Karaoke Forums

We have a new contest, beginning this Friday evening, for folks 50 years of age and older, and it seems to be generating a lot of interest. In fact, it seems to be generating more interest than our more extravagant contest held in the fall.

This contest is shorter... 3 weeks as opposed to 8
Smaller prizes ... $300 first place as opposed to $1500
Restricted entry ... Age 50 & over as opposed to age 19 & over.

Who'd a thunk it?

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Earl
(BS, PHD & Certified CurmuDJeon)

[font=Times New Roman]"Growing Old may be mandatory... but growing UP is still optional."[/font]

Never fly at my place, we don't typically get over 50 avg age.

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

Glad it's working out for you Earl. Personally, I hate contests of any kind. All they do is create a lot of animosity, frustration, alienation, and hurt feelings among the patrons. I avoid them like the plague.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

That's too bad Lonnie, but then you only play in one place now a days and don't move around too much. You're around 50 yourself aren't you, does that mean you will be the senior playing to the youngsters? In a few more years you will be able to get your senior discount, right? I accept the fact I'm old and don't feel bad about it. I know we live in a culture that worships youth but look at the info commercials they are for food processors, reverse mortgages, diet and exercise programs and equipment, and step into bath tubs. The reason for this is everybody knows the largest single group are the baby boomers. They are the egg going through the snake that will eventually over stress both Medicare and Social Security. I don't like contests, but Earl is on the right track by getting seniors interested in his show. They have the most time on their hands and the most disposable income. Most hosts are baby boomers themselves, so it makes sense to cater to this group, this and private parties and weddings is where the money is, follow the money.

Earl - I think it is awesome that you are generating interest from an older crowd. I love having older singers at karaoke. Older folks choose great music that much of the time no one has ever performed before.

But I am in the same boat as Lonman, at every venue except one, my crowds are 20-30. We might be able to pull something like what you are doing at one venue. I think I will run it by the owners just to see what they think.

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-Chris

Not to mention some of the best singers I had technically speaking were older. I had one man in his 80's that used to compete in barber shop quartet contests. He really knew quite a bit about controlling one's voice to sing more difficult songs. I also had a senior that used to do back up singing in the movies for male stars that had less than stellar singing voices, they called him the king of dub. So there are quite a few talented and gifted senior vocalists.

I'm 45, and the music I listen to is rock, metal, thrash, pop, and new country. That is the crowds preference as well. Very little oldies, standards or other stereotypical karaoke music.
Doing one place wouldn't change any of that, I do not want to cater to an older crowd. If I had private parties with older crowds, I would hire an older host for that event.

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

I have some VERY good/talented UNDER 50 singers as well, great singers come in all ages not just old.

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

I am 48 and I don't listen to anything on the radio any longer except NPR. Most of what I listen to on Pandora and Spotify is chilled out electronic music (Trance, electronic exotica, some dubstep and house music, etc....). I sometimes think I would be dance club DJ than a karaoke host (and I just might dabble in that sometime).

But when it comes to karaoke hosting, I prefer to work venues with younger clientele. I have a young, free wheeling, devil-may-care attitude that works well with the 20-30 crowd. All of the hosts that work with me are in that age group so they are natural fits. Even though I enjoy having older singers, it is usually only the braver ones that venture into the establishments where I work.

-Chris

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-Chris

I guess since my mother is 89, has a personal trainer, is a long distance swimmer, skateboards, and went para-sailing last week, as well as my dad, who played 2 sets of tennis a day until age 92- I have a problem with describing someone who is just over 50 as "elderly". Hell, I didn't even retire from the mat until I was 48.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

I'm sorry, but I can't let the "contests don't work" assertions go by without comment.

We already run two other successful contests at this venue... one a little later this spring for juniors aged 11 - 14 and 15 - 18... the other is our major contest in the fall for anyone over 19. Both of these contests have been running for 7 and 8 years respectively, and I'm sure there's a good chance our over-50 competition will become an annual event.

Our contests have always been successful, as evidenced by consistent standing room only crowds in semis and finals, and I see no reason why that would change... so, to those who maintain that contests cause all kinds of drama... or they're not worth having... my experience is just the opposite. A few belly-achers from time to time, but you get them in every crowd no matter what you do. Matter-of-fact, we're also giving some thought to holding a duet contest.

My crowds are diverse as well and cover all ages... Last night's songs included everything from Katy Perry, Jason Mraz & Beyoncé to Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, and Martina McBride. My youngest "regular" is 8 years old, and the eldest will turn 90 in a couple of weeks.

Life is good here in rural Canada.

Oh, and one more thing... I use the word "elderly" as a term of endearment... I'll turn 70 this coming summer... and call myself "elderly" all the time... or ancient... or old crock... and so on... I'll also refer to anyone under 50 as being still wet behind the ears... I remember a quote from Satchel Page (sp) who played professional baseball well into an 'advanced' age... He would ask "How old would you be, if you didn't know how old you were?" Most times, I'd be somewhere around 36.

