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I had maybe 6 singers tonight overall (not all at the same time and maybe 8-10 people in the bar). 3 different people came in throughout the night and said they were at 4 - 6 different bars (not all the same places from what I could get from them) and claimed we were the busiest out of them all! Seems the bar business is starting to lose steam in general. 1 bar that has had karaoke for the last 16 years just announced they are quitting karaoke starting July 1st. 3 bars that own their own rigs have went from 5-7 nights to 2-3 nights. Gas is pretty high here (I believe 2nd highest in nation) and unemployment is huge. Don't know what to think anymore!

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Business has been picking up here, but it was slow. We had a fairly rough winter that just dragged on & on... I think it was mid-April before we saw daytime temps regularly above 50. I think people just got tired of going out in the cold. But, we rebounded and business has been pretty good. We still only get 8-12 singers per night, but we've been filling up. Things turn bad (real bad) right around the 4th of July and they stay terrible until about 2 weeks after the kids go back to school. Here, we only have 4 good months out of the year, so a lot of people do everything but waste it sitting in a bar.

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

Hey its summer..people just don't want to be inside .....My singers have dropped off also...people would rather go to the lake then be inside...don't worry winter will have them wanting karaoke again

My number of patrons was at it's peak in 2004-2007, then took a dive from 2007-2009, and has been SLOWWWWWWLY creaping back up since. We have our slow nights mid-week, but it's not nearly as bad as it was 2007-2009.

In that same time period, we probably had a good 15% of the bars here in town go out of business, including tons that offered karaoke. I took a $50 a night paycut on my Wednesday show during that time that I'll probably never get back.

However, especially in the last year or so, construction and leasing of new bars and restaurants are definitely exploding around here.

I think things are generally trending upward, just still not back to the 2004-2007 levels.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

I feel your pain. Things are running hot & cold in my neck of the woods. Two week ago, I had one of the top 3 nights EVER at my Friday bar. Jam PACKED to capacity.

Then last Friday, one week later, maybe a dozen people. The head bartender and I have given up trying to figure out a pattern.

Being downtown we draw good numbers most of the time, but it has been lighter this year than last. The depressed economy is taking it's toll. Gas prices are still high (both frequent topics of conversation at the bar). "Sequestration" has reduced the amount people collect on unemployment. Now that school is out, people with children are staying in or doing more family oriented stuff.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, people are knocking the dust off and getting outdoors any time the weather is even remotely nice. Three weeks ago we had a fantastic weather weekend and I had a Fri/Sat where we had 17 singers *combined* for both nights. Last weekend I had 24 on Fri and 32 on Saturday.

I have monthly sit-downs with every bar to discuss how things are going, plan for events, discuss ways to keep people coming in. So far, only one of my three spots is waffling and they have been waffling since the first karaoke show 6 months ago. If karaoke fails there it will be their fault, not external factors.

-Chris

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-Chris

Summer has some factor, however, but not to this extent. I've been here for 20 years and our (and other clubs) numbers are lowest now than they've ever been these last few months - and this has been confirmed from other hosts and bartenders (and a couple owners of other bars - which is why they come to ours - they close early) that do frequent our show that it's the same at their clubs and/or shows. Besides - OUR summers don't even begin until July or August most years and then it's only for a couple weeks .

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Maybe folks are just tired of karaoke? Look what's happened to American Idol, I think it's run its course. Also, let's face the fact that sometimes karaoke is not very entertaining.

Bad analogy. The viewership for "The Voice" has doubled in the last three years. The lesson to be learned there is that you definitely HAVE to keep it fresh. You can't ride the same formula for too long, even in your karaoke show, when 1/2 of America has ADD.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Idol killed itself because of the judges. Once Paula and Simon left, it went down hill from there. Steven Tyler was an ok replacement but gone now, but Nikki and Mariah suckazz, if they get judges people actually like, I think it would come back. And now Randy (last of the original 3) is leaving.
The entertainment factor was never an issue most nights, we do tend to get better than avg singers as a rule. When you get people that do not sing that come specifically to watch karaoke, that is saying something.

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

Now that's not fair, "I" actually have ADD and you can talk about trees and squirrels all you like because I like cake!

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

I think we had the same percentage of ADD when I was going up, but the difference is my parents told me to go outside and play and blow off some steam. Todays parents (if they are anywhere to be found) give them anything they want "just stop fidgeting around". If that doesn't work MEDICATE.

If you actually had a child with true ADHD, you would know that "go outside and play" simply doesnt work any more than saying "just snap out of it" for depression or "just eat something" for anorexia. Especially during school when that isn't even an option. Medication has been a godsend for my son. From failing to honor roll.

