Karaoke Forums

Okay, so I went out to a local bar, where I am a regular, friends with the owner and everything, to sing Karaoke. The bar owner bought the Karaoke equipment and has a person who runs it for him. (they are disc based) Now, they don't have the best selection, but I can usually find enough songs to sing to fill the night. I know how the "KJ" runs their rotation, and noticed that I had been skipped. I asked the person when I was up next, as I didn't want to be that guy that goes "why the *&%$$ did you skip me". and much to my surprise I was told that she "didn't feel like listening to me sing a 'screamer' song". the song in question was Aenima by tool.

Now, I have been to places that edit their books to cull out certain types of songs... I don't like it, but I understand it. I have even been told after filling out a slip that the venue owner at a particular place didn't want a certain song played, even though it was in the books. I really didn't like that, but I understood it. But for someone who calls themselves a KJ to tell me I cant sing a song cause they "don't want to hear it" really ticked me off. Then she sighs, and says "I guess I will let you sing it, but if people start covering their ears or leaving, I'm going to cut your mic".

A few minutes later my turn comes up, and as I'm walking up to sing, they get on the mic, and give a 5 minute speech about how if people don't like swearing, or yelling, that they may want to go outside, and that she is sooooo sorry if anyone gets offended (and when I say 5 minutes, I mean it, 4 and a half minutes with me standing there holding a mic in my hand, fuming) I start to sing, and lo and behold, no one leaves, in fact about ten people who were out on the patio came in to hear, I had at least 8 people singing along, including the bar owner and one of the bartenders, and the only person covering their ears for the song was the KJ.

After the bar closed down, as I was helping the owner put the equipment away, he says to me "sorry about the way that (name of kj) treated you tonight, I've noticed a lot of regulars have stopped coming in on karaoke night since she started.

I told him if he ever wanted someone else to work there he should give me a call, and that until he got someone else, I would be spending that particular night of the week elsewhere.

Ok, so that wasn't all that quick of a rant. sorry.

ouch. never heard that one before. i can't think of another reason besides she works for beer, that an owner would keep someone who is admittedly running off patrons.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

Never mind the KJ, this is proof that the owner is an idiot. NO entertainment is preferable to someone CHASING CUSTOMERS AWAY.

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Dave's not here.

admittedly, MOST hard rock and rap done karaoke is deplorable, and CAN clear out a bar. .

That said, her attitude was ridiculous. I recently got told, after years at my friday venue the the F bomb would not be allowed anymore in songs. This came as a result of some one singing "forget you" by celo green... and btw, the guy did an outstanding job, and the bar went crazy for it.

Sooo, what I do is when someone is coming up with a song with the F word in it, i give them two choices: Perform another song, or perforem the "Radio edit" version of the song, with the caveat that the first F word said, I'll cut the mike, and i let them know its bar policy... and i do this with a "tongue in cheek" style and smile. It also take about 10 second between me and the singer only.

This "KJ" and I use the term loosely is an idiot.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

I disagree with that KJs method, but I admit that I sometimes censor songs. When I do so, I tell them the moment they give me the slip. This only occurs on a busy weekend night after midnight and applies almost exclusively to slow songs. I refuse to let a party be interrupted by a bunch of slow music. And, most people are really cool about it. If they insist on singing it, then I tell them I am going to push it back to the end of the night for a last slow song.

Hardly ever a problem as most people know that this is my policy.

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I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

A KJ @ Acapulco restaurant ran off more customers than one..
A short list:

1) Any song she could not sing, she hated, and would say so when the slip was turned in.

2) Personal hygiene, non existent. 300 pounds of attitude.. a real mess.. (Single wide material)
(I like a big gal, but not with a crappy attitude)

3) Poor song book.. Disk based, one book, 40 to 50 pounds, font size 8...

4) Did not know music: Could not sing, did not sing, but was quick to criticize others.

5) Acapulco now has an empty bar where the Karaoke was..

Remind me not to come to your bar because ballads are what I sing best and I always sing to my strengths at a bar I haven't been to.

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

Sorry to hear that. But, it works for me. I don't think anyone in my bar wants to hear "Crazy" at midnight, and nor do they want to hear "Picture".

After midnight (if its busy) its all high energy stuff and nothing that people are going to cry into their beers over.

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I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

I sing stuff like Faithfully, Open Arms by Journey, Lady by STyx etc.

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

Not unless that is what the crowd is into. We get probably 50% hard rock - a little rap, but I don't have a lot of rap to start with, on any given night.

We haven't allowed F-Bomb (or anything with alot of swearing) for nearly 15 years. Not really an issue, we've found that many people actually don't want to hear it and it actually cut down on the rowdy crowds and brought in better singers/spenders.

Don't list those songs in that bar, then there is no temptation.

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

Is she really hot?........sometimes that can make a difference........ ......if a kj ruins my karaoke experience, even I tend to be very forgiving if she's a cutie.....

These are good for slow dances, even on high energy nights, couples like to cuddle up on the dance floor! Would never discourage a slower song.

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

If the patrons don't want to hear a lot of ballads they can fix that by signing up for songs they want to hear, not a problem. If they don't like hearing a particular singer squall out a screamer song they can fix that by signing up for songs they do want to hear. The more people that sign up the fewer songs that the ballad singers or screamers will have time for. But I cut no one and I move no one to another position to "DJ" karaoke sets.


Songs with "those words" in it, well no censorship if it is venue appropriate, however I do have venues where these song are not appropriate and I tell anyone who signs up for one that it isn't going to happen "pick another song"!

i would understand a policy of no "bad" words in songs. I understand if I sign up with one of "those" songs early in the night, I will most likely be asked to wait til after midnight to sing it. But what this came down to was a "KJ" trying to remove a song because SHE didn't like it. The crowd liked it, The bar owner and staff liked it, and the singer liked it. So no other excuse. she just sucks at her job

Don't get me wrong here, out of five venues I only have one where "those" songs would not be allowed.

I hope you suggested to her that she may want to "learn to swim..."

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"Just Say NO, To Justin Bieber & His Beatle Haircut"

Problem here is the owner obviously recognizes that there is a problem with the kj in question. What is his reasoning for keeping a leaky lifeboat?

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

She must be working for next to nothing and even that is too much if she is running off business.

I never want to hear "Picture" again, at all, ever.

Gosh darn! I guess that means I couldn't be singin' "Soggy Pretzels" then huh?