Karaoke Forums

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I know what cha mean I used to do karaoke at this one place which had a variety of music genre choices then they brought in one that did mainley country music. While I love country music there are only so many tear in my beer songs you wanna hear as the night progresses. So there was a major adjustment to the new kj not b/c he was bad just the music choices.

My company was on the receiving end of one of these quack bar owners which happened to be in a hotel also...It was actually a bar at first when we started doing gigs there . We brought in a "following" & then they decide to make it into a bar/resturaunt...In the middle of remodeling he would close the bar on whims & wouldnt let anyone know (including us) he would be closed so everyone would get tired of being phsyched to go to karaoke night but when theyd get there the sign would say closed We worked with him thru that but he lost alot of customers like that. When they did finally open alot of the following was gone he took the pool tables out (he coulda left one) & he took the seven letter word off the maquis (sp?) KARAOKE so nobody knew we were even back. Business fell off alot & he thought he was paying us too much, b/c of that (like it was OUR fault) ...he found someone cheaper actually found two people cheaper & they didnt even work out. You would think hed have gotten the message. Well I guess he finally did..There is a sign on the door now that reads Closed until further notice..Dumb A** !

Its my opinion dont mess with what people like ! Thats whose payin your bills ! Cheaper dont always mean better !!
I hope you dont stop singing you'll find someplace

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Kelley
Star Sounds Karaoke & Mobile Recording Studio


[shadow=black][scroll]You have to respect your audience. Without them, you're essentially standing alone, singing to yourself....KD Lang[/scroll][/shadow]

I know exactly how you feel Perry.  That is exactly what happened to us here in our area....The Professional KJ's we had were undercut so much they finally gave up and retired to do nothing but private party's & special events.   It has not been the same since and is why Me & my wife don't go to karaoke anymore.  As annoying as BD was, I agreed with a lot of what BD said because its true"I have seen it over and over with my own eye's".   And it sux so bad that I am angry....Very angry!!!!  Because now there is no where in our area to go to karaoke where the KJ cares about the sound of the system and or cares about fair rotation or even adjusting the system for the singer to make them sound better.   Any sound engineer running the sound system for a live band knows how to adjust things to make for a better sound for everone"and in my opinion a pro KJ should have the same skills and caring for the sound of the system and the singers!!!

When someone like you or myself gets use to Pro KJ's that are like Pro sound engineer's who do a excellent job at running the sound system so that they put on a great show, and then they get fired because some beginner comes along who don't know what they are doing or could care less!!! Then it destroys the whole karaoke experience for us die hard karaoke fans!!!!

When your use to having that Pro sound!!!!  Nothing else can compare!!! and so you have people like us who will leave that venue in search of what we once had somewhere else.....Sad thing is like BD said the hacks are killing karaoke and thats why my family stopped going and spending our time and money!!!!


Thats why the pay rate for KJ host is dropping!!!  If a bar owner can get away with paying someone less...They will!!!!  They are that stupid!!!!!  So when the regular customers leave!!!! Then they are lost as to what happened!!!    :looney:  :roll:

I know the feeling..One of my favs got fired because he also writes screenplays...He was going to Hollyweird and he told the owner that is one of screenplays was purchased he would only work another couple weeks after his return.  The guy then fired him..It wasn't like it was a big secret or anything, what did the guy expect him to do??/ Anyways to add insult to my injury my KJ promptly moved to Arkansas!!!!

It sucks!!!

Don't stop singing, you will find out where she is soon...Perhaps she will be at another hotel in the area soon...And there are a lot of other KJ's out there that are really good..

Sharon

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

That really sucks, Perry....might have been some sexual harrassment involved....maybe she should see a lawer. Man, it's got to be tough being a female KJ....I think they face more draw-backs, than a dude faces. There's gotta be some gigs close by that she can get.....do you have anyway of contacting her? Please don't give up karaoke....we're(me and you, and whoever we can get to come along) going to go out and do some karaokeing some day ain't we?.....

It really does happen more than we think.  And it is a shame, but none the less, we can't do anything about it.  They are going to be lurking in the shadows, and then before you know it, have the job, just out of stupidity from a "have no-idea how this works" bar owner.
You could always stay at the hotel (if their are no hotels close by to accoumadate your truck) and patronize the other place she works.  Assuming you find her. Someone in the area will know where she went.  Don't give up hope!  She'll turn up.  Especially if she was good.  Some smart owner will grab her up, AND that great following she had.

