Karaoke Forums

... in a good way!

A little pre-story here first:

Last year December I got a call from a smoking venue to do a Friday night show there. While they do have a nice stage setup and lighting, I didn't like the fact that people are allowed to smoke, just not a big fan of it and I know it's harder to get my regulars to come out to a smoking venue. On top I had a Friday night show already, but that show only pays $175 a night. Tiny little coffee shop, so they couldn't really pay more. I also just started to train a girl to become a KJ for me. So long story short, I went to talk to the owner of the smoking venue and he basically right out threw the Friday night at me when we started talking, saying that he heard about me being the best in the business in the area and I should just name my price and I get the gig. I really liked my gig at the coffee shop plus all the negatives, I really didn't want the gig. So I told the owner it would be $250 for 4 hours, thinking he would decline... wrong, he agreed to it without even flinching. And the new girl took over my coffee shop gig...

Now fast forward, almost a year later...
Last night the owner came up to me, gave me a Christmas card and said he wants to talk to me, whenever I have a minute in between. I went up to talk to him when I had one of my good regulars singing (good as in I know how to use the mic good) and the owner starts: Well, you have been here for almost a year now. You are doing a great job, just like I expected and we're making good money with you. So I want to forward that to you. From now on we will pay you $300 per night on good nights, but when slow we're going back to $250 on that night.

Later on when the show was over, I went to the bartender to get paid as usual and he tells me, well Mr. XXX (owner) said that you are getting paid $300 now if we go over... wait for it... wait for it... $1,100 in sales. So here ya go, $300. Boom!

Bottom line: Not only did I get offered a voluntary raise to one of my better paid gigs, but a threshold of $1,100 in sales on a Friday night!??? Peace of cake! Ha!

Wanted to share this with you, because that just never happened in 12 years I am doing this now!

Pretty amazing they are willing to pay that rate for such a small take on the till. But good for you! You should get paid what you feel you are worth no matter what the revenues of the establishment.

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-Chris

It is nice to be appreciated and especially nice when you compare it to some other experiences. I have had the same thing happen where I am now. On extra good nights they started paying me extra and it was them just doing it and not me asking. It is the opposite of where I used to be where if the till wasn't a certain figure they didn't want to pay at all.

If a venue says they can't guarantee my rate, then I tell them I can't guarantee my appearance.

If you may or may not pay me, then I think it is quite fair that I may or may not show up.

My rate guarantees you the time slot allocated to you. If you can't guarantee the rate, I can't guarantee the time slot.

Congrats, Alex!

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

I saw a three stooges episode where they were working for a generous boss like that, and at the end, they came and took him away in a straight jacket..........WTG, Alex....a few good sources have told me, that you have an awesome show, so I'll bet you're worth even more..

Thanks guys! I'm just really surprised, because "you deserve a raise, here!" without asking, said no owner ever

Your typical bar is running between a 8-12% margin on gross sales. It would be very unusual for a bar with $1100 in sales to be netting more than about $88-132 in profit for that level of sales, so it would seem to be pretty bad business to pay their entertainment $250. Even if the bar was running at a 50% profit, which it is not, it would still be irresponsible to pay the entertainment $250 on $1100 gross sales.

Not trying to be a downer, but just wanted to stress that as karaoke hosts, it's not always about getting as much money as we can, it very much has to be mutually beneficial for our bar owners. Otherwise, you are just helping your venue go out of business. At the numbers you gave, your owner can not possibly support your pay rate, unless a typical night is closer to $4000+, not $1100. Something's off.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

I agree with you 100% Topher, even though this bar's margin is a little higher than 8-12%. They don't sell food, or better barely any... most of their sales is liquor.
But I'm not trying to "get as much as I can". As I said, when they first talked shop to me, I didn't want the gig and gave them the price tag of $250 in the hope they would say no. They just didn't...

And even now with the raise... I never asked for it, didn't expect it or anything. That's why I was so in shock.

From what I know their average in sales is somewhere between 2k-3k on a Friday. Considering that their liquor sales are about 40-50% of their total sale, they should sit pretty good, even when shelling out $300 for entertainment.

But again, I didn't ask or expect anything. Was offered that and said thanks!