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Earl
(BS, PHD & Certified CurmuDJeon)

[font=Times New Roman]"Growing Old may be mandatory... but growing UP is still optional."[/font]

Contests DO work. People like to compete whether it be any sporting event, quilting event, pie eating, skeet shooting, etc....or whatever - PEOPLE in general like to compete. It's fun for them, some will win, some will lose - that's the nature of a contest.

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

Sorry I couldn't let the contests do work assertions go by unchallenged. To a certain extent they do work short term, sort of like a sugar high. They generate interest, they bring in new singers, increase venue revenues, and encourage ringers that try to steal the contest at the very end. The after contest blues then set in, some long time patrons feel cheated and hurt and stop coming to your shows. Few singers are objective enough to be honest about their true singing abilities. The judges can be manipulated by the competitors. How many times does the hot babe with the average voice sway the male judges? There is also the ever sentimental favorite the kid singer, or the young teenager. With a 50 or over contest this might not be a problem, but some contestants will try and get and edge if they can, it is only human nature.

The bottom line especially in a singing contest it's all subjective and not all can agree on who turned in the best performance. Even on American Idol some good singers have a bad night. In a three week contest a singer would have to nail every song no mean feat. I have always discouraged such contests, because it under mines what I try to build at my shows, a feeling of acceptance for all no matter what their singing skill level happens to be. That is what karaoke is sharing not competition, just to say you are King or Queen of the mic for one night. Remember after the contest you still have all the other karaoke show nights with the patrons that competed. I even refuse to judge such contests since I don't want to give the impression of supporting some patrons at the expense of others.

Eight years, and still going strong is short term? Really?

I guess those SRO crowds year after year are just figments of my imagination.

Darn! And here I thought I was doing something right.

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Earl
(BS, PHD & Certified CurmuDJeon)

[font=Times New Roman]"Growing Old may be mandatory... but growing UP is still optional."[/font]

Are you the only host in your area Earl? If that is the case or if you have really substandard competition I don't see how you could avoid offending some of your singers and have them go to other shows. How many nights do you play a week one or two, you seem to be based at the Moose Lodge, which is fine I'm a member to, but I played other venues as well. In 19 years of hosting I picked up singers upset by contest results on a regular basis. Now things might be totally different in Canada and people's basic nature might be different, but I really don't think so. You are good at what you do, you probably would be just a successful without contests. I never needed them to boost my crowds.

We do contests weekly/monthly/yearly - 20 years, no devastating effects or great loss of singers (as a matter of we usually gain some new regulars because of the quality sound & selection). People like to compete! PERIOD! Contests DO work! We don't allow for the swanky female to win because the judge wants her - if that happens, that judge is disqualified. We get out of house judges as a rule that are in the music field of some sort - local radio personalities, local musicians, vocal instructors, etc. Usually 5-6 judges for large events. We don't allow for audience response in the judging - not fair to the best singer that didn't bring in anyone over someone who was mediocre that stacked the house. We've had people that didn't win actually cry - but they are still regulars and guess what - still compete in the next one!
If they were long period contests, we'd also hold the finals on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon as to not interfere with regular karaoke hours. Smaller contests don't take up much time & if we do those during regular hours, we do contest & their names get moved to the bottom of the next round so they won't be getting up twice before other who waited through the contest and continue the rotation with those that were not in the contest.

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

Sorry Lonnie I just don't buy you have done contests with no negative impact for 20 years. Just like you find it hard to believe I have used my U-Best HD players commercially for 9 years with no serious operational problems.

It has been my experience that contests drive non-contestants (regulars and potential regulars) away so the bar loses money in the long run. However, I think this is a great idea! Us old geezers like to get out an party too. Just remember that falling down or dozing off on the bar top is not necessarily a sign of intoxication in this instance.

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Okay, who took my pants?

I should said no 'noticeable' ill effects. The contestants still come in whether they won or lost (some to the point of crying because they lost) and many of them still enter contests.
However I do think it makes a difference with a karaoke club that does it nightly over a club that does a karaoke night. A karaoke, club people can choose the night and avoid a contest night. A karaoke night in a place, that is the night and people have no choice which could lead to the people feel like they are being shunned out by the non-regulars coming in to do just the contest.

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

I neglected to point out that we never hold our contests on regular karaoke nights.

At the CBD Club, our normal karaoke nights are on Thursdays. Our Senior and Open contests are always held on Friday evenings... and our junior contests on Sunday afternoons.

We have yet to hold contests at our regular Saturday night venue (Moose Lodge), but are giving it serious consideration.

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Earl
(BS, PHD & Certified CurmuDJeon)

[font=Times New Roman]"Growing Old may be mandatory... but growing UP is still optional."[/font]