Karaoke Forums

And, from the perspective of audience exposed to some of these people stepping up to the microphone, it's NOT a pleasant experience.  Some are REALLY horrid to watch and have to listen to !   I'm surprised this hasn't come up.  Some really DO NOT belong in front of an audience that wishes for a comfortable time.  Again, this CAN be a confrontational post but I'll leave it brief.

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

#1) Not everyone is there for Karaoke and shouldn't be made to feel that they have to clap when someone is finished singing
#2) If you are there for Karaoke its just common courtesy to clap for someone when finished.

Karaoke isn't about stage performance and profesional singing -its about having fun singing - whether you are a good singer or an off tune mumbler -

If you can clap for them --clap
If you don't want to --don't expect a clap For you

DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE DONE  UNTO YOU

Which is precisely why I'll never sing on stage.  I don't like witnessing what I consider indecent exposure !  

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

I also ask the customers to clap, but my Compuhost progran comes with a cheers and appluse buttons, so I hit them at times. Normally when I ask them to clap, they do.

I am not sure I like that Compuhost thing (yes, I have heard it) but I would like one that is the first few claps that wake everybody up so they can applaud themselves!

This topic also reminds me of when someone does a sing-a long song and no one is joining in - like sweet caroline. Usually with prompting from me I can get them going, but not always. I always feel bad for the person if people don't sing-a- long. If I have a crowd or a time of night I know it won't go over well I'll try to steer them to doing the song later in the night, but they don't always trust my opinion. Oh well.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

HEY KURT (SWINGCAT)... FOUND YOUR GUY that has the canned applause thingy! !

Thanks Matt, As usual.

I guess every performer should demand applause eh?? After a play or movie if they don't clap lets send the director out there to whoop up the crowd. People have their own ears and crazy reasons to respond or not.

Isn't the thrill letting it all hang out without expectations? Getting up there and experiencing the electricity of the unknown? Every performer bombs, It helps to hone the overall performance to something great over time. I agree its the kj's job to whoop them up but if they don't respond how will you take it?

If you are just having fun singing at karaoke, keep singing and ignore the occasional jeers or non applause. If you truly wish to improve, Try paying attention and adjusting your game by key or song selection.

I had a male KJ hold up an applause sign behind my back. I whipped around so fast, and shot him a pair of dagger eyes, that he almost shoved the sign up his a$$ trying to hide it again.......no singer wants such empathy.......if no one claps, that's the chance I take........hopefully sooner or later, I'll get the message.....but don't patronize me.........

I have to agree with Kap - Some people no matter how much fun THEY are having  for others its like listening to NAILS ON A CHALKBOARD while being kicked in the groin  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:

As a KJ I understand it is part of the BIZ but for the NON karaokers in the place it COULD have them running to the NON karaoke bar down the street.  :(

If you visualize the type of bar that has Karaoke around where I live
you can clearly see the conflict between "traditional audience mentality" and "What Karaoke is about".

Singles Bar
5000+ sq ft         (150-400 patrons peak weekend)
Many simultaneous activities, pool tables, quite a few Televisions, Couples
that wish to talk and be left alone after eating their dinner, kids that want to get lucky and don't care about anything else, large arcade games, a few pinball machines, AND  Karaoke; Some wish to catch the quick buzz after 2nd shift job, and leave. Some wish to chill-out and be left alone at the bar.

Even though from the perspective of most here,  "It's Karaoke"
Unless the whole mindset of the venue is "Karaoke" you WILL have a
type of conflict given a reasonable percentage that are of the mindset that
"talent (or aesthetically pleasing) is what we like".  Face it, We are brought up in a culture where as an audience we have certain expections of a performer/performance (Karaoke aside).  In a big bar with many activities NOT all are sympathetic to the Karaoke crowd !

SO:  

KJ is working among some Compromise.  Perhaps the KJ can say to the seemingly non-receptive Karaoke audience, MAYBE even hourly.  




Realistically:  Folks used to pay reasonable cover charge to get into certain venues when their was "live entertainment" such as a known band.   In such an environment you aren't going to reasonably be able to patronize the bar on cover-charge band night, and complain that there's a band disturbing you.

