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TroyVnd27
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:23 am |
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Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 7:10 pm Posts: 933 Location: Twin Lake, MI Been Liked: 59 times
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Lonman @ Fri Feb 18, 2011 1:04 am wrote: karaoke koyote @ Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:08 pm wrote: You are there to ENTERTAIN, not do what YOU want. You are getting paid. If the girls want to get up and dance, great! Actually in my situation I was hired for karaoke only. They did not want a dance club (although plenty of people pack the dance floor with the singers). They wanted a karaoke club. So we get more singers that come in regularly. Often times I can walk in the door and have slips already on the desk before I even turn the system on. But I have always been strictly karaoke as well since I started 20 years ago.
I started a new show tonight. I was there, as was my KJ. For the first 2 hours, we had the two of us singing and a guy that I will describe as a first week American Idol blooper reel singer (he was "special")
We did one round, played 2-3 "DJ songs" (actually videos) and went back to karaoke. By the 4th round, I realized Doofy wasn't spending any money, so I cut him off.
By 11:30, the bar was packed, yet I only had 5 customer-singers, so I kept up the "sing a round-play a round" routine".
The dance floor was packed. People were raving about what was going on.
I could have did a pure karaoke show - but I don't think I would have had the response that I did.
The bar was so happy with my "trial" night that they booked me indefinitely.
SCORRRREEEEEE!
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karaoke koyote
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 3:09 am |
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Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:38 pm Posts: 1149 Images: 1 Been Liked: 31 times
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How do you KNOW the people don't want you there?
Offer them something they WANT, and they will demand you there!
The thing is you have to "mix" with them and be their buddy, and pal around a bit. I guarantee, if you went up to a few of the "regulars" patted them on the back, and said, "hey man, I know you don't want to sing, what do you want to hear?" You might get, "Play some Stones!" or "Play some Zeppelin".... darn it, do just that! and be GENUINE about it!
A Jukebox isn't a person. A Jukebox can't get people up and dancing and smiling. Get to know what music they like and then SING IT YOURSELF!
I have started in dive bars that "didn't want me" and I can tell you I made my reputation off of it. The truth of the matter was, they "didn't know they wanted me!"
Its your business, and you can do what you want, but I can tell you, I go into those "tough" bars all the time, make a bunch of friends, pack the place and make money. It all about attitude and approach, not what bar you are playing in my friend.
Now, some bars owners are their worst enemies, make no mistake and you can't make them all winners, but I can tell by your original post, that part of your problem there is attitude. You don't want to be there, and you feel they don't want you.
_________________ Good music, good friends, howling good times!
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ripman8
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:20 am |
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Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 6:34 pm Posts: 3616 Location: Toronto Canada Been Liked: 146 times
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Adapting to the bar would be me. I've learned how to read crowds and if there is no one singing, or no one singing a song that makes people dance, I know I can fill that floor up. If someone is in the business strictly to do karaoke, be prepared for this scenereo (or a similar one) to crop up now and then.
I will mix it up. IF I don't have enough singers and only have 1 or 2 singing over and over, I will mix it up. I always make it a point to converse with them so they understand why I am doing what I am. If I have a good sized rotation and someone wants to hear a dance song, I explain that it's a karaoke show and only dance music played will be due to small or no rotations and/or some type of special occasion.
_________________ KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]
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lyquiddye
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:53 am |
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Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:26 pm Posts: 1252 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Been Liked: 3 times
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If I want to a bar an host sang every song cause there were no singers I would kill myself.
In my opinion you look like an idiot. Karaoke or not you are hired to entertain a bar, I'm 99% positive the people there don't want to hear you sing all night. Suck it up and cater to the crowd if the people want you to play music for them do it you are getting paid, you have music, you have a sound system.
If you can't get people in the bar and you refuse to entertain the customers that are there, I suggest you quit and let a good dj that will properly take care of the bar's customers and let them build a crowd.
DJing is about adapting, if my owner wants me to do anything, or I realize something would work better I do it.
