Karaoke Forums

If the host is doing a great job and the owner is ecstatic, there wont be a show to poach. They will just say "No thanks, we are happy with our guy/girl". No harm/no foul.

Now, if they are unhappy, they are most likely looking to make a change anyway and better you than the next guy that walks in.

Nothing wrong with asking IMHO.

But would you do that to a friend? Or are you one that believes there are no friends in business?

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

I wonder if Lee Iacocca felt guilty when he left Ford for Chrysler. It is business. When it comes to feeding your family I hope they come before a friendship, unless your friend is going to support you.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

Yes, we all know YOU are a true cut throat Capitalist.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

you could ask it this way:

wouldn't your friend (host) that was losing the job rather see you get it then someone else?

take it anyway you want to. just say'n!

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It's all good!

OMG people...

Taking a show from someone you are friends with is SLIMY. But I assume you are friends with them because they are good hosts, run a great show, and have a legal library of music.

I know all the host is my area, and have taken gigs from them, but I am not friends with them, nor would I cover one of their shows, or ask them to cover mine.

So perhaps the OP should rephrase the question?????

If offered by the venue, then fine, or passed to me through my friend, then of course, but not stolen out from under him by me.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

Ok. A bit more info.

There is a bar that I have been in contact with.
They were in the process of getting an entertainment licence.
They now have it at last but instead of seeing what I do, they have gone for a low cost entertainment host.

I am prepared to give them a free one to let them see what I do but will charge a lot more than the host they selected who incidentally has not yet done their first show.

I would never undercut anyone.
I want more than they are getting by hoping they prefer me.
I have paid for all my equipment.
Thanks guys.

now is it really a friend or a karaoke acquaintance?

and yes I've been in this exact situation before, and replaced the guy that got me started in karaoke....
but the eagles club was looking for change cause he had been their for years. did I forget to mention it was my wife's step father!

he had no issues with it and we are still good friends even after I divorced his daughter. (but he divorced her mother also)

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It's all good!

I took over the club i'm working from the company I was working for before I started mine. They didn't show up one night and actually lied to the manager and blamed it on one of their host saying she was supposed to work and then asked that host to cover for her when she called - the host refused to lie and told the manager what happened. I happened to be nearby that night & the manager called me and asked me to come in to talk. When I got there, she was waiting at the front door and told me if I want the job, it's mine, but the other company is gone either way. So I took it! I even handed the other company 2 decent job leads that I was pursuing, 1 4 nights & the other 2 nights - she apparently didn't show up for the interviews.

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

jerry12x wrote:

Ok. A bit more info.

There is a bar that I have been in contact with.
They were in the process of getting an entertainment licence.
They now have it at last but instead of seeing what I do, they have gone for a low cost entertainment host.

I am prepared to give them a free one to let them see what I do but will charge a lot more than the host they selected who incidentally has not yet done their first show.

I would never undercut anyone.
I want more than they are getting by hoping they prefer me.
I have paid for all my equipment.
Thanks guys.

ABSOLUTELY GO FOR IT!!!!

My fill in show is for my best friend. We have been close since I moved down here. I could never do that to him. Now, were he to want to get out, and gave me the chance at first dibs on the show, Hell yeah I would take it. It's a good show. Nice and easy and pays well. I have a few close friends that are KJs. I'm not the cut throat type. Never have been.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

Sounds like the perfect opportunity to marry another mother daughter combo.
Perhaps this time you could marry the mother and he can marry the daughter, then you and he could be each other's father-in-law and son-in-law simultaneously.
And being the father-in-law of your father-in-law, you would then be your own grandpa-in-law...

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KNOW THYSELF

If being a capitalist provides me with a means of taking care of my family, then I wear that mantle proudly.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

I have never personally tried to obtain another host steady gig. I have not canvassed in years all the jobs I get are word of mouth and by personal contacts in and out of the business. No website here. I know most of the local hosts and we do try to work together as far a covering for each other. It has happened on occasion that I have replaced a host, that was the venues idea not mine. Sometimes it is a difficult situation especially if it is the only gig that particular host has. Fortunately getting or losing a gig is not a make or break situation with me since I have other sources of income. I run a small single rig operation and keep costs down. It is nice to be able to take a lay back position since I got into hosting to relieve stress not to cause more. Taking this kind of attitude towards hosting has helped since I don't appear anxious or afraid, and can sell the product with complete confidence. Though currently I have been turning down jobs since I'm leaving the industry in the next couple of months.

Maybe it's part of why I was so bad at running my own business, but I would like to think I would never DELIBERATELY take another gig from a host, especially since I know what that feels like.

I have given up hosting, and I keep trying to tell myself that the legal hassles and everything else that is happening make it a good thing that I am not hosting.

But the truth is, I love karaoke.. I love the singing, I love hosting. I like the feeling I get when I get other people to sing. And the truth be told, hosting was the only thing in my whole life that actually made me HAPPY. The worst day of my entire life was when I was forced to make the decision to quit because I couldn't afford to keep doing it anymore.

So about three months ago, I had an opportunity to solicit this one bar. I have been actively persuing it, but the bar said that they didn't want to start anything new during the summer, and I should call them in September. So i took them at their word and wrote it in my calendar.

In the meantime, another host whom I know has been actively persuing the same bar, despite the fact that they knew I was interested in working there, and they just agreed to hire him last week. He starts this wednesday. I was absolutely crushed.

In hind sight, I probably could have kept trying but it still hurts like hell

so altho it may not be the best business practice I tend to try and live by the whole 'do unto others' golden rule philosophy.

just my rambling two cents, for what its worth

-James

There's nothing wrong with offering your services to another bar. This is a business. If there is another host there, so be it. Those who think this sort of thing doesn't happen are probably kidding themselves. I live in an out of the way area and I have become friends with my main bar owners. They tell me that they get an average of 1 call/visit per week from other KJs/DJs trying to snatch up my show. So much so that the staff knows to put any karaoke marketing material that comes in in my booth - just so I know who my competition is. I'm not offended by it - business is business.

I used to get offended when things got personal, but it is what it is. If I'm doing a good job and continue to get rave reviews, I don't have to worry about anything other than my mixer and my rotation.

And if they want cheaper karaoke, believe me - I make it known (whether right or wrong) that this is my show, and if they don't want it, I'll take it across the street. Good luck with your bargain DJ when everyone follows me.

Happened 3 years ago. See thread "Pay For The KJ"

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

My point is, would you do that to a friend?? I can see doing it to a stranger, but in many areas the KJs become friends because they sing at each other's shows, or fill in for each other. I wouldn't try to take a friend's show. One of my closest friends in the guy I fill in for on Saturdays. There is no way in HELL I would ever try to take his show from him. To me that would just be a REALLY crappy thing to do.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

I would not...but I don't hang out with the other KJ's in my area or even go to their shows so it wouldn't be a concern for me.

My area is a little different. I was singing karaoke, LONG before I started my show. And all my KJ friends all like to sing so they go to each other's show on their nights off. AND, since there aren't THAT many shows in the area, it's not hard to become friends with the others around.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE