Wow--sounds like I was not the only one with a bad New Year experience. The difference being my problems were with the club owner and not the customers.
We had this show booked for months. Here in WI, bars don't close on New Years, we can go as long as we want. So this show was contracted that I would play from 10:30-2:30 guaranteed, and then there would be an hourly rate after that for as long as they wanted to keep me there.
I've been hyping this party for well over six weeks, because I DO make a ton of money on the deal, and I want a good turnout so that they'll ask me back again. I'd been promoting it by saying that we'll keep playing as long as there are folks there singing, and that it was the perfect show for those people who think there's never enough time to sing all the songs they want to! New years 2004 we had singers there singing and the show ran nearly until 6 AM. This year I was sure of more of the same.
Anyway, my regulars start filing into the place and by midnight I've got about a 20 singer rotation built. Midnight comes and goes, so fast forward to 3AM. Everyone is having a good time, except the owner (passed out drunk on the bar) and his pet bartender, one of the two bartenders on for the night. Tired of dealing with people I guess. She starts waking him up and bitching that she's tired and wants to go home, so at 3:20 he decides that he wants to stop the karaoke at 3:30.
So, with 20+ people in line expecting to sing, I have to get on the mic and tell this group that karaoke would be shutting down in 10 minutes. Talk about an angry mob! In many cases these people had booked hotel rooms and all night sitters becase their plans were to sing until the sun came up. The bar was nearly full at the time, and these folks had been pacing themselves to go all night long--that may also explain the lack of fights or anything at the bar.
I had several people offer me $50-100 to keep playing, but I refused to take it on principle. I explained to them that I was not going to take their money so that the prick owner could keep making money over the bar. I explained that I understood that they wanted to keep singing, but the owner had made a business decision and now he had to live with it. I played a dance song or two for them, then wished them all Happy New Year and suggested that we all go down the street for a drink. 10 minutes later the bar was empty and they were sweeping up.
I was mad, not only about the lost income I had been counting on, but moreso because MY customers (and they are my customers--they'd never be in this bar if I weren't there) were disappointed and their evening was ruined. Many tried to convey this to the owner, but unfortunately he didn't hear them. He was passed out on the bar again.
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.....She turned on her stool and said....if you can't behave....i'll pay for your drinks and U can leave.....NOW!!
. ALL Karaoke 2 nights next week at this place.
