Karaoke Forums

We've all seen people leave for smoke. Sometimes maybe they don't like the song that is being sung. Sometimes, it is merely a cigarette calling, "smoke me, smoke me!", or sometimes they go outside to talk with a friend. But how long does the break ultimately last? Vote what you observe...

Great post

I think proximity and where the crowd is has some bearing on it. Before I answer the question let me say the door to the porch is directly next to the stage. Some nights half of my singers or more are on the porch.

Saying that my smoke breaks are less than 3 minutes on an average. I have to set the singer before I leave the stage and most songs even if they are long have music intros. I never get to smoke an entire cigarrette, usually a third of it or maybe half.

If I know someone is up next I'll yell out the window or door. I usually only go out and visit if I'm having a smoke.

I have on a occasion been able to visit longer on a slow night. That's when I'll allow longer songs.

I'd say my cigarrette breaks aren't much longer than my bathroom breaks. I've learned to go quick.

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I see guys go out for a cig. often.

Never though when there is a good looking woman singing.

This is curious.

So as not to change the subject I started another post to further research.

http://www.karaoke-forum.com/viewtopic.php?p=255321

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EveningStar Entertainment & Events
JR & Michele LaPorte
Peoria, AZ

Oh my - I'm now part of research.

I observed Babs in her enviroment to determine her natural habits. She can be seen appearing only in the evening. If you keep close eye you may see her pick her nose on stage or in rare occasions a wedgy. Mating habits have never been documented on film.

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Woah!

I'm too affraid to go there.

I might be mistaken for a peeping Tom.

Then my wife would divorce me

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EveningStar Entertainment & Events
JR & Michele LaPorte
Peoria, AZ

No clue, we can still smoke in the club I work so there are no 'cigarette breaks'.

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I don't know at the one club where the KJ left to smoke when there were people waiting to sing, I left and never came back.

Seriously. If you have an assistant and want to smoke no problem if the assistant can run the show for a song or two.

The KJs put on 3 dance songs and left to smoke while there were 15+ singers waiting to sing.

I never returned to that club.

As for "breaks" (bathroom, bar, cig or otherwise) if you can fit them within a song while making sure the song is running well (ie watch the singer for at least 20-30 seconds) and come back well before the end of the song (ie at least 30 seconds) no problem. Such breaks should be rare as well (no more than 1-2 an hour as an absolute max).

But as far as I am concerned when a KJ starts doing dance music to "cover" breaks that is very un professional.

As for me, I dont smoke.

At certain venues I have quite a few breaks, always when someone is singing. . . it gets me away from the stage (where I stand behind a box) and allows me to mingle with the crowd. If the crowd is smoking outside I'll join them, if they are sat down in the venue I'll welcome them and ask how they are, if I need a drink I'm going to the bar (and checking everything is alright with the barstaff/owner), if I need a "wee" I going to have one, and if i'm out and about i can collect requests.

Always leave the stage when i know the singer and the song and I have enough time. I have made mistakes and missed the end (i'm human). . . but I just jokingly chastise the audience for not clapping loud enough and drawing my attention away from what I was doing. In these few circumstances, it's easy to just shout out across the bar, rather than use a mic (since I'm no where near it) because the silence is deafening

Never do I get a whole fag, switched to "roll ups" for this reason, and still never finish it.

Interesting responses here. I don't smoke myself, but whenever I see my brother-in-law, who does smoke, he always steps outside for at least 2 cigarettes, and that's about 10 minutes at least. I've always had some admiration for smokers because they seem impervious to the cold--more so than non-smokers. The weather can be freezing, and they'll take the same lenght of cigarette break as they do in normal weather!

It depends on how nice the weather is. It depends on how many pretty girls are outside smoking. It depends on how the converstation is going outside. It depends on how bad the singer really is. It depends on who is singing next.

Can't put an average number on it.

depends on how bad the singer is

OK, I'm a chain-smoker; I know it's not good for me or anyone else, yadda-yadda-yadda. So please don't preach to me!
North Carolina law goes into effect in January outlawing smoking in all restaurants and bars (except richie-rich fat-cat country club bars, go figure). This will include all my karaoke shows.
I am dreading this with a passion.
Now I can drag down a cig in about 30-45 seconds when I set my mind to it, so I won't have any problem sneaking a quick break during a song.
I'm only worried about having to take 20 breaks an hour.

The boyfriend was looking into those electronic cigarettes but now the FDA is trying to ban them and you have to get the more costlier ones for them to function. But a pharmacist was telling me about the nicotine lipops he compounds using Jolly Ranchers. You take a "hit" when you feel the need and then put it back in the wrapper for the next time. It is better than the lozenges because you get to hold something in your hand/mouth and just suck on it for as long as you need it. You might look into a prescription for those to tide you through.

I have never heard of the lipops! I just quit last month. Using the patch and so far, doing ok. I have found it is really much more of a mental thing for me. My husband went cold turkey, so he says. I think he cheats at work. .

Folks still smoke in bars here. No smoking ban yet. I wished there was. Even as a heavy smoker, I don't like smoking inside.

Funny Babs, but shouldn't it have read like this:
"I observed Babs in her enviroment "with the rest of her monkey clan" to determine her natural habits.

Cig breaks for places where I go are always during songs only. It helps that they're by the door. 2 other places we go to are done by couples, so that makes it easier.

I have often wondered why they don't take a 10-15 break though, once a night. I've got no problem with that, isn't it common practice to get abreak when you have at least a 4 hr shift?.

I always play one filler song between rounds, and did so even before the [illegal in NJ, but hey....] smoking ban.

I guess smoke breaks would last the length of one average song.

As for me, I'm one of those rarities without the receptor ( yes, they actually exist) for nicotine addiction. I enjoy a smoke now and then, but don't need to do it when I'm working.

However, if it's a slow night, I might have one, but that would happen only during the filler song between rounds..

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Feel for you, Jer....it will be tough at first. Washington State went smoke-free 3-4 years ago now, maybe? Anyway, hubby still smokes, manages to sneak out during a song and finish most of the times. At times I will have to run up to the board and bump the filler music and announce next singer, but he is within earshot and knows when he needs to get back in.

I am SOOOO greatful that I never started.

It seems like non smoking laws always go into effect in the winter. What are these lawmakers thinking? They should wait until summer when the weather's nice to get smokers used to going outside.

From my experience you can expect business to be way off until at least President's Day weekend. I understand your dreading.

I use an electronic cigarette when I'm working. Therefore, there's no need for a "break".