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I've been doing Wednesday nights and Saturday nights at this bar for a year and a half. Saturdays are always busy, but Wednesdays are kinda hit or miss. I thought the bar owner was cool with that and understood that any day during the week was going to be like that.

We hired a new bar manager abotu a month ago and he DOES NOT like karaoke for some reason. He is always saying nasty nasty things to me and I feel like he tries to sabatoge me. Anyway, last Wednesday was a huge busy night (about 100 peeps) and Saturday may have been the busiest ever at the bar (about 200). After Sat. night the new manager tells me "don't bother showing up Wednesday, we're not doing karaoke that day anymore. End of discussion." Though he is an a**hole, I'm not willing to give up Saturdays over losing Wednesdays. But I think I deserve a proper explination!!

So, here's my questions for yall:

#1: Would it be a BAD idea to go in Wednesday night as a patron and tell my regulars that the management decided not to do karaoke anymore. I would really rather tell them myself than have the manager tell them. I'm afraid that my anger may get the best of me and I may be a bit nasty in explaining that I was asked not to come on Wednesdays anymore. But I'm also curious to see if they've replaced karaoke with something else or if it is just going to be a dead night. If it is just a dead night, I think I may have reason to just offer to do karaoke for less $$ that night.

#2: Do I even bother asking for an explination from the bar owner what's going on? He's quite the ball of temper himself and I wouldn't want to push him to question my Saturday nights as well!! Assuming I can keep a level head, though, shouldn't I try to talk options with him??

Any suggestions would be appreciated

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C Mc
KJ, FL

sorry to hear you lost a gig, expecially that suddenly.  
i would talk to the new manager and just ask for an explanation.  he not have one other than he doesn't like karaoke, which is fine since he's the boss.  don't get angry where he can see you.  i definitely would not make any waves and after awhile if he sees that karaoke is a money maker, he may change his mind.  he should be a business minded person if he's runnning the show.  if he still doesn't want karaoke after you show him  the business benefits, he won't be the manager for very long.  at all costs, avoid getting into a (pardon my french) pi$$ing match with him, or you will lose saturday, too!

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All work and no play make Homer something something

I would play it cool. Do you want your Wednesdays back?
Stay calm - I'm sure you are fuming right now. I would be.

You might try going in and explaining to your regulars that the bar has decided to stop doing Wednesdays. Then encourage them to talk to management if they do not like the decision. I think that if people start complaining he will notice. I had a little of the same problem. I had a new bar owner take over my bar 2 yrs ago. He to didn't like karaoke. He cancelled karaoke for Saturdays. When he learned bands didn't bring in the people and that karaoke was more lucrative he changed back to karaoke. Now he only has a band come in once in a while. Bars have to usually pay bands more too, so it is a dumb decision money wise if week days are slow. I now do karaoke 3 days a week for them. I am his money maker. If he likes karaoke or not!

Don't underestimate the loyalty of your regulars. I'm sure they will back you up.
The bar manager has to show his decisions make money. Give him time to come to his senses and remember to keep your enemies close.

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[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Invite them all to your house on wednesday nights. Have a big party, and leave a tip jar out. after a couple of dead wednesdays, he will be begging you back.

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I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

Like some others have said, don't llose your cool, and explain to the regulars that the manager didn't want karaoke on WED nites, and have them complain if they (patrons) want it back.   I would suggest doing this quietly on a saturday nite gig, and don't go in on WED nite an make waves.

If you can't get it back Wed nite, go elsewhere.  I am sure some luccky bar owner will be glad to have your regulars come to.

And once again, the best way to avoid problems like this is to have a signed contract with the venues you play @.  My contract states, that I must be given 30days notice prior to cancelling a gig.  If the notice is not given, they still have to pay me, wether they have me play or not.

Get the club next door & take your (his) customers with.

Or you can ask why, sounds like his mind is made up however, wouldn't be someone i'd want to work for.

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

Bad News !

#1 - I would stop in on Wednesday and see what the crowds like and if they have another form of entertainement ..Nothing wrong with that.  I WOULDN'T make any waves if you want to keep your Saturday gig. If people ask you why there is no more karaoke just suggest they ask the manager .

I like Lonnies suggestion --- Before you work at THAT bar for less -I would solicit the next bar down the road for your Wednesday business ..ya never know...

