Karaoke Forums

We did one a few years back, it lasted less than a month.  I've heard others try it with little to minimal success.  A cover charge would almost have to be implemented to make it really worth a club to do.

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I have read a good bit of this thread and had to say something.

I never complain about the non-drinkers but the few that used to come around were loners and didn't buy food. They didn't fit the crowd. They pop in once in a while but I very rarely see any non-drinkers.

If your not planning to drink, buy a karaoke system for your house and invite some friends over.

The objective of a bar is to make money. Bartenders goal is to make money, Kj's goal is to make money. See a trend? someone that spends $5 to $10 and takes up space, is not helping the bar.

Then again I guess there is differnt kinds of karaoke for different people.

I know it cost me about $100 to $150 to go out to karaoke on a night I don't work. My crew went out on monday I think the 3 of us dropped $400 all together.

Is BD back? Just kiddin'.  LMAO

I agree with that man. Just curious, when you say crew, do you mean work crew, or friends?
Do you buy alot of drinks for the ladies or other people?
Surely the 3 of you aren't drinking $400 worth of booze?
That's too much to spend for one night. The fate of the bar doesn't depend on 2 or 3 guys throwing alot of money around. Unless that's what you like to do?

I know I started this thread, but it was based on maybe spending more than $5 to $10.
Earlier when I said I spend $20 to $30 just on myself for beer and tips in 4 hours, that was a weak estimate. Sometimes I will spend alot more, especially if I'm sitting with some people, but even with a tip for the kj, $100 is my limit for the night.

So I guess if I need to cut down on drinking, I should buy other people drinks just to support the venue? Hmmmm....I've tried that before. Then after that people were expecting me to buy them drinks everytime and come in with empty pockets.
There's a sucker born everyday, but I ain't one of 'em. That $h*t came to a screeching halt. I'd rather give my money to the kj, she deserves it.  LOL  :wave:

 :hug: Perry

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

There are several establishments around Broward Cty, South Florida that have karoake and no bar.

Several restaurants, mostly Italian but others as well
A "Cafe" (never been in it so I don't know what's offered)
A "Coffee House"

I am one of those non-drinker. That does not translate to non-spender. I drink mostly non-alcoholic drink. The mark up for non-alcoholic drinks are more, so if I spend $10 in an hour drinking non-alcoholic drink the bar make more from me than from a guy who drink beer for the same price.

Over here you can't be in a bar and not spending money. The House will not let you sing if you do not placed an order. The exception is when you are part of a group and someone from the group with thicker wallet pick the tab.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Hi Witchiepoo!!  :hug:  :wave:

I tried to listen earlier this morning, but for some reason, I can't continue.
I was sitting trying to redo some previous songs and.....I'm losin' it....I have nothing left.
Then, I go to edit a possible take on one, and my free trial has expired on the software. It didn't say anything about no d#mn free trial.  LMAO

I promise, I'll eventually return to SS and start giving(listening), but right now, I feel lost.

One thing's for sure, I'm a giver in many ways....  LMAO

I lubs you lots

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Ditto. There better be some hot band or good cause before I pay a cover charge. Call me cheap, but that's the atmosphere around here.

As far as the original question goes, one of my best and most loyal patrons is a non-drinker. He travels 60 miles just to come to my show. I am flattered by his dedication. He's not much of a drinker anyway, but since he has to drive so far to get back home at night, he usually orders pitchers of Coke...even less of a profit for the bar than if he bought them by the glass.

Although the owners of this one place I gig are pretty cheap, they never complain about him. He tips well, is always polite, and is a lot of fun at karaoke.

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~Cindy
Karaoke. Because it's a lot cheaper than therapy.

I disagree with LiquiDye, when I go to a place I drink maybe 3 beers & it usually runs me around 10 bucks - 15 with tip, are you suggesting that I need to drink more or buy more expensive drinks?  I'm glad you can afford to throw around $400 to drink in a night, I can't & well honestly, 3 drinks is pushing the limit for me as I still need to drive home & need time to sober up at the end of the night, so i'm not drinking anything but coffee & water at the end of the night - which I pay for, but generally the bars won't charge for those drinks if someone has spent money on alcohol.  
I do understand your point that customers need to spend money, however saying that $10 isn't enough, that's wrong.  It also depends on what the bars charge too.  I get Icehouse bottles for $3.25 each.  When I drink BV/Coke, it runs me $4.25 each & usually only drink 2 of those in a night - on occasion 3.  So according to you i'm not really supporting the bar?

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

I'm not sure exactly what I agreed with here....hmmmmm.....I'd say anything to avoid a conflict?

I think I agree that the objective of a bar is to make money.

But I'm lost on the different kinds of karaoke for different people thing.

And I thought the remark about staying home was kinda smart a$$, but I don't feel like going into another 100 pages of conflict here.