However in a large venue that happens to have Karaoke as one form of entertainment, to believe that it's *ALL* about Karaoke is likely an erroneous belief.


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

I had this happen a couple of weeks ago (at a contest of all things). When my name was called, there was dead silence (actually, maybe a couple of crickets)- so the kj prodded everyone to applaud (and this is even before singing a note). Personally, I would have preferred the silent treatment while getting up to sing- it would really have gotten me focused to try to blow the crowd away. After finishing, and strange as this may sound, I would have rather heard either dead silence or a whole bunch of boos and catcalls if this is what the crowd really thought of my performance rather than receiving what I thought would be obligatory applause. With this in mind, would it ever be permissible to actually let the crowd rip a singer, especially if the singer wants "True" feedback?

I think the point is even fantastic singers sometimes get ignored by the crowd. You can't get validation of being a good singer from a karaoke crowd. People applaud or don't applaud for all kinds of reasons. I think it is just good manners to applaud after any singer.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

From my own observations as an avid karaoke listener at our local spot in Canby, often you have to be either a popular singer/person or be singing a well liked song in order to receive a big applause.  Just being a great singer, unfortunately does not guarantee a big, good response.    Hi Babs!  :wave:

permissible or not, it's happened.  In a large enough venue (such as the type I mentioned) there's little way to stop the occasional "You Suck" that can be heard from a distant pool table someplace.  Not everybody in every bar that has Karaoke, cares about Karaoke.

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

Also, I find that over-singing is sometimes punished. By over-singing, I mean embellishments on the song to the point where you detract from the legato and make it more of a singing show than a song. Some people -- in my experience, all karaoke contest judges -- like this crap, but I don't. I don't clap much for it.

And I don't care how damn well you sing a profanity-laced rap song, I won't clap. Also, if you do Sweet Caroline or You Never Even Called Me By My Name, don't expect much from me. Enough of those songs, already!

Very simply,  I clap if and when I feel like it, usually when I'm impressed, there's enough dishonesty in the world, too much "PC" stuff going on for my liking, and I'm not about to repeat that in a "bar" setting.  I wouldn't expect applause if I sang. In a "romper room" setting I'll clap for all 3 and 4 year old children so they can get a concept of what "permforming" means.  Bars are ADULTS,  I'm not about to baby adults.  A private party,  well,  that's something a little different too IMHO..

JMO

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

Our place, I would say 85% of the people clap.  Regardless of quality.  If for nothing else, having the courage to get up in front of a crowd.  The once in a blue moon "You Suck" is handled by me directly on the mic to the individual.  "Find something you want to sing; have somebody else sing it or three, we have a front door and a back door; take your pick."

And for those who don't like karaoke, sorry; don't go to a bar on a night that has karaoke. Plain and simple.  A lot of our crowd doesn't sing karaoke but comes to dance and listen to the singers.

Kelly

Of course this is all true Kelly.    Rude is rude, and few excuses can or should be made for it (regarding the ocassional heckler, regardless of bar size/layout etc).


Usually the times this happens (from my own experience)


Is when a performer (such as a singer) feels that being on-stage gives them license to also state their political views which can easily offend at least 40% (usually more) of an audience, or when a performer makes a comment that reveals they are biggoted.  I'm not talking about a simple dedication to "our troops" either when I say "political view".


Here's an example.

David Clayton Thomas (Blood, Sweat, and Tears) used a foolish metaphor during a concert years back during a summer concert.

He stated..

"It's hotter than the last train to Auschwitz".

That got a NASTY response from the crowd, so needless to say MOST crowds use discretion,  they know right from wrong, and booing usually transpires for a deliberate wrong, and not for the person who is genuinely trying, and just taking their turn regardess of how little talent they have.


Now standup Comedians,  that's something I know nothing about.  They CAN have it tough !   Audiences can be quite brutal.  But regarding singing,  that's usually somewhat safe... People either tune-out, or give a courtesy clap.

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