Reading your above paragraph, "What you deserve" unfortuneately is likely moot.



Do yourself a favor, leave SOON completely !   But do it so (for you own peace of mind) it's done on YOUR terms.  My guess is you will soon loose Saturday night under his management.  It's one thing for him "not to want to go with karaoke", to personally dislike you "nasty nasty things", and sabotoge you, let's be realistic here !  This is personal.  Time to leave with some dignity, don't give him the upperhand by staying !  Don't ever allow yourself to be this vulnerable in a sick working environment if you can possibly afford to leave a potentially really ugly situation. Personally, If I were you, I'd leave, and try to take him down with me placing phonecall's, and having YOUR friends place phonecall's to "the power's that be"... Do whatever it takes to take this guy down !  Make him the reason for your resignation, ABUSE !

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Thanks for all the input. I do want to keep my Saturday gig, so here's what I decided to do.

#1: I am going to go talk to the owner tonight to see what's going on. I am going to keep my cool and jsut have him explain to me what's up. If he doesn't plan on replacing the karaoke with something else, I may ask him if I can work at a reduced rate until it picks up, at which time he can return me to my old wage. The guy is a real d**k sometimes, but he has always been a very principled businessman.

#2: I am going to stop for dinner with my girlfriend tomorrow BEFORE the time of my scheduled karaoke show. I may not need to do this depending on how #1 goes. My show usually starts at 9:00, so I plan on going to eat dinner at 8:00 to see how the place is reacting. I think I really only need to get the word out to one loyal group of regulars to make sure everyone that shows up that night knows what's going on. I'm not going to cause any problems and will wait for someone to say something to me instead of going in there yapping up my agenda. I'll simply answer any questions posed and direct them to the management.

Sound reasonable??

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C Mc
KJ, FL

That's kind of what I was eluding to as well.  Get out on your terms, get the next club & let the singers know where you are so they can come follow.  Then the idiot will realize - OOps!

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

Lonman, my hopes would be that those he is subordinate to will realize. If this manager is very new, he MIGHT be vulnerable. Complaints might help Topher..It sounds like it's either this new manager, or him..Chances are, this guy (who obviously has a nasty streak in him is being tough on other employee's too) Now I realize that to whomever hired this manager, the manager looks less despensible than Topher, thing is...If Topher has a decent following, than talking to them and letting them know what's up before Topher get's really screwed by this guy would not be a bad idea IMHO...It's just a matter of how he does it....It CAN be done discretely, without making waves, yet he SHOULD be prepared to go, and should go realizing that if this guy's gone,  he's possibly back..


Topher,  you've got a really good head on your shoulders... Keeping your cool, try using that to think of how you can get rid of this "new manager".  Being new, HE IS somewhat vulnerable. Plan on quitting SOON. If he's saying "VERY VERY nasty things", he's abusive

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I know lots of bar owners.........They all compete against each other for the same customers every night..and they all have just one thing to sell to pay their bills and make a profit, and that's alcohol.......So, to sell alcohol they must attract customers...You see where this is going?

They will remodel the place, advertize, and experiment with entertainment in their efforts to increase business..........They will look at the books and see which night costs them money and which night makes them money, and then make changes as they see fit.

Some of them hire a BAR MANAGER to help them max profits....Often the bar manager is offered a commission if sales increase....Some bar managers are given lots of power to make decisions, and those decisions include intertainment, advertizing, promotions and decor.

So if the owner hired a manager to manage his affairs, then it would work against you to discuss it with the owner......Yeah, you can show your face to the owner, but when you do, be positive.....Show him you are cheering for him and also hope he increases profits........Don't go to him a complainer-just stay in sight and remain positive and wait to see if the new manager can produce higher sales for him....Sometimes it is a long wait because it takes time for the public to react to changes....Word has to get out.

You also gotta remember this,..........The bar may not increase sales those nights you lost, but they might increase profits because they cut their overhead buy laying you off.....If that's the case, then don't take it personal....It's just business.

If I were you, I would go drum up a Wed night gig to replace the one you lost....and when doing it, I would speak positively about the last place you worked....Just explain that they are trying to cut costs, so they let you go and you are now available to increase his profits that night.

