Karaoke Forums

I've always had no problems getting involved in security issues when needed. I've "escorted" many people out the door in my day. About a year ago, I was "escorting" this rather large girl out the door who was putting up one heck of a fight. I was trying to restrain her from the back while moving her out the door. She did some sort of "tuck & roll" on me, and I rolled over the top of her in somersault fashion. I ended up hurting my knee in the process. That got me to thinking - I'm too old and too uninsured to be playing the role of bouncer. But, what do you do when a security issue arises and the only employee on duty is a female bartender?

Got it again last night. Jealous boyfriend pushed his girl in the face and a male patron took exception to it. What ensued was one of the most epic a$$ whoopin's of all time. I was forced to intervene because the first guy was on his back and appeared to be unconscious while the second guy pounded away at his face.

In the process, I ruined my Justin Verlander jersey (notice that was #1) and I came into contact with a heck of a lot of blood. Although that was the extent of my injuries - I should probably consider myself lucky that the second guy didn't put up any resistance when I tackled him. I have been punched numerous times at the point of intervention.

I can't keep doing this. But, my bar doesn't make enough most nights to hire security. And, most nights we have a great group of people (locals). It's only like twice a year that we have altercations. I'll have to keep putting myself into harms way to keep my job. That's the reality of the situation.

Do you guys play bouncer at your shows? Would you intervene if needed? More importantly, could you turn your back on a security issue?

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I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

That should be the bar tender's job. After all he\she did serve them the booze in the first place. I would call 911 and let the cops deal with it. If the owner doesn't like it oh well. That's way I just do RV parks and party's then the host has to do it.

The bartender is about 60 and female.

Cops are at least 10 minutes away.

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I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

I don't bounce. I'm a short, old, female. I usually work with female bartenders. One was very good at diffusing situations. She could talk people down or firmly escort them to the door if needed. When men tried to "help" it escalated things. I learned to let her do it but I was also aware if I saw or heard anything, even raised voices or an increase in cursing coming from a table then I would quietly let her know and she would nip it in the bud.

At one place I do now there are fights and usually the crowd gets involved to separate people. The female bartender's way of handling things is to scream the f word at people. It makes me nervous when the crowd gets involved as it is the kind of territory where people have guns and knives and I don't want to be in the crossfire. My main strategy at that place has been to protect my gear and not get involved. I am already hearing people are starting to be afraid to come in. They need a more worldly female in there. At both places no one wanted the sheriff to come as it cut down business for weeks after. But last time some patrons called because they didn't feel the bartender had a handle on the situation. It is too bad as their former bartender had weeded out the troublemakers but since she left it is getting rougher and rougher.

When I used to work with a tall ex-security guard male partner, he would hold onto people during altercations but he didn't try to engage with anyone as far as taking them down. As said our main thing was protecting the equipment.

Your questions speak for themselves. Your own good sense is telling you it's not a good idea to get involved in physical altercations. If the bar can't afford to pay for the damage to your clothing what do you suppose would happen if you needed major surgery? And who got the girl drunk to where she was out of control in the first place?

The bar has the legal and ethical responsibility to deal with the situation that they helped to create. Your karaoke music didn't have anything to do with that. Provide the bartender with access to your PA system by all means and if you are forced to defend yourself or someone else who can't defend themselves, then so be it, but don't seek out a confrontation.

When fights break out, I protect my equipment.

Once in a while, I'll know one of the people involved, and talk them down, but I don't play bouncer, I just look out for my stuff.

Our bar used to employ a bouncer, but the owner decided to cut that expense. Of the 6 bartenders that rotate working my shift, only one is a guy. However, the gals don't mind screaming their face off to get the fight under control, even if they can't get involved physically.

Our basic operating procedure these days is the second a fight starts, the music turns off, the lights all come up, and the police are called. The other patrons will usually police the situation just to get the party going again.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Absolutely not! I'm not hired to be a bouncer.

If there is a fight, the first thing I do is cut all the audio and turn on ALL the house lights. Silence and the stark illumination certainly helps to end things fast.

I never did any bouncing and the bar provided a bouncer when things were really really busy. Only had one possible fight close call with no bouncer handy where two guys squared off. I kept the Barney song on the desk top just for this type thing. I queued Barney and ran over to a monitor where I put a live mic in it for a second. The mic squealed for a second then "I love you, You Love Me" started playing. Everyone started laughing and the guys backed off. I am not saying this sort of approach will work every time but its a way to try to help without the "entertainment" becoming involved in the nastiest side of the bar business. I think it's really smart to keep that stuff separate from hosting duties.

I'd say 99% of KJs are 1099 or under the table NON-EMPLOYEES.

That means that you are NOT a representative of the bar, and you will be fully liable for your actions in a fight. Get hurt? No worker's comp; be prepared to come out of pocket for your medical bills. Hurt someone? Get ready for a lawsuit without the benefit of the bar's support.

Just stay out of it. It's nowhere NEAR worth it to play bouncer. You have nothing to gain and literally everything to lose.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

I kept the Barney song on the desk top just for this type thing. I queued Barney and ran over to a monitor where I put a live mic in it for a second. The mic squealed for a second then "I love you, You Love Me" started playing. Everyone started laughing and the guys backed off.