That's why I asked.....is BD back?  :no:

I don't think anyone contributing to this tread has suggested how much any person or group of people should spend when participating in karaoke.  Many have pointed out, though, that they are conscious of those who participate and don't spend much, if anything.  A patron who comes in to sing and spends virtually nothing makes no sense for the establishment, the people working there, the (paying) singers and the KJ.

And again, I think those of us commenting on non-spenders have been referring to those participating in the karaoke.  I don't see that I have a right to judge what those in the "audience" spend; they can go anywhere they like to sip a beverage or eat a meal.  

No one, furthermore, is suggesting that drinking is the only way to spend (unless you're at a bar that offers nothing else) and no one need drink to the point where they become drunk, just to satisfy some undetermined quota of spending. There is no such quota.

C'mon, we each know those who come to a show and NEVER spend much of anything.  That's who we should be discussing.  What do you, as a KJ, think your responsbility is to the owner and your singing clientele when you see the same person/people participate in the rotation but not in the economics of supporting your show?

There is a couple in my area, former KJ's, that will go to two or more shows during an evening to maximize their turns at singing.  All the KJ's know them, welcome them and slide them into the rotation as quickly as possilbe.  Once in awhile, they'll buy a (cheap) appetizer to eat (like a fish dip for $7) while they wait their turn.  

Many of you seem to have taken some of the comments regarding spending, personally.  I take it personally when I contribute to the profitability of karaoke at an establishement, and others show up to sing without doing likewise.  I am not a charitable organization.   And when I feel that enough is enough, I go elsewhere.
So, the KJ loses a paying customer who usually hangs around all evening supporting the establishment, the KJ's business and the other singers (verbally).

Well not what one should be spending but the insinuation is there:

That kind of tells me that when I go out and buy3 beers or 2 or 3 drinks that I am just taking up space & not helping the bar.  That $100-150 should be more like it.

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

We have all seen people that come in and buy nothing or want free water.   Or they buy one drink and nurse it all night.   These are the people that are using the service for free or nearly free.    They are not helping to pay the bills or for the entertainment.    Now if they are taking up space that a paying customer has been chased away ..... that is a different matter.   You do not sit at a bar stool and buy nothing all night while paying customers are standing or leaving.   I have seen many people come in for karaoke and not be able to find a seat.    They leave.  If I go out for the night I want a place to sit.    I do not want to stand all night if I'm out for fun.    But I will not sit there and buy nothing.    If I think the drinks are too expensive I may not buy too many.

I treat everyone equally.    If the bar owner wants to say something to the non buyers that's his business.   BUT the non buyers are not really helping with my pay either.    I play the same amount of songs every night.  It's the same amount of work for me.   Doesn't matter if they drink or not.    But if the entire bar is full of non buyers, I will probably take a pay cut.    Or be asked to.    I DO NOT LIKE THAT IDEA.      All work and no pay makes BIGDOG unhappy.

We real men drink virgin Pink Squirrels !

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

They pay more for that than the free water drinkers.

That's the bars fault though!  They should charge for everything - refills as well & sell bottled water if they are having a problem with water drinkers.

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

 Dudes.....I drink my beer as fast as I can....sometimes 2 or 3 in an hour, because each one makes me even thirstier, and there is no way that's gonna run me $100 to $150.

I can recall nights when I've drank 10 or more misc. drinks in just 3 hours and should've been on the verge of alcohol poisoning for a 190lb. male....and that doesn't cost $100 even.

Did I still not do my part? It's absurd to think that every person has to drink $100 worth of anything to support a 4 hour karaoke show, so I renig on trying to be a nice guy about someone elses boastful claims in this thread.....it was just a bogus attempt to be heard. Well you were heard, but did anyone really listen?  

Lyquiddye, I see that you're in Pittsburgh. If you wanna spend money like that, c'mon up to Butler and buy me a few drinks some night. But oh, nevermind, I don't support that sorry a$$ place any longer.  :wave:

In Indiana,(I'm sure it's similar elsewhere) a bar owner can't go into a store and by a case of beer for 15 bucks and turn around and sell it in his bar. All his alchohol must be bought from a distributer, at prices higher than what he could usually get at a liquor store. Pop, and bottled water, have a better mark up than alchohol, price is almost pure profit, but it seems people can't drink too many of these. Your body doesn't get bored with alcohol, like it does with pop or water. There will always be someone spending more than you, but I guess you can tie with somebody spending less........for the vast majority of people, there is an enjoyment in spending money, so we shouldn't draw lines in the sand, so just spend what you can. I like drink minimums, which is basically a cover charge. While you're paying bumped up prices for your drinks, some bar employees may be giving free drinks to their friends.......I've seen a few bars go under due to this practice.....can we stop throwing stones now....

No stone throwing.   Just saying the every bar owner needs to turn a profit.   Nothing is free, so pay for your entertainment and shut up.