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 Post subject: Attack of the tweens!
PostPosted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:27 pm 
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My Friday show is a 3 hour run from 9pm until midnight. The show is building slowly (has been since Sept of last year) and is covering its costs but not getting consistently bigger. The current problem is the tweens who come in with their parents. They sing generally as bad as you would expect immature voices to sing, but sing all the latest pop songs, you know, the ones about getting drunk, whacked out on drugs, disrespect for women or even with swear words (which the kids self censor.) Their parents are happy since they get to come out for a meal / drink, pay less to feed and water their kids than they would a babysitter etc.

Other bar / restaurant patrons tire of the kids and we actually lose tables as a result, I also wonder how many people don't even say anything, just leave and not come back.

I have been asked to modify the rotation such that the kids sing a lot less which is difficult when we start the show as it's generally just me and them. The owners seemed to stop short of outright telling the kids they can no longer sing, rather leaving it up to me to be 'diplomatic' - The kids and their parents are obviously providing some income!

One option I'm looking at is trying to set up a self-serve kiosk with single speaker and microphone in the game room so the kids can sing behind closed doors and the grown up show can continue, but that requires a few programming changes to my touch screen songbook to make it into a networked media player, not to mention the problems with having a basically unattended machine for a few hours and actually getting the hardware together!

Anyone else dealt with this kind of issue?

- Jonn


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 3:58 am 
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In other words the tweens sing the same things as the adults do and just as badly. If the kids are allowed in and allowed to sing, they are the same as everyone else. We have adult singers who are bad singers and/or sing "inappropriate" songs but that is the cost of doing business.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:08 am 
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Yes they sing some of the same stuff, mixed in with some radio Disney kind of stuff. And my viewpoint from a hosting stance is that they get the same chance as everyone else. However, if they bar/restaurant makes less money because of the tweens, I make less money (I'm on a generous sliding scale). If they stop karaoke completely, I lose out. All's fair in love & war, but this is business and business ain't fair!

Do I want the tweens and their parents coming in? Yes because I probably make $25 because of them. I also want the harder drinkers coming in who have a DD and who will down shots all night. Drunk 20-30 year olds who are not yet parents find the kids cute for 1 song, then they leave because they don't feel comfortable behaving like bar patrons when there are kids around.

This is one of those cases where business needs and good karaoke rules clash, I'm hoping to find a happy medium!

Jonn


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:11 am 
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Don't forget those "Tweens" will be future paying customers.

Would the owner let you start your show at 8pm? Or maybe you could run your show a little longer and only permit over 18/21 after 11pm.

Mojo

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:13 am 
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The cold hard truth is that BAD KARAOKE no matter at what age is intolerable to most people. Believe me I undersatnd how "cute" it is as a parent to see you child sing a karaoke song. But if its horrible it's only CUTE to the parents and familiy.

Believe me other patrons thinks its abnoxious -specially if they are trying to eat dinner and hold conversations at their tables.

Limit the time the KIDS can sing ---9pm-9:30pm only then ADULTS ONLY
Limit the songs the same kid can sing ..maybe 1 song ? in the 30 mins.
Use your judgment..if the kid is actually GOOD and entertaining maybe sing 2 songs LOL.

Since at the start of the show its just YOU and THEM ..maybe do some sing alongs with the kids --this way you can assist them and pick out appropriate songs.
(put on a show) .... Good Luck


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:18 am 
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I wonder if your owner would go for a separate Saturday afternoon, kid oriented show? I was just talking to a friend of mine about a karaoke show she took her daughter to. It was at a pizza place in a small town and the place was packed with tweens. From what she said, the owner was doing phenomenal pizza business.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:26 am 
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I'd just make a rule, "Must be 21 to sing after 10pm". That might keep them coming in early so they get to sing, but make them leave later.

I do a lot of "tweeners" shows as I do a lot of volunteer work. I know how they can dominate the place, particularly if you allow serial group sings. (I don't, you get one turn per rotation no matter what form it takes.) You have to make sure you manage it.

They usually understand -- they're kids. They know they are not the same as adults.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 9:00 am 
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Since the bar is having the problem, THEY need to set the rule and be responsible. If anyone that is not allowed to sing has a problem, direct them to the people that set the rule.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 9:03 am 
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Yep, you can't alienate the kids. I don't care for kids at a place past 10. I personally don't think it's right. Before then no problem. We take our kids to eat with us to some "bar and grills" for dinner, but always leave at or by 10. It's nice to let them enjoy themselves with what we do also. BTW, mine are 11 &15. But since it is a drinking place, I don't think letting them stay until 10 only, is bad. It lets them in, introduces the place them, and hopefully sets it in thier brains to come there once of age.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 9:52 am 
Lonman @ Wed Apr 07, 2010 9:00 am wrote:
Since the bar is having the problem, THEY need to set the rule and be responsible. If anyone that is not allowed to sing has a problem, direct them to the people that set the rule.


There you go.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:53 pm 
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Lonman is right on point. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If the owner doesnt want the kids singing then its his business to change.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 2:04 pm 
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I agree with Lonman on this one. Had a simular situation but it had to do with water drinkers. The owners only wanted people who paid for their drinks to sing so they instituted a get your slip as you buy a drink format. The only time I had to enforce it I directed the person to the owner who instantly backed me up.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 2:38 pm 
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I feel so lucky now that the Tweens at my show can sing! I treat the kids at my show the same as the adults (even the one that is absolutely amazing has to wait his turn).

But perhaps in your situation having a cut of point for them of about 9:30 is a good idea. Would it possible for you to treat them in similar to adults who lack in vocal talents or continually sing in groups?

eg: I think you would do a really good job at (enter short/ more appropriate song here).
I bet you could sing that on your own.


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