Yeah Keith, I always have a tough time keeping my cool when someone's trying to deliberately sabotage me, or saying "nasty nasty things", I suppose part of my problem is I do get emotional when someones abusive, if not directly, indirectly. To lay me off is fine.. It's part of the employer/worker relationship, yet this new manager is obviously quite nasty.  This is where I tend to lose it... Not just in a work environment, but in life in general...Especially if I've done nothing to provoke the personal attacks...

I hear what you're saying however, thing is, if the BOSS can be a real ****head, and is a businessman, This get's tough for the entertainment to deal with, either way. Did I ever mention Uncle Bruno ?

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I need to add that most "Bar Managers" often come accross as a-holes....That's because the bar manager must also deal with rowdy customers, law enforcement, thieving bartenders, fly by night entertainers, the media, and God knows what else.

The guy was hired to be the manager, not the Master of Ceremonies, so expect him to be short tempered and business-like with the hired help.....After all, he had to convince the owner he would make a difference in the bottom line, right?

So give it time for the owner to see if the guy makes a difference or costs him....If you stay positive and supportive while you wait, then the bar owner will turn to you again if the manager fails him....If the manager succeeds, then so be it-you and the bar owner are still friends and he will call on you again if he needs you.

True.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

TopherM,
In St Pete, there are tons of bars. Find one that really wants karaoke, and dont look back. Try to sell yourself and promote your business, keep the saturday nite thing, while you are scouting around. You might be pleasantly suprised and get a several nites in a row gig where you dont have to tear down. Then you can tell the other place that you dont really need saturday either.

Make up flyers, and business cards, and hit the streets. Good things are only where you find them.

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I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

Count your losses, and be happy they didn't cancel the Saturday. Sounds like that's next to be honest with you.

As for going in on Wednesday, that's a total crap shoot! You could go in and tell anybody who asked who's decision it was. Then again, the manager might look at that as sabotage and fire you altogether.

What I would do is do what Lonnie and the others have suggested about the bar's competition!! Heck, go a bit cheaper for a limited time to seal the deal...

This idiot will either realize he made a mistake when he takes a look at his quickly declining sales that day, or he'll cut his own losses and count it as the cost of doing business.

One thing is clear... the concept of a manager or owner that despises karaoke... doesn't mix WITH karaoke at all!

I think you have found the answer by now. It's probably a sign of the times at this bar. Find new pastures, and keep up the good work!

Not to worry to much unless thats you're only sourse of income and again that depends on the size of you're town where you could go to another establishment to pick up another week night.  For having 100-people for a week night sounds pretty damm good to me.  As far as changing someones mind in liking or disliking karaoke will never happen. I KJ'ed for over a year Sat. nights in my small town in central BC Canada and after this time the manager wanted to switch me to monday nights.  Well up here some week nights you may only get a handfull of regulars because for some reason people do not really like to go out during the week and I cannot say I really blame them because I also had a day job and had to get up at 5:00 A.M.  I told the manager if it could not be friday or Saturday I was not interested.  I soon packed up my system and left.  I felt kind of burnt out afterwards because it is a bigger job than most people realize.  
Maybe I never really answered you're question in approaching the manager and I know going over his head to the real boss could create even more of a problem and you could loose sat. as well.  So maybe just come out and ask him what was the problem, talk to the waitress whom serves the drinks and ask them how good of a take that night.
You could also put a HEX on the manager and he maybe get hit by a truck. (No just kidding .  Anyways if it hasen't already it will all work out positive.
Best of luck Mikey

Any time I've lost a gig it just motivated me to go find more. Don't let it get you down, make it push you to hunt for the next big show. I've been doing this for 12 years now and I presently have 2 rigs on the road. My tuesdays benn going for 10 years at the same bar, Wed. for 4 years until the bar closed down but I replaced it 3 weeks later for the last year now, Friday I got 2 shows 1 for 6 years the other for 2 years , Sat. I have 2 shows 1 for 8 years and 1 for 1 year. But through the years I've had shows that come and go but if you got a good reputation someone will pick you up. At shows I hand out buisness cards to everyone sometime 30 to 50 cards a night. You never know who your giving them to but it always comes back to you in weekly and lots of private gigs. So don't be cheap with tootin' your own horn while out there , good things will happen.

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