Karaoke Forums

How much trouble or basically how far would you (or have you gone) to help the club(s) at which you KJ?  I want to do everything i can to ensure that the club makes it, but i have limitations.

I have only one KJ gig, well, two gigs at the same club per week.  it's a newer club that i was their one and only choice for KJ.  i really like the club, the patrons and the owners.  problem is, they are leaning on me more and more for being their entertainment director.  some of you know i own my own full time business outside of KJing and i rarely go out other than to do my gigs.  i made the mistake of putting the idea of an open mic nite in their heads and now it seems i am to take the ball and run with it to get it going and have been offered no incentive to do so.  i definitely don't have the time to run an open mic nite once a week and realy don't have the time to even set one up and make it successful.

i'm not looking for a solution to my situation.  rather i am looking to see if any of you have experienced similar situations.

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All work and no play make Homer something something

Yeah, had a place that wanted me to try this/try that, but when it came down to it they were trying to something for nothing.  I told them I would gladly help out, but that would require that I get paid for my services.  That put a quick end to it.

Now if you like the place you work at, and they are willing to compinsate you in some way, then give it a try.

A lot of places will push you to do more and more for free. I only do what I'm paid for, period. If the bar wants to experiement with new things then it is there responsibility to do so not mine. If they want to pay me for my time and I want to do it I'll give it a shot otherwise no.

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

Money talks ....BS walks.

You realize that the open stage night will be using your equipment.      

You realize that you will have to be there every night to set up and protect your equipment.    

You realize that they will want you to do it for peanuts, when it's really slow and it may turn into another karaoke night, if they don't get any takers for the open stage.  

You realize......

Be up front with them....Let them know that you have limited time to invest in other activites besides your Karaoke night. Sounds like even if they did offer to pay you to do it, you really do not have the time to take on the task. I doubt very seriously if this will cause you to lose your gig or their respect. Just tell them that while the open mic nite would be a good idea, you simply do not have the extra time in your schedule to deal with it.

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

all due repsect to the karaoke god, they will not be using my equipment.  in fact most of the time, the open mic players will use their own, but the club is going to purchase equipment for use the rest of the time.  i have already put m foot down on this.  i take my equipment with me, so there's no chance of them "accidentally" using it.  


Flipper, it is entirely possible that the open mic night will turn into another karaoke night.  i've thought about that possibility and i have someone to cover that night for karaoke, should it turn into that.  it defenitely won't affect our working relationship, since they are customers of my other business.  we're a pretty tight knit community!

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All work and no play make Homer something something

ah I see...didn't think about it as working into another karaoke night.

Why don't they poll the customers and find out if they will support karaoke on that evening instead of working into it? Seems like they could find out real quick if there was interest or not.

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FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

honestly this place could be a karaoke bar ever night, if they wanted.  i've sort of advised against that, however.  the bar has so much more to offer (pool tables, shuffleboard, video games, darts, tons of TVs), plus i don't want that much work!

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All work and no play make Homer something something

There are hundreds of starving hacks that need the work.  Spread it around.    


What does a game of pool cost?   $2      How long is a game?      1/2 hour?     $4 an hour???????      

You would need 9,000 pool tables to make any money.    Nothing is going to bring in more money than a full karaoke crowd.   Every night.

I'll do it but, pay me the same amount I would be getting for running my karaoke show because if I was not there I would be running karaoke at another bar for that same pay.

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ROBDOG *WOOF WOOF*

Excellent point !!

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

So you become the MC of the open stage.  Not using your equipment.   What happens when the musicians take a break or they're not there or not enough of them there.   You can not fill in with karaoke, because your system is at home.   And would you want to fill in with karaoke, with the bars house system?  

Bottom line is, if you expect to fill in with karaoke or think it has the possibility to become another karaoke night.    You will be using your system.

If they want you to BE their entertainment director, you need to charge accordingly.   They may find they are going to pay more going through an entertainment service/broker to get quality entertainment.  Make it worth THEIR while while making it worth yours at the same time!

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

Only if they weren't those serious karaoke singers that don't drink anything but hot water & lemon to keep their serious voice up to par.

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

I'd take my chances with the water drinkers, over a pool table.

Except water drinkers don't pay for the cost of doing business either.

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

Do you have any idea at all how many people would be interested in playing or singing at an open mic in your area?  Maybe you could mention during your karaoke nights that the club is considering having an open mic.  See if there's much response to your announcement.  The club really needs to advertise the night if they are going to have it.  Word of mouth just doesn't go very far on something like that.

As a professional you really can't do something for nothing - It just doesn't make sense. Running an Open Mic night could be a great thing if you had the time.
Again you HAVE to get paid for that time...Thats what business is about.
Other great ideas you could suggest IF you want - LEAGUES for pool, shuffle board, darts , POKER ..These all bring in PEOPLE and that's what bars need to make money ...  Clarification...PEOPLE WHO SPEND MONEY $$$$$
Whether you spending $1 to play pool or $0 to sing Karaoke as long as you are BUYING something from the bar ( Liquor or Food) this is what makes the world go around!!! - These is what makes a succesful KJ - If you can bring in people who are spending money a making the night profitable.

I run a Jam Night On Sunday nights It's at the same bar I do Karaoke for onThursdays,
I advertise during karaoke about the Jam Night and vice versa. It's slowly building up. Im the drummer in the Jam Night house band It's a blast.

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ROBDOG *WOOF WOOF*

Again the "Unknown Unknowing KJ" rears it's ugly head of miss information.  In you average hometown bar, I am not speaking of nightclubs/dance clubs, your profit margin on pool tables is greater than profit from liquor/beer sales.

Recenlt the wif and I were looking into buying a local bar, but the deal fell through becasue the landloard didn't want to sign a long term lease with us.  But anyway....Looking into what was made off 2 pool tables, and 2 bar top video game machines paid for ALL the operating expenses of the bar (utilities, labor, cups/glasses) everything except for the liquor/beer.  THis is also true for 2 other bars in this area, as I am friends with the owner.  

Pool tables make a LOT of $$$$.