Karaoke Forums

Had a bad experiance at my show on Saturday. It involved a regular karaoke singer who comes out with her husband every week to my show and from what I understand to other shows as well. They just love to sing..anyway This girl was singing a song on Saturday ( now I know karakoke is for fun and it doesnt matter how you sound) but as my back was turned cuing up another tray.......SOMEONE THREW A SHOE at the singer and almost hit ME! ..Needless to say the SHOW came to a screaming halt with everyone arguing at the WOMEN who threw the shoe ! ..MY problem begins when I approached the barmaid and requested that this group of 3 be thrown out of the bar . AND she said I didn't see it! SO >>I told her that I did and that the music would not start until they (friends of the barmaid) left the building.
This isn't the regular Saturday barmaid and I don't like her. So there was no music for about 15 minutes while everyone was arguing and then the singers who backed me up for not playing started to leave. Finally the triuble makers left to while I played the a-hole song to cheers and the show continued/... although very subdued. I promply shut donw the show at 1:am and when I went to get paid the b-atch barmaid tried to short me $10 cause she said I stopped early . I demanded my full payment and explained that my hours are 9-1 and any time I paly to 1:30 is on MY TIME!!.... SHOULD I MENTION THIS TO THE OWNER/MANAGER who probaly already has heard HER story ? Or just let it go ..WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

YES YOU SHOULD!!!

Jam, there is NO excuse for the shoe throwing incident. I also would have taken the shoe to the nearest toilet and promptly ruined it!! All the while, talking on the cordless microphone.

The barmaid/bartender has to back you up when you ask for someone to be barred. This is a given.

Immediate management/owner followup is the only way to do this.

Any money shorting can be dealt with them at the same time. Do not confront the bartender. Argue your case, if they persist, then it's the manager or owner's situation from then on.

BE professional in all dealings with "the hired help." and INSIST that this person is trying to ruin your business. A well oiled machine can promptly grind to a halt the moment some dirt gets caught in the cogs!!!

Matt

I agree with Matt. Go to the Manager/owner. I'm sure they would like to know that their employees are less than honest. This employee appears to have overstepped her bounds of authority. You must nip it in the bud. If the manager doesn't back you, it may be time to look for a new venue.

As the contractor you are only responsible to the person in charge, ie the person who hired you. As long as you follow your chain of command you will be ok.

Did the barmaid see the shoe being thrown?
It seems to me that this is assault.
I would have kept the shoe, explaining that it would be given to the police.

At least I think I would.
It's so hard to keep a cool head in those hostile moments.

The club SHOULD back you, no questions asked.
When KJing, you are in the clubs employ, on their premises.
Any confrontation that happens there reflects on the club and ultimately on their insurance.

I guess the club doesn't have bouncers/doormen.
Doormen are a great buffer zone.

I find that in the heat of the moment, it's very difficult to react and not think "Could I have done that better?" in hindsight.

As, given our job as entertainers, we are a focus of attention, it's hard to walk that line where you eject people without totally humiliating them.

Drunk people don't respond well to that and it often escalates the situation.

I do agree that it might be time to look for another venue, if the club (and the barmaid in particular) doesn't back you.

malibujesus

Well I just returned from a good talk with the Manager. He backs me up and told me that anytime I have a problem with someone I have the authourity to throw them out myself. He wasn't too happy that the barmaid "took upon herself " to try and short pay me because I stopped the music at 1:00. He used some "F" words and said that he will talk to her. I'm glad I went and talked to him but now I probably made an enemy with the barmaid ! But as long as the Manager has my back I'm okay with it!. Hopefully the regular singers won't hold it against the venue and come back this week! The NORMAL barmaid should be working then HOPEFULLY !! One of the KEYS to a succesful venue is a good relationship with the management.
Thanks for your advice

Jam, You did the right thing. I never had any dangerous objects thrown at my singers or me during my show, But I might really blow a gasket If they ever do.

The worst thrown Items I've had were my mics on the floor by spite. Its happened twice over the years and both times I stopped the show. One time at a private corporate party I shut down for 20 minutes While I fixed my mic, And recieved an appology from the CEO of the company.

The other time was at a weekly gig several months ago. I shut down and turned up my mic volume super high and read an angry warning that anyone who abuses my equipment Is banned from singing for life.

Dealing directly with the owner is the only way to go. You are a business person and so Is the owner. You have a certain relationship and agreement. The bartender Is their Employee and shouldn't be meddling In business agreements or issues which may expose either business to undo liability.

Jam...

A few in here know me.. but one or two know me well enough to back this up... I DO take my personal safety Extremely Seriously, Both at a show and on the streets.

so..
Stopping the show was the right thing.. The bartender was wrong by not making the person who threw the shoe leave.. any violent act such as you discribed .. (throwing a shoe or it could have been a bottle or whatever can cause an injury.. ) your safety was threatened.. as it was said in most places that is a charge of assault.. a misdemeanor.

NOW...If it would have been my show and the barstaff had acted like that I would have broken contract.. packed up my system and gladly accepted no pay and GLADLY filed charges and created my own scene with a police presence and filed a report.
(but that is me)

I don't play.. but I wasn't there and didn't see how close the shoe was to you Jam.. BUT I would have DEFINATELY been upset too.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

A Shoe?????? Try a Lampost!!!! Dont you just HATE idiots that screw it up for everybody. And that barmaid!!! What a piece of work. Thank god for good management...............

