Karaoke Forums

Karaoke – Saturday night – Crowd probably equaled one hundred fifty plus – Audience, senior citizens – Average age probably around sixty-five.  Problem, one table wanted to sing songs with a lot of profanity.  Within fifteen minutes there were only about three tables with customers left in the room.  I got up, asked the kj for my cdgs back, and left - 8:30 pm. On the way out, the only legitimate singer left stopped me and said that they would be leaving as soon as she could get her cds back.  I’d give anything to know just how much money the bar and dinner lost because of this.

_________________
Singing just for you

Dumb KJ.  Althought I don't try to censor my singers, if I ws playing for a crowd of "older folks" I would ask the singer to wait till later to sing a "questinable" song.

You always have to play to the crowd that is there.  Mroe than likely if the KJ made the person wait the "older folks" would have been cleared out by 11pm anyway.

On a similar situation, I was doing an afternoon gig, at the bar I gig at normal on thrs&fri note, for a group of people heading up to Clear Lake, Iowa for a Buddy Holly tribute a week ago.  The bar owner wass there, and we had a good old time playing and singing a lot songs from that  era.  The people that were there were in ages form 40-65.  After it was all over the bar owner made a comment to the effect that we should play more classic rock like that on the normal gig nites.  On normal gig nites the crowd is made up of 20 something.  Sure they like that msic, but to play it all night long, would not work, as thoes people woupd get sick of it real fast.


Again, you have to lay to the crowd that is there.

Honey I prefer to do that in private  LMAO

_________________
"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Even if I spell checked, it would not have caught that one.  

that blooper made my monday...but then I am easily tickled  LMAO

_________________
"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

I remember the first time I heard my dad use a profanity (he didn't know I was within earshot).  At first I was startled, then I came to grips with the reality that in private, anyone might let a "bad" word loose.

Today, there are two generation (younger than myself) who don't even know what the word profanity means.  I guess "peace" will arrive for karaoke venues when mine and the previous generation are both completely gone.

Meanwhile, I don't know how one controls singers as to the use of profanity or the genre of music selected.  BD claimed he could control both.  That makes me sure it can't be done.

For example, BD said he eliminated the songs with "bad" words from his catalog.  I've heard people add profanity to songs that would be in his catalog and didn't originally have "bad" words.

It's really too bad that a job (Kjing) that can be so enjoyable has to deal with conflicting agendas and, therefore, can't satisfy all of the people all of the time.  On the surface, you would think it would be quite simple!

As in a previous post, you can for the most part keep everyone happy.  I too have had some venues where their may be young children with their families, because the place is a restaurant/ lounge/ pizza shop.  Most of the children aren't within hearing distance of the Karaoke singers if in the small family room where most go with their children.  But the bar owners remodeled, and a large portion directly opposite the bar has open doors to a fine dining area often where children and mixed ages have rented the room for some family function.  In that case when Karaoke has begun and someone comes up and request something that I know specifically will be vulgar to young ears, or offensive to the older ones, I explain the circumstance and ask that they wait until at least 10-10:30pm when the children should be gone from the bar.    I have also recommended to the bar owners that these small children legally should not be sitting at the bar or in that area after 10pm.  That has worked well.  And most of the singers that have patronized us really don't don't request too many songs that will not entertain all.  Been lucky in that respect.  I have told individuals to keep it clean for the rest of the patrons.  It is only after a select few will get totally annihilated that you usually have a concern to worry about.

The discussion that started this thread dealt not with young children being presented, it discussed older folks leaving a venue because of the language.  And you can include me among those who might leave

I have a rule clearly printed in my book that there will be no songs with profanity in them until after 11:00 p.m. If there are children in the bar AT 11:00 p.m., then I make an announcement that we will be allowing profanity from there on out, and any parents that do not want to expose their children to this may want to consider this.

I am kinda lucky in the regard of profanity in that I work in more of a nightclub atmosphere, and no one except the parents of the year ever bring their kids in in the first place. Likewise, there are very few older folks, and I will NEVER have to rely on older folks for my business, so if any adults leave due to the profanity then I don't particularly care. They are adults after all!!