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srnitynow
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:51 am |
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Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:00 pm Posts: 1096 Been Liked: 20 times
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Well, I've listened to your opinions, and still believe that (some of you) have never been to a corner bar. I don't care what kind of entertainment it is, THEY DON'T WANT IT. How do I know, they've told me. They've told the owner. The way they put it is "this isn't a place for entertainment". We really like your show, but this isn't the place for it. And to Liquid, and Koyote, I was hired for KARAOKE, not to be a DJ, or a JUKEBOX. If you want to (or need to), change your business to be WHATEVER a client wants you to be, that's GREAT (for you). I not only don't NEED, nor WANT to be hired to be a trained monkey. I got into the KARAOKE business, NOT the (what ever you want me to do) for hire. I've decided to NOT play at this venue, because as I told the owner, YOU may love our show, but your patrons DON'T WANT ENTERTAINMENT. Our other venue works just fine, WHY? Because the patrons WANT KARAOKE. I learned along time ago you can't put a square peg in a round hole. Like I also said, the money was good, but the work environment was just too much hassle. I'm in this to ENJOY myself, not to make millions.
Rosario
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theCheese
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:04 pm |
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Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 11:02 am Posts: 485 Location: third stone from the sun Been Liked: 2 times
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If I didn't play DJ songs in between karaoke singers, i'd be out of business years ago.
Girls come in, want to hear dance music.. they get a few drinks in 'em, and then they want to sing.
If when they came in and asked for those dance songs I were to tell 'em, "No. Only karaoke. Meanwhile, *I'LL* sing all night until someone else turns in a slip!" well.. the chicks would leave, and the place would be a ghost town.
Pretty much what you've got on your hands now.
If you're getting paid well at this gig, invest in a few popular music compilation CD's.. hit one of those used music stores and load up with stuff off the current top 40.
Rip the CD's into MP3's and play some dance music or filler stuff between singers, and watch people start sticking around.. watch the regulars start getting up to sing later in the evening.. and watch the bar business increase significantly.
If you're going to continue the 'old guard' mentality of 'karaoke only, no exceptions', then prepare to be looking for a new line of work in the not too distant future.
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ripman8
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 3:42 pm |
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Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 6:34 pm Posts: 3616 Location: Toronto Canada Been Liked: 146 times
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theCheese @ Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:04 pm wrote: If I didn't play DJ songs in between karaoke singers, i'd be out of business years ago.
Girls come in, want to hear dance music.. they get a few drinks in 'em, and then they want to sing.
If when they came in and asked for those dance songs I were to tell 'em, "No. Only karaoke. Meanwhile, *I'LL* sing all night until someone else turns in a slip!" well.. the chicks would leave, and the place would be a ghost town.
Pretty much what you've got on your hands now.
If you're getting paid well at this gig, invest in a few popular music compilation CD's.. hit one of those used music stores and load up with stuff off the current top 40.
Rip the CD's into MP3's and play some dance music or filler stuff between singers, and watch people start sticking around.. watch the regulars start getting up to sing later in the evening.. and watch the bar business increase significantly.
If you're going to continue the 'old guard' mentality of 'karaoke only, no exceptions', then prepare to be looking for a new line of work in the not too distant future.
I'm with cheese on this, and the comment about a trained monkey? If that referred to djing, I take exception. It's harder and takes more thinking than to be a karaoke host by far!
If my show is advertised as karaoke, then the only DJ songs will be played between singers. If I saw that as a problem, I would suggest to the owner to make it karaoke/DJ. Then it often works out as cheese said.
Besides, lighten up, this is supposed to be fun and no room for grumpy hosts or DJs!
_________________ KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]
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srnitynow
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:46 pm |
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Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:00 pm Posts: 1096 Been Liked: 20 times
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Sorry Ripman for sounding so HEAVY, but the (Original Question) was What would you do, (in respect to), since the crowd doesn't want you there, and the owner does. I was asking would you accept the gig, or turn it down. Then all of a sudden everybody is attacking my way of doing my show in reference to "karaoke only". All I wanted to know is would you take the gig or not. In reference to the term "trained monkey", it had NO reference to a DJ, so maybe YOU need to lighten up, and not be so fast to take offence. That term was meant to say that just because someone wants to pay me to entertain, doesn't mean that I'll do anything that they ask. If they want that, "get a trained monkey", not me. As far as people being able to dance, hasn't anyone seen people dance to karaoke singers? I know I have, practically EVERY show at my regular venue. I also have filler music, and if it is REALLY slow, may let a "few" play all the way through. Again, I'm not an "angry, or grumpy karaoke host", was just asking for opinions. BTW, are YOU now the official spokes person for the forum to tell another member there's "no place for them", even if they WERE grumpy. Have YOU never had a rant since you've been on here?