Thanks to all the support....I'm thinking of putting out fliers or something similiar ( maybe those little stand up advertsing signs that go on tables)
All around the bar at the start of my next and future shows . explaining the RULES and Ettiquette (sp) of karaoke. Whether your a singer or just hanging out that night. I have a page in my book ..But the problem is with the people who don't pick up a book? Something that explains
Karaoke is for FUN and for all people Good and NOT SO good singers
Its suppose to be fun ! ....Any ideas ?

Brian, you would NOT be breaking your contract by shutting down... most of us have a clause in our contracts that state that we have the right to cease a performance at any time if we feel that our equipment, or person are threatened....
If a bar brawl breaks out the music stops. If I get hit with something, you better belive it WILL STOP!!!! Ask a DJ who plays middle or high school dances about the things they have had thrown at them... try shrpened pencils, super balls, ice

Jam on the lighter side, make some chicken wire barriers like you see in the Movie Roadhouse and the Toby Keith I love this bar video

Oh, and jimmy, i would have sent a bill to the damager of my mic..... Accidents happen, but spiking my mic like a football is malacious and YOU WILL BE PAYING FOR IT!!!

My contracts say: "The venue shall supply adiquate security for all events, and losses to supplied equipment while the equipment is on the premises and unattended by Show Personnel, Also, Event Security is the responsibility of the Venue/Promoter, The House/Promoter will be held liable for any damage for any guest/performer's damage to supplied equipment and or bodily harm to Show Personnel."

So it's covered.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

Here's another one Last Saturday the manager asked me to come in 2 hours early as the bar was having a ST Paddys day type party with free food etc. I get there in plenty of time and set up by 7:00 and was approched by a parton to see if I would let him do a stand up routine of Rodney Dangerfield..... SO I asked the manager and he said okay...
So the guy does his routine and stalls about three or 4 times and finally I go up and rescue him .. He SEEMED like a nice guy unitl about 10:00 (yeah he was drinking all day and night) NOW he wants to sing a song
Can't understand why he would have to wait his turn ? He eventually sings a song and keeps blaming me for his lack of volume and horrible singing voice by saying out of the side of his mouth that I "F" up the song on him all the while singing with the mic down by his hip anyway after the songs he starts to rant about another try at the same song and doing some more Rodney....I quickly cut the mic out and was told by HIM that I was rude and made him sound horrible as he gets in my FACE....anyway I am the PEACE MAKER AND shake his hand telling him I don't want no trouble etc etc etc Then about 45 mins later he asks to do the same song again Lucky for me the Bartender that night was the Asst' Manager and she kicked him out...... 2 things Try to ignore the drunks sometimes they will go away and #2 Its good to have the Bar staff who HAS YOUR BACK ....

Yeah, I guess you are going to run into all types of situations when KJ'ing in places where alcohol is present (which is almost everywhere). Do you find that most of your "situations" involve someone who has had too much to drink? Having a bar staff that backs you up is a really good thing, for sure. Sounds like you handled the guy as well as anyone could...how do you reason with someone who is that drunk ??

We had our first KJ gig at a real nice, new place last Thursday night. Nice crowd, plentiful singers. There was this gal, pretty drunk, who wanted to sing a Fleetwood Mac song. She was about two lines behind the monitor all the way, and the song was almost unrecognizable. She kept turning around and saying that this wasn't the Fleetwood Mac version. At the end, she said loudly, over the mic, "Next time, maybe they'll play the REAL version of the song for me!". Most people got a good chuckle over it. What ran thru my mind was....."It is just beginning. Dealing with drunk singers. When is the really drunk guy gonna come up here and start getting physical?" I hope our bar staff backs us up, as yours did! Lots of expensive equipment sitting around can make you nervous.

My only tip is I try to put them back on time/key by singing OFF MIC behind them. Usually you'll get one of 3 reactions:

1. It'll work and they'll be appreiative;
2. They'll stop singing, or ask you to help them out on the mic, or;
3. They'll turn around and tell you you are ruining their song- in which case you let them stumble thru the rest and move on.

My $.02

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

Those are 3 good tips! Probably your best options, really.

At a place where I regularly sing, KJ'd by a married couple whom everyone really likes, the lady KJ will sometimes get right up behind a girl singer who is having trouble keeping time with the words or is wandering off key, and sing very close to her ear. Works every time...the song comes out better, and I haven't seen any singer who wasn't appreciative of the help. I think most people really know when they're struggling, unless they're really drunk! A lot of the really drunk ones know it too, and cause a fuss to throw attention elsewhere.

Hey Dad,

No worries about someone coming up and giving us a hard time. Well, at least not if I'm there. Haha

I find that singing on key right near them is the kinest way. Hey everyone gets flustered and sometime the version (SGB anyone) doesn't have the music and lyrics cued properly.
I'll also sing on mike but lower in the PA and higher in the monitor to help which also is a great way to placate those drunken knuckleheads who insist on singing (alone or backup) Lower in the PA, higher in the monitor keeps the nails-on-the-chalkboard aspect of karaoke to an absolute minimum.
malibujesus

Folks,
i guess this is as good time as any to share a secret.. or if ya haven't guessed by now I already use it. in my effects outboard I use and have (Usually kept in "bypass mode" but I always set to the key of the song that is always currently running is my TC Electronics "Voice One" Vocal tuner for my club shows just in case I get a real anal singer who has the "Attitude".

The investment seems to keep nerves just a little bit more calm through out the night.

I hope ya enjoyed that tip.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

NO problem with helping out a singer who needs a little TUNING but when you get those drunks Who think they sound good and you are just messing them up !... I found that if I go to the mixer and try to make them sound better they just ASSUME I'm screwing them up.
So if they are stinky drunk and off key ....You/re on your own
I stay close enough to keep an eye on the equipment