_________________
Good music, good friends, howling good times!

I go back on forth on buying cheap songs just to have songs. We did at first and I'm glad we had the SGB set because many singers in what we had known to be a an oldies/country crowd surprised us by being partial to 90s rock once given the opportunity. But they want those songs to be accurate and now I cringe whenever I see an SGB come up on a slip. Not that I don't actually like some of the selections but it is just less predictable and thus nerve-wracking.

So I go back and forth betwen stocking up on lesser brands when a sale comes up and then replacing the songs actually done with better versions. In fact if it is rock I just go to SC or SBI or Zoom and not try to go cheap. But if the Koyote means to look for deals on GOOD brands, I'd go with that.

What I did find helped was putting out a request list and letting people know if there was a song they didn't see in our books we would order it. That way you may have less songs to start off with but at least you have the ones they want.

That Sound Choice deal sounds like a bargain not to be missed. And congratulations on your success. It sounds like you proved to be a better money maker for the bar than even the bands.

Thanks!

As far as the songs, I started my first gig with just over 2000. My next gig was 2300. Then 2500. Then 2800. As of right now I am at 3600 and I have a package of cdgs at the post office (just missed the delivery darn it!) that should bump me up another 1000 songs. So, I am continually adding and everyone knows that if they request a song that I don't have, I will get it for them if it is on the market. Now that I have my system the way I want it, all my karaoke spend money is going towards songs. I already have both foundations. Bought the two combined for 400 bucks.

As a note, the 3 day thing is just this week. Not saying it won't happen again but,,,,,

_________________
KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]