Thanks for the opinions!!!
Rosario
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theCheese
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:15 pm |
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Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 11:02 am Posts: 485 Location: third stone from the sun Been Liked: 2 times
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I absolutely guarantee that crowd would be receptive to 'entertainment', they just don't want to sit and listen to you and your girlfriend sing karaoke all night long.. and they're just too nice to tell you that.
Sure, if they have poker machines, or some other kind of gambling type thing going on you're going to get that core element of patrons who really could give a crap less what else is going on in the club.. unless that something else is highly annoying or significantly unpleasant to them.
Being in the 'karaoke' business means doing something that entertains the patrons when you don't have singers.. and it also means you understand that karaoke is about the PATRONS SINGING.. not you.
I fully agree with the person who said "we are KJs FIRST (let the singers sing!), DJs SECOND, and Singers THIRD"
Over the years i've picked up many a gig where the #1 complaint about the last KJ was that they thought it was the 'them' show.
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Lonman
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:24 pm |
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Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2001 3:57 pm Posts: 22978 Songs: 35 Images: 3 Location: Tacoma, WA Been Liked: 2126 times
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srnitynow @ Sat Feb 19, 2011 5:46 pm wrote: As far as people being able to dance, hasn't anyone seen people dance to karaoke singers? Yep, every night we have dancers dancing to the singers.
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theCheese
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:48 pm |
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Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 11:02 am Posts: 485 Location: third stone from the sun Been Liked: 2 times
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Lonman wrote: srnitynow wrote: As far as people being able to dance, hasn't anyone seen people dance to karaoke singers? Yep, every night we have dancers dancing to the singers.
We're clearly talking about two entirely different demographics.
Sure people dance to karaoke singers.. but generally not the 21 to early 30's crowd..unless you've got singers belting out Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Taio Cruze, User, Far East Movement, etc.
I can't tell you how many times i've had people dancing to my vocal renditions of such popular classics as "Brandy (You're a fine girl)" and even two stepping to favorites like Alan Jackson's "Good Time" or Confederate Railroad's "Trashy Women".
But those aren't people in the 21 to early 30's age group.. and that's the age group most likely to be hanging out in bars most frequently.
Further.. sometimes people like to dance to the original song.. not somebody butchering their favorite song with a karaoke rendition.
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jerry12x
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:42 pm |
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Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:40 am Posts: 2289 Location: Bolton UK Been Liked: 3 times
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Rosario. Fair comment.
Like you decided...
I would have also turned it down.
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Lonman
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:46 am |
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Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2001 3:57 pm Posts: 22978 Songs: 35 Images: 3 Location: Tacoma, WA Been Liked: 2126 times
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theCheese @ Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:48 pm wrote: Lonman wrote: srnitynow wrote: As far as people being able to dance, hasn't anyone seen people dance to karaoke singers? Yep, every night we have dancers dancing to the singers. We're clearly talking about two entirely different demographics. Sure people dance to karaoke singers.. but generally not the 21 to early 30's crowd..unless you've got singers belting out Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Taio Cruze, User, Far East Movement, etc. We get those songs regularaly along with classic rock & 90's pop to 80's metal (country is sporadic, but still get dancers). It DOES work if the show is nothing but singers. The singers actually want to perform danceable songs. But again, our scenerio is different than most, we are karaoke only 7 nights a week. People that want to actually sing come here, if they want to dance AND sing, they come here. If they want to dance only, they go elsewhere - and I have a list of places the can go dance on any given night if they do not feel the singers are good enough to dance to.
Again, avg age group - 20-30! It CAN work for karaoke only if that is the way it is promoted. I've said it before & i'll say it again, a karaoke night (a night that HAS to mix other things in to keep it working) is different than a karaoke club (that does nothing else).
