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That time of year again and the BAR I host karaoke every Saturday just booked me for New Years Eve.   MY dilema is that besides the KARAOKE I do every Saturday I do play some regular music (DJ) on Saturdays also.  As we all know "some" karaoke singers sing nothing but BALLAD type songs and can bring a hopping party to a screeching halt ....SOMETIMES.  

The management just wants everyone to be happy so they leave the MUSIC UP TO ME whether its ALL KARAOKE or a mix. ( If I have the singers I go back to back other wise I mix it up)   BUT>>>> for a NEW YEARS EVE party I'm wondering if I should offer KARAOKE ALL NIGHT or just for a short time before 12:00  ( Like from 9pm - 11:30)  and then from 11:30 kick up the party with some PARTY MUSIC.

The background on the bar its just a local place --I have some regular singers that come in and the place is filled with locals wanting to hear everything from OZZIE to Jayzee.

Karaoke or not for New Years Eve?????

From 7:30 until 10p we will play it by ear as to KJ DJ ratio. (our singers like to dance just as much as singing and they get mad if dancers are on the floor and we shift to karaoke) Typically here from 10-12 the noisemakers and partyers are providing just as much energy and nobody cares which Just so it is party atmosphere. 11:30 on very few want to be singing they are passing out free shots of Scnapps for the last minute. In the last 4 minutes we play Auld Ange Zyne and during countdown everybody does their shot..

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To answer your question karaoke or not, I would think it would depend on what will bring the crowd in if you advertise. I know our bar has decided karaoke because that is what people will come in for. Every year they have a band the crowd isn't as big. Plus I think it would depend on what else he is doing. Is he serving food or doing any kind of raffles or games? When we have other things going on I'll just play music otherwise it's karaoke all night.

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Ditto to Bab's response. In the past I have been "given the night off" so the place could have a band ... and PRESTO!...singers come in, see it is a band, and leave. Band doesn't have following, play to an empty room all night. After a couple of years of doing that, they stopped.  I did play music intermittently, too, depending on the crowd. If you know your crowd, it is pretty easy to figure out what they need next (we probably know better than they do!)...Hope you're charging more for NYE!

K

I would say play it by ear. New years eve is a very popular night for folks to come out and sing.

Do your regular thing and then if you need a little zip put in a couple of dance tunes. Otherwise it's karaoke as usual.

The only exception here would be if the bar has advertised differently! Then you may have to adapt with more dance stuff.


I will be doing a DJ gig for 300 at a local Yacht Club so no karaoke for them

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Scott

Good idea to offer both but i'd say definately cut the karaoke off at least a 1/2 hour before midnight if not sooner. Maybe if the place is advertising by flyers or in the local paper they can add "upbeat karaoke songs" or something to that effect, so your locals will be better prepared to sing those kinds of songs and other will know NOT to try any ballads.

Also if you ask your singers ahead of time if they're coming, "What songs are they practicing or preparing to sing for new years?"- perhaps you can talk them into dressing for the part  or bringing in a prop or two to showcase that upbeat song.  

In my experience karaoke on new years near the stroke of midnight when everyone was "juicing up" wasn't the greatest idea unless you had a professional entertainer that really involved and hyped up the crowd with his/her song. People prefer to dance and show off their party favors/attire while drinkng and waiting for the countdown, imho.

-just a thought. The Best of Luck to you and have a great time! It's Vegas for me this year!!

The only advertising will be banners inside and out that just advertiserss NEW YEARS EVE PARTY--They'll be no mention of KARAOKE but everyone knows I offer karaoke when I'm there.    I guess I'll just wait and see what the crowd is that night but in any event I will cut off the karaoke about 11:30.  I'm sure I'll be playing till after 2pm so maybe startit up again after midnight ?

I've done 14 New Years Eves & kept on the same format every year - generally have on average of 40 singers (some years were more, some less) but on avg.  I let everyone know from the get go that they will probably only get 1 song total for the night & we will be doing about 1/2 hour - 45 minutes max of dance music starting about 20 to twelve.  Call out the New York Ball drop @ midnight, dance a little more, then back into karaoke for the rest of the night after everyone has done their hugs & kisses.

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I tend to do about the same thing as Lonman described, however it be on a little smaller scale, pry about 25 singers and not that many times (yet).....I pry do a little more 'dance' music, if that's what my crowd calls for.  I'm only on 2nd New Years hosting, but was at the bar at another karaoke/dj show the previous 10yrs...and it runs about the same.  Good Luck, MrD

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