I am of the opinion that words are just words, and likewise profanity is not profane unless you attach a certain intent to it, i.e., just to say or sing a curse word in fun shouldn't hurt anyone's feelings in the type of setting I work in. It is when someone really attaches hurtful intent to it that that word becomes vulgar, and that can be said for many, many words that are not considered curse words as well!!

_________________
C Mc
KJ, FL

I too get embarrased as a KJ when a young person sings a "not so nice or clean" song...For example There were some people at the pool table the other night & it was kind of slow so I asked them to look in the book & find something to sing...They picked a hip hop rap kind of song...that wasnt the problem ..the problem was that when they got up to sing it they made up their own words to it & they werent so nice. Alot of people thought it was funny but I didnt, it just urked me to no end for some reason.. I was embarrassed when they came the next week & did song after song that way with a full house . Should I ask them not to make their own words up & sing the song ?? We just got the gig & I dont want to make anyone mad but really, its just aggrevating. Its not like theyve sang even one song the way its supposed to be sang. Am I just being particular??

As for the seniors I would "mingle" a little bit to let them know that there are people here with all different kinds of tastes in music... Im pretty sure they realize this coming to a bar these days though..

_________________
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]

Kelley,

You're expanding upon part of my point.  Just because a song has no profanity, doesn't mean some a**hole won't add profane lyrics.

And Topher, if you don't want the business of "older folks", why not put that in your literature and you'll never have to deal with us. (I'm in Tampa at least twice a year, I had thought of catching your show on my next trip)

Just because I'm an adult, doesn't mean I appeciate profanity for profanity's sake.  In general, singing is an art, often whether done poorly or well (i.e. Bob Dylan, IMO, sings poorly but I have always been his fan).

If profanity contributes to the artistry, I'm all for it!  If it becomes an excuse for someone to get-off on spouting vulgarities, over a microphone, in public - I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!  LET HIM OR HER GO HOME AND SING TO THEIR MOTHER.

Our club has a no swear over the mic rule as well.  So we also have pulled all songs with profanity out of the books.  The ones that you mention that add the words just for the sake of adding them get 1 warning if they slip it in, if they do it another time, their mic is shut off & are asked to leave the stage for the rest of the evening - no exceptions.  This rarely happens - 2 times that I can think of since '94.  We have a pretty good crowd most nights & majority of the people will comply & those who don't feel they need to can go to the club down the street.

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

Lonman,

I like that rule, and I also like your rule that if you have a turn at the mic, whether by yourself or in a group of five, that is your turn.  I mentioned this rule to a KJ friend of mine who complained that he had five drunks come up as a group and ended up singing five times in a row  (that can empty out most places)

i did gin and jucie 5 years ago at a chi chis? I think? in Wilmington DE.  I had had a couple drinks and was swearing my butt off (because that is the song!), but after half of the song was over the KJ came up very nicely and just said to use another word for the swear words.  it was cool.  from now on I ask, and it's usually not allowed, but every once and a while I get to put the smack down in public!  

has anyone heard the SNL spoof on Gin and Juice?  it is so funny.  this real white sounding dude saying the words to Gin and Juice with some piano and violins in the background and no beat, really slow.  it is so funny!

you gotta get yours, but, fool, I gotta get mine.  LMAO

Come on, man. Don't put words in my mouth. I didn't say that I don't want the business of older folks, I said:



By this, I mean that since I work in more of a nightclub rather than a local bar/restuarant, about 99% of the people that ever step in the door are of the same demographic: 21-35 year olds looking to have a good time, sing, and dance!! I don't cater to families and older folks (unless they are there to enjoy my product for what it is) because I usually don't have to.

When you make the decision, as an adult, to go into a CLUB, you shouldn't expect the music to be wholesome radio mixes, so I see no need to censor my songs, and, in fact, play many many mixes of hip-hop/rap album cuts. If someone complains about the cursing, be it in the karaoke or in my dance music, then they should have made the decision to go to the family restaurant with karaoke instead of my dance club!!

