Karaoke Forums

I am dreading going to my show tonight. Fridays are my busiest night and I have the annual Train Party coming in on top of it ( it is the entire bar car crowd from the metra train  station across the street). They are a very demanding group with a lot of heavy drinkers.  Plus every year my crowds have grown larger. I know for sure there will be at least 3 people from this party who will not be happy with the fact they won't be able to sing much.

On real busy nights I always thank the crowd for their patients in waiting to sing and explain we have a long rotation. Then I explain the duet rules. This helps calm the whiners.

Do you ever make announcements like this? and how often if you do? Is there anything else you think I could say to eleviate people cramming down my throat to sing? Aaarg !

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

I generally make the large rotation apologies & to be patient, lots of singers, yadda yadda.  Not so much on the duet policy, I talk to them one on one when I see one turned in.  Large crowds are great to have, but also hard to please - they all want to sing alot & they want to sing them now - not going to happen.

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Yes, I do make announcment that the rotation is filling up , and if ya wanna sing, ya better get a slip in.  I do this espically twords the end of the nite.

If peepes get a bit jumpy, I will announce the order of the rotation so people know where they are at.

If somoene gets bitchy they get warned twice, if they persist, they get dropped out of the rotation.  IF they are drunk, my patiescence (sp?) is even less.

IF it gets outta hand, they get kicked out, and possibly cops are called.

But I would not worry too much.  I am sure your regs will know that this is a busy nite for you, and if the newbies can't compe, well ya only see em once a year.
RELAX, DEEP BREATHS, and just run it like any other nite!

Thanks Lon - How often do you make the announcment?

I have gone through the order announcing every name I have on a busy night. It is comical because I read 40 or more names as fast as I can. It seems to get the point across, but I'm afraid I may lose some of my crowd because they think they'll never get to sing. What do you think?

Twans - thank you for your kind words - I know I'll find myself talking to myself -

Keep your cool Babs - be patient - bite your lip - keep smiling outside while planning their slow torturous death in my mind - muhaha.

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

An on screen, in between song, singers list, that you add to during the night.....read 'em an weep.....maybe they'll go somewhere else, when they see they won't sing much......let the door hit 'em in the a$$ before your foot does.....nother reason I quit doing bars......

Good luck Babs. As far as announcing the lineup, I would keep it to about the next 5 or so singers, that way they know in advance that they're due up soon. I would make the next announcement when the 5th singer is up, that way you keep folks with an up to the minute summary of how the rotation is going. Just smile and put on the charm, I'm sure you'll do fine. If not, please take pics so we can all see the gory details....hehehehe
James

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I serve no man and am loyal to only one God.

Being critical of a person's success in any respect speaks volumes about the lack of your own.

Love as though you've never been hurt, Dance as though no one's watching, Sing as though God Himself were listening.

Paper...or a small write on wipe off board for your rotation.  Our bar always uses a white board behind the KJ...That way the singer always knows where they are in the rotation.  You can get a small fairly cheep one at just about any dollar store in the office supply area.  It may be worth a short trip on your way to work and the 5 or 6 bucks you spend will be well worth it.

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

Don't think I would go into all the detail of how many singers their actually are.  That might get them angered knowing they won't be up for a long time and then leave.  Try this!  You have a lineup I am sure.  I don't know if you use slips, but maybe you could have some fun with them.  After about 5 singers, pick an anonymous slip and throw it in.  Anounce what you will do.  This way, even tho' they know the rotation is long, they may still end up singing in a few songs.  They will stay, keep the owner happy, and hopefully not harrass you.  You have a great night and maybe some fun too.  Maybe ask the crowd wha tthey would like to hear next, your pulling from "Santas Hat" now, do they want to hear some "Christmas, Rock, Pop, Country?"  Can't hurt! Right?

Anytime that I have 16 or more singers in rotation I make the announcement of: "I would like to thank everybody for being patient, we have quite a few singers tonight, everybody will get their fair turn to sing tonight". I do this at the top of each long rotation.

I also use baseball terms of: "on deck" and "in the hole", so they know they are coming up next or 2 singers out. It gives them time to get a drink or do a potty break. Most of my singers have taken it to a whole new level, they always joke & kid around with each other, especially the women being "on deck" and the guys being "in the hole".......


 :D

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Lito
"It's all about having FUN"

I do the same thing Lonnie does. Announce that the rotation has x# singers and ask for their patience, annnounce some drink specials, etc.

Don't let'm bully you....you are the keeper of the slips!!

You'll do just fine  :hug:

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

Bab's is probably still sleeping it off  LOL

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

Don't think she sleeps much...  :wave: Hi Babs, nice to meet you......Timmy

 Babs hope all went well for you

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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."

I know this is too late for Babs to use, but at my shows when the rotations get long I let the singers know what the wait will be when they turn in their song slips.  Using the Sax an Dotty's, I can see how long the queue is and then do the math from there.

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Spreading the karaoke gospel

An erasable board is used at one show I frequent.  I really like the idea.  It clearly shows where everyone is at in the rotation and where "newbies" have been stuck/snuck in.  If you don't like the wait, or the way new arrivals were slotted in, you have the option of leaving without having to ask where you are in the rotation.

As to any effort to encourage people to stay by rearranging the rotation arbitrarily is taboo in my book, whether you pick a slip at random to sing next, or have a trivia contest for the same purpose.  One night I was next in the rotation when the KJ decided to ask a trivia question to determine who would sing next.  The first to correctly answer the question would win that right.  That really pis...d me off.  

The first person to answer the question turned out to be me.  So, what did I win? Nothing!  That really pissed me off even more than if I had lost.  In effect, I had to win in order not to lose.  And what does trivia have to do with karaoke, anyway?

Here it it Sunday, almost 11 am and we still don't know how Friday night went. Babs, everyone is waiting around here like worried mother hens...lmao....and still no Babs...............Bad Babs..... ...the suspence is killing us  :O

Maybe she got railroaded,  or took the Blue train all the way to Kokomo, Look for her Somewhere Down the Crazy River. Or,  She stayed so late she had to take the Last Train to Clarksville.  Either way,  If those railroad folks didn't get their way with her..  This will get her back.  It's a sure way !!!


Here Bab's.  The Kitty is waiting !!  He's VERY Hungry !

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

Hey Bab's.   Somebody has a question about this Martian !




If we hear nothing by 5 PM today (sunday 12-10-2006) CST.  These two will be Catnapped, and held as ransom !

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

Is Babs ill or somthing?  She hasn't posted since Friday.