To be perfectly honest, I watch people walk out of the bar every night when I start my shows. I watch people complain that their songs they paid for on the jukebox (even thought there is a warning sign do not put any money in 10 minutes to 9 as karaoke will begin and no refunds will be given) every night. But in that same time, I watch those seats that left get filled with people that come in to sing and yes to dance to singers! And YES they do in fact spend money that makes it worth while. I wouldn't have been there 20 year (nearly) if it wasn't worth it.
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Paradigm Karaoke
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 3:57 am |
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Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 6:24 pm Posts: 5107 Location: Phoenix Az Been Liked: 1279 times
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hell yeah it can be done. we do not play dance music....at all. you wanna dance, dance to the karaoke singers. considering our slow nights are 12 singers, never a problem. would i take that bar....maybe not. if the in house crown is dead set against anything that may possibly interrupt their quiet drinking themselves to death and fighting keeps the outside singers away, you just may be against a brick wall. if you have tried all you know how to do and cannot make a dent, there is nothing more you can do, my 2 cents is move on.
_________________ Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens
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theCheese
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 7:03 am |
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Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 11:02 am Posts: 485 Location: third stone from the sun Been Liked: 2 times
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No doubt it can be done.. but it's the exception, not the rule.
Just like 7 day a week karaoke shows, or nearly fully automated shows, or people paying per song to sing karaoke.
Things that can, and do work, but that probably represent the minority of karaoke shows in the U.S.
I'll sing a song or two in order to encourage singers to start turning in slips.. but I often say that a good night is when I don't have to sing a single song.
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BruceFan4Life
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 7:49 am |
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Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 10:03 pm Posts: 2674 Location: Jersey Been Liked: 160 times
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I sang an Elvis medley last night and it seemed like the entire bar was dancing for seven minutes.....and it wasn't just the old people.
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jerry12x
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:10 am |
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Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:40 am Posts: 2289 Location: Bolton UK Been Liked: 3 times
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theCheese @ Sun Feb 20, 2011 3:03 pm wrote: No doubt it can be done.. but it's the exception, not the rule.
They seem to think it's the rule at my shows.
Silly people.
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theCheese
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 9:31 am |
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Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 11:02 am Posts: 485 Location: third stone from the sun Been Liked: 2 times
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jerry12x @ Sun Feb 20, 2011 11:10 am wrote: theCheese @ Sun Feb 20, 2011 3:03 pm wrote: No doubt it can be done.. but it's the exception, not the rule. They seem to think it's the rule at my shows. Silly people.
.. I suspect the majority of people living in a crackhouse think smoking concentrated cocaine out of an old aluminum can is the rule, and not the exception.. and in their little chunk of the world, they'd be right.
I'd be willing to wager that if one were to poll every bar in the U.S., from coast to coast, they'd find three quarters or more of the bars advertising 'karaoke' at least one night a week play DJ music as well on 'karaoke night'.
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jerry12x
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 10:19 am |
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Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:40 am Posts: 2289 Location: Bolton UK Been Liked: 3 times
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theCheese @ Sun Feb 20, 2011 5:31 pm wrote: three quarters or more of the bars advertising 'karaoke' at least one night a week play DJ music as well on 'karaoke night'.
Back last year I got laid off because it was so quiet.
I played a lot of dance music then.
Now it is picking up.
Last night I was hammered for six hours non stop.
Some really good singers and people were dancing to them.
I think if I had played dance music the singers would have been miffed
Saying that I'm not sure that people would want to dance if the singer was bad.
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Lonman
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 10:43 am |
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Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2001 3:57 pm Posts: 22978 Songs: 35 Images: 3 Location: Tacoma, WA Been Liked: 2126 times
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theCheese @ Sun Feb 20, 2011 10:31 am wrote: I'd be willing to wager that if one were to poll every bar in the U.S., from coast to coast, they'd find three quarters or more of the bars advertising 'karaoke' at least one night a week play DJ music as well on 'karaoke night'.
Which is probably why they don't get 'singers' & need to play dj music. I don't go to places that 'advertise' karaoke & then play dj music. I go to sing, if I wanted to hear a dj i'd go to a dance club. Or if I wanted both, i'd look for karaoke/dj on the ad.
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