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She might not be alone Perry.  Assuming Karaoke hasn't been pulling in enough revenue for many clubs/lounges (for numerous reasons; ie toughening liquor laws and prejudice against places serving alcohol slowing heading us back towards prohibition for starters,  -DUI, Indoor clean air acts, etc) in addition to a possible fad (Karaoke) that in certain locations is tapering down and dwindling in terms of it's ability to draw despite probs at lounges -since entertainment gets cut first in terms of payout during tough times...MOST KJ's at some point will have to learn new skills, and adapt to a possible fad that's ending and not able to endure the squeeze making things tough for lounges to make money.

This was touched on in prior posts.  Some disagree, some agree..

Businesses look at figures.  Loyalty towards a small business employee in a hotel bar isn't something you hear about when times get tougher and the books show a decline making a cut necessary, more cuts that you might not personally see too.

Business is business-  Yeah it sucks,  but that's business too



Exactly,  If not some other conflict, it's likely just $$$$$. To fans of an entertainer it's sad, to a business it's small potatoes and dispensible cuts or just trimming their fat.  Saving money to them IS real too.

It was great when lounges payed out the larger horn bands covering Chicago, BS&T, EW&F, AWB, Cool and the Gang, Ohio Players, etc.  It was nice when lounges paid 3 and 4 piece live bands,  Those days are long gone in most smaller venues, and now MOST venues have taken the hit from (the 80's DUI to present) alcohol discrimination laws. Most of our days are either gone,  I think many of you KJ's are thinning too.

Noones fault  (even though it always sucks when the ax drops)

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

Yes, Kappy, you hit it on the head..

A short while back, KZLA am country radio, changed format to Rick Dees crapola rock..

It's all about the cashola.. Now LA has one CW station, and it's out of San Bernardino, 50 miles away..

A KJ friend of mine lost his gig, (full house every night) because the owner wanted to cut costs..

He did, but he cut income too..  :hi5:  LOL

The gig is empty now, and it's a shame, the club was packed up till they changed..

Things change..

Yeah,  and what ever happened to that little white dot in the center of the B&W TV we used to watch fade away after Perry Mason was over in 1960, and the parents  said,  "Bottoms up everybody,  last call..  You don't have to go home but you can't stay here" !    

(Tough to recall times prior to the 70's..eh? )


Grandfather of Karaoke=  Mitch Miller

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

Hey Jerry,   Wouldn't Mitch Miller be a type of Karaoke ?   The lyrics were on the TV,  the bouncing ball was the cursor, and you sang with his orchestra, or a recording of it ?  I don't recall.

Except the songs were a tad older..


Pack up your troubles in your old Kit bag and Smile Smile Smile

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

I don't know if this is the right place to add this, but it fits for me...

This is why I think it is SOOOO important to have a line requesting singers email addresses. Whenever I have had a gig change, or something happenns, I can let my regulars know. For some of the REAL regulars, I also have their phone numbers. It certainly makes for a more loyal following....

I also follow up 1-2 times a month sending an 'UPDATE' email when I have a show of any special events, etc. It is free and prevents people from wondering whatever happenned to.....

(Of course when you haven't had a regular gig in over a year that email list gets a little stale.... )

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

When Terrace View decided to close it's doors for the winter, I made it a point to get numbers from some of my better singers, in particular those who didn't live in the immediate area. I had some folks driving 40 to 50 miles just to come out and sing.
So whenever and where ever I have a gig, I make it a point to give them a call and let them know. Part of the success of my shows isn't me alone, it's the entourage of folks that I bring with me. They really add to the mood and diversity of the show. So yes I think it's very important to stay in touch with your following.

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.

But did you get email addresses? Some people are more ready to give you that then their phone number.

Just an observation.......

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

Most of these folks don't even own a computer...
I mean if the list keeps growing of course I'll have to come up with another option, but right now it's less than 10 people that I call. Most folks actually end up calling around to the bars trying to find out when I'm playing, which may have something to do with my sudden demand. If people keep calling then the bar owners think to themselves, hey we need to get this guy in our place... Small towns, word of mouth is your best advertisement.
But for the off season I'm just gonna hang with what I have, but next spring I may do sometime of mail out or email updates.

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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.

I hear you, there can be a big difference from city to small town.

What I did was add a line under the song title/number lines on the song slip for email address. I get some 1st timers this way. I have also booked private parties from people that saw my show and forgot how to reach me. When I send them the email they remember.....

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

Great idea, thanks for the tip.
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.

Yes, Mitch was an early adopter..    However, we sang along with the bouncing dot at the Saturday matinees..  :wave:

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