I need a copy of that song, good idea!!!!! It's like I posted call 911 it"s their job I just do the songs. All for $100 - $150 per sown????

I don't get involved unless it is absolutely necessary. I make that call after I take a moment to determine whether or not my intervention is absolutely necessary. I will only intervene to protect the bar customers and/or the bartender.

It really would be nice to just not worry about the security issues, but I can't sit back and watch an unconscious dude get pummeled - not only because I feel that there is an ethical obligation to do so (if you have the ability) - but because my bar owners would expect me to do so.

One night, I had a situation and, for private reasons, I could not intervene. My bar owners said "WTF? You're a f-ing Army veteran! You couldn't stop that?"

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I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

To which I would have replied, "WTF? You going to start paying me an extra $20 an hour ALL the time to play security too? Oh and don't forget insurance!

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

WOW. That's some balls. Why didn't HE stop it? He's the "f-ing OWNER".

I've encountered some where the safety code dictated that the bartender not come out from behind the bar under any circumstance, they didn't have a bouncer and they didn't want the sheriff called either. Think I'll get that Barney song.

Lovely thread!

I have endured many fights, and i have had to be a human shield in front of my equipment while fights break out on a busy dance floor.
I have played in my share of dives.

I was even in a fight!

It was early and i was setting up with just my wife and sister and my cousin, and 3 others.
The bar was off a hall so the barman who is a massive guy couldn't see what was going on.

2 guys walk in, i greet them in a friendly manner and they give me a bad look and ignore me.

My sister sings and the one guy is heckling and walking up to her whilst hitting on her while she is singing, so i tell him to back off and sit down.

When i did a Mic test and sang the heckling was now turned on to me and rude sexual comments were made about my sister.....

I stopped singing and stormed across to the hooligans and we had words....

Im a small guy although 6FT tall and these two pieces of work were quite butch at around 6FT2 but i said what had to be said without intent of getting physical and i got pushed about 5 meters across the floor!

I tackled the brute to the floor and repeatably punched him like a WWE wrestler punches an opponent on the canvas, and his buddy was about to kick me in the spine without me knowing.
Fortunately my KJ partner/and Pub owner ran into the hall and kicked him first and the pepper spray was used all around.

He was pretty buggered up and im thankful i didn't get kicked in the spine, he could have paralyzed me!

To this day, i refuse to play in dives and expect bouncers, as most pubs in Cape Town have bouncers.

I wondered what ensues these sort of attacks and i have a theory.
We can sing, we have power and are popular in our venues at any given night and i reckon the real alpha males have a problem with that.


Im ashamed at the incident but i have never started a fight and i was tired of always walking away, and being a doormat, after we put up with alot of crap normally anyways.
I had to defend my sisters honor and he wasn't going to stop.

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LOVE YOU LOOOOONG TIME KARAOKE.

I can't get physical because I would loose in an instant. One twist of my left arm and I'm down for the count for having a bad shoulder that will dislocate at any given time. Just today I was reaching down with my left arm to pick up three trash bags and it decided to go out on me. So I have it in my contracts that I am not to be used as a bouncer.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

From the jobs I have worked in the past and training that I receive now, I am able to spot the trouble and find a solution to it before it becomes a problem. This might be as much as me just walking up to the person and talking to them or letting the venue staff know ahead that trouble is brewing. If I notify the venue staff of a possible problem with a patron or visitor I am able to offer the venue staff tips on what to do, such as no more drinks for the person or group or just asking the person or group to leave.

Past job experience includes local law enforcement, security and even part time bouncer. At every show I find myself constantly looking over the crowd watching for this type of thing to happen. Of course my physical size also helps out and the areas that we work about everyone knows me. On the bright side we have been able to stop issues before they become a problem inside the venue!

Contracts are wonderful things.

"Venue will provide all necessary security and assumes full liability to equipment or personel resulting from security matters."

We've had quite a few close calls with people onstage who suddenly decide that they want to sing a different song (6 and half minutes into "American Pie"), or start over, but it's usually Drunk Girl, and she's easily dealt with.

I like the idea of using the mic or program material to diffuse a situation. The Barney Song idea is priceless. And I fully agree that the music needs to stop as soon as trouble breaks out.

I don't know of any bars in my area that would assume any sort of responsibility for equipment.

I only know of one venue that even signs a contract, but my understanding of that contract is it covers pricing, and a conduct clause was recently added.

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I'm not a cheerleader, but I paid for my pom poms with my own money!

KJ's are there to KJ PERIOD.

We are not trained and certified as bouncers, security staff etc.

DO NOT TRY TO BREAK UP FIGHTS YOURSELF. In most instances do not have INSURANCE to cover injuries to yourself or equipment. Venue WILL NOT cover any injuries you sustain(or infections from blood exposure for that matter).

If you CAUSE an injury YOU WILL BE LIABLE.

If venue has a history of frequent fights and does not provide adequate security....then find yourself another bar. Otherwise STAY OUT OF IT AND QUIT TRYING TO PLAY THE HERO!!!

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"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