Karaoke Forums

if i ever go back to hosting, I think i may steal...err I mean borrow this idea

If this contest has been an annual thing, maybe you should run it as patrons are used to it being run. Seems it has not had an adverse effect if the show has continued.

Be clear on how judging will happen.

If you want to deter contest sharks,have a qualifying round, then a sing off, then the main event. Most sharks won't bother to travel too far if they have to show up more than once before the competition.I know, because before I started regularly gigging, I was one to the point of paying rent off contest winnings.Sharks hate multiple qualifying rounds, and will show up the final week to qualify if there is a weekly winner, where , if there are weekly winners, then a sing off, they won't want to make three trips when there might be easier pickings elsewhere.As for gigging singers, if you keep the prize under 300, they aren;t going to bother, becaue they can make that in a gig or two without risking spending a night at a place where they might not take the prize if abigger shark swims by or the judging is done in a way that doesn't guarentee the best singer/performer winning.

You'll probably still get a few sharks, but maybe not the ones who have winning almost down to a science, so your regulars will still have a shot at winning.

I have experience as a judge as well. If you get people from bands and radio who are happy to do it for a meal/drinks, they will be the ones who will actually enjoy the show and pay attention. Anyone in need of a big bribe probably won't be as attentive, and most contestants will be satisfied with unbiased judges who are vocal coaches/performers/etc .

Edit: One more suggestion-to deter pros, have the competition on a weekend. Weeknight contests draw more pros because on weekends, many will be gigging elsewhere.

Let us know how it goes!

I run two contests every year... one in the spring for juniors, and the main one in the fall. We've been doing this for the past eight years to great success.

The senior contest lasts for eight Fridays... five preliminaries, two semi-finals, and a final which, incidentally is this coming Friday, the 29th.

We allow anyone - amateur or professional - to enter... In my opening remarks, I often say something like "If Alan Jackson wanted to enter our contest, he'd be welcome."

Frankly, by the time we reach the finals, the quality of our contestants is such that any of them would/could give any professional a challenge.

Over the years, we've developed and revised our rules as we meet and deal with challenges... to the point whereby I'd have no problem sharing those rules with anyone who'd want to see them.

The biggest challenge, year after year, is finding competent, credible, volunteer judges... Luckily we've found a couple of local musicians, a retired school teacher, and rotating staff from our local radio station.

Some of our "taboos":

We don't employ judges from our regular karaoke patrons;
We don't hold the contest on regular karaoke nights;
We don't charge an entry fee;
We don't have an admission charge to the venue;
We don't have a sophisticated or complicated judging criteria... it's simply 80% vocal ability and 20% stage presence.

Singing contests can be very successful... as ours will attest. We live in a town of less than 12,000 souls, yet we consistently have standing-room-only crowds in attendance.

Check out Facebook's "Homeward Star Search" to see what I mean.

_________________
Earl
(BS, PHD & Certified CurmuDJeon)

[font=Times New Roman]"Growing Old may be mandatory... but growing UP is still optional."[/font]