I have the 11:00 rule in my book because sometimes there are still kids lingering around at 11:00. My place serves food and is more like a bar and grille during mealtimes, so there are sometimes still kids around once I start karaoke at 9:00. Since the management's policy is to kick out everyone under 18 at 11:00, I made it my policy to keep things tame IF there are kids in the bar before 11:00. At 11:00, things get kicked up a notch weather they like it or not (but, everyone likes it, so no worries)

My show is not wholesome family fun, it is loud, pounding, uptempo, adrieneline pumping ACTION, all night, every night. My show has almost no resemblance to the standard karaoke show down at your local neighborhood bar, besides the fact that people sing. I operate on a completely different level than what most people think of as stereotypical karaoke, and have found a large audience for what I do.

If an older person wants to attend, and enjoy, this kinda show, they are most certainly welcome, but I do not take kindly to anyone telling me how to do my job when there are 150-200 people a night for almost 3 years who think I am doing just swell.

_________________
C Mc
KJ, FL

AMEN TOPHER!!!

Like you the place I kj'd at was hip-hop dancing, rap/hip-hop betwenn karaoke songs, salsa dance music and even a reggaeton set. I even had a set of conga drums on stage for anyone to get up and play beat along to the dance songs(not on karaoke songs--too distracting for the singers). Old school hip-hop to Andre Nikatina and everything in between. Start off the evening with earth wind and fire and disco songs, then a few 80's dance songs then straight into modern top 100 hip-hop/r & b.
If someone sang a swing song(like zoot suit) I follow it up with a swing fill song. If someone sang a blues song(pride and joy) follow it with modern blues fill song(alwayz dancable). If somene sang a latin song--follow it with salsa and then reggaeton(Dadcdy Yankee-Gasolina, Pitbull-Kulo). I even had a video slide advertising show scroling pics and adds between each Karaoke song. And finally on some of the other monitors(we had 7) 3 of them would be a live video camera trained on the singer or dancers controlled with a remote that would let me zoom in on a singer for a head shot--and they looked like they REALLY WERE pros on the tv!
And to top it all off is my primary fixed wired mic---a big silver reproducion of an old school shure 55-M Elvis/Sinatra mic!  

Like yours there was NOTHING EVEN REMOTELY RESEMBLING other palces that Ive come across. ALL ACTION, NON-STOP Party, 21-35 crowd with a few olders that came from time to time.

Get up on stge and DO YOUR THING. Sing YOUR song the way U WANT TO. Adult perfromances for ADULT partiers!!

 

_________________
"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

Lonman,
Amen!  We have done the same thing for years.  Haven't had to often either.  But it works.  We can't control what they add to a song while singing, but we can stop it from happening again with that particular singer should they try it.  Have also walked up to them in the middle of the song and told them it is not acceptable at this establishment, and I will cut them off if it happens again.

Topher,

I don't want to be argumentative, but I was responding to this part of your statement regarding profanity.



And I do care about profanity.  Yet, I can listen to "Ode To My Car" 'cause I just don't find it to be vulgar.  While I'm not a fan of Adam Sandler's, the song, to me, is downright funny!

Personally I do not tolerate ad-lib profanity when it is not even in the lyrics of the song. This in my opinion is a deliberate attempt to offend folks. And they only get one warning, then the 2nd time the mic gets cut and I fade to fill-in music. I just say...your done for this rotation. If they do put up another song I tell them that if it happens again they will lose their spot in the rotation for the rest of the evening.  I've only had one person challenge me and the bar staff rode him out of there like he was on roller skates and asked to never return.

I agree with Eric.....I feel that "Ode To My Car" is a very entertaining song and while it definately has profanity it's intention is to entertain the listener, but it still has it's time and place where it should be played and I really like the 11pm rule Topher has in place.

My only remaining bar gigs have specific rules that I adhere to due to the demographics and makeup of t the customers that frequent the bar. Ode to My Car is an acceptable song after say 10pm but many Rap and Hip Hop songs would not make their acceptable list. I respect this and ask the singers that request to sing these songs to respect the establishment as well. I get a little grumbling from time to time but most folks get over it or they go elsewhere.

_________________
FlipSide Karaoke
Scott

I don't care to go to places that allow profanity on stage.  I know it's just a bar, but I don't necessarily want to hear it over a couple hundred watts screamed at the top of ones lungs!

_________________
[shadow=deepskyblue]I'm impressed, I've never met such a small mind inside such a big head before.[/shadow]