Mr. Marog. Do you take any medications?

The advent of anyone being able to download (without having to convert) and play on a cheap\free player, or stream from a site has put karaoke in a ton more basements. I have three ex-customers that are pretty much sticking with basements these days. I am as well. It's just as much fun (or more) without the hassles and prices of bars if you have a room full of folks all there for the same thing. Throw in quality gear and it's hands down better. Not as much with only three or four people (although I don't mind if it's just me HA!), but get 10 or more together and it can be bar room fun without the bar. This has to also be playing into the lower bar numbers.

The basement parties could be playing a small factor, but I do not think it's going to be that huge of a pull. Just not quite the same IMO. I have over 600 friends on my FB (majority singers), and only once heard someone organizing their own karaoke parties. Yes I know small number and just in a small area, but if it was happening more, you'd think there would be more event invites and status updates about them.

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

I disagree to a point. My shows are doing the same thing Lonnie, numbers are down. I think each area has it's reasons why they are doing well or not doing well. But, the basement parties are a huge factor here. But most of them don't put it on their facebook pages, they usually just text each other and invite only those they want there. Facebook is viewable by those who might crash their private parties. I know in my circle of friends this is the case. Shows are down by about a 1/3 of what they were only 2 years ago, and down about half of what they were prior to 2008. Many of my singers now don't even go out anymore. Fear of getting a DUI, or they are tired of the bar drama, or they just don't have the money anymore like they used to... ALL are reasons for partying in private.

I have a 17 year old grandson that was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 6. They tried all kinds of meds on him and eventually he didn't need them anymore. For him the best medicine was to stay busy physically. Today his doing great.

Thank you for your concern about my medical needs. That was very nice of you.

Oh, don't post all this stuff when I'm on night two tonight of a few week trial on a night I didn't think would work well in the first place....

But I'm having trouble predicting also. Things can be dead and I think I'm finished then the next week I get this huge crowd that says they had the best time and are definitely coming back and the next week no one....We used to be able to time it to paydays but not even that is making sense any more.

Summer I do notice that it can be a slower start because people don't get into party mood until it gets dark so they show up later. Or they do other things first and then come. There is also all sorts of extra competition with free outdoor concerts and street fairs and other events.

But it is sort of worrisome....

We use the FB message area to organize parties. As was said, it isn't usually thrown out to everyone. You can add as many people as you want and each person can comment for all of that group to see. We've had others add their own people to the conversations. I'm hosting two this weekend at my lake house and they were organized this way. I don't know how big of a pull the basement thing is, but it only takes one person getting a rig to take 10 or more of their friends away from a karaoke gig. My people are orphaned so I don't know how many would choose to go to the bar versus "my" party if they competed with each other. I know many will go to other bars on occasion but I don't know if I would call them regulars. We are putting 12 other people up in friend's places and some have their own and we are figuring on 22 people.

I'll argue that the basement thing can be much more fun than the bar thing. First, it takes equal quality equipment and music. Next, it's a close knit group so the rules do not have to be so tight. It is very common for me to sing a song and have another person or two pick up mics and join it I don't care! i would at the bar because, well, you guys know why. The rotation is more lax as well and always a set smaller size. If three girls blurt out they wanna "soak up the sun", bam! they are on... We always have our share of "listener" and they enjoy all the good singers and everyone is paying attention. My niece is very talented but you won't hear her in bars for another seven years. Hey, we can leave the "bad performers" off the list and sometimes do.

That is usually how it works. Many mature and grow out of it, some don't. Sounds like it helped him too when he was young.

Sorry, if i came across harsh. It gets under my skin when people dismiss legitimate treatment as "medicating" or "drugging" your kids. People wouldn't think twice of giving medicine to a boy with severe allergies or a daughter help with bulimia. Yet when it comes to ADHD medication, medication that in my kids case obviously helps in a HUGE way, it's somehow bad. My son describes it as a hampster wheel in his head. He simply cannot focus. When he takes his medication, he doesnt turn into a drugged zombie, in fact he's still very animated and funny. He just gains the ability to take control and focus.

I have a friend with a brother who is 58, functionally illiterate, dropped out of 8th grade, ran away and and even did some prison time. Even today he still lives in his mothers garage. His mother now knows he was a classic ADHD child, but they didn't know about that stuff then. His father thought the same. Hey, he just needed hard work, exercise and strict discipline. And I mean STRICT. In reality it didn't do anything and in fact made it worse. Today, that medication could have saved him from a life of ruin. I am confident it did the same for my boy.



I am concerned. Maybe you should stop MEDICATING and just go outside more. <----Joke!

Now...back to your regularly scheduled thread!