Karaoke Forums

I would like to know peoples' thoughts on something that bugs me, but I'm not sure if I'm being silly about it or not! I go to a karaoke venue once a week that's in a restaurant. Everyone puts a list of songs up, and usually I put up 4 songs for the night. Here's the thing...the people who work in the restaurant come up off-and-on during the night (and especially towards the end of the night) and do songs and duets, and usually your last song isn't able to be done because of all the employees singing. We're paying customers, and it seems to be that the employees can get together and do the karaoke between themselves any time and shouldn't be taking up the time during "official" karaoke time. Am I being unreasonable?

By the way, it's usually from 4 to 6 employees who do a combination of solos and duets, even though these employees also let their kids do songs too (2 to 4 kids). Three songs are usually all we're able to do in a 3-hour period, and the total number of singers (non-employees) averages about 8 to 10. I know it's all in fun and I don't take myself too seriously, but I spend a bit lot of time thinking up my 4 songs during the week, have practiced them at home, and really want to do them all. Am I being silly about it?

I let employee's up, but only once in a round like everyone else.

only difference is they tell me when they are ready, cause they are servers and bartenders.
then I squeeze them in as quick as I can.

and my regulars love to hear them sing. but I am strict with the 1 song per round to keep
it fair for everyone.

some nights it's so busy they don't get a chance to sing.

_________________
It's all good!

I agree with mightywiz.

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

Employees got limited when the bar was busy. It makes sense on several fronts.

We longer allow employees to sing if they are on the clock. We used to but a few were taking advantage of it and not doing their work very well. The owner stepped in and put a stop to it. Never any issues, they want to sing, they come in on nights off now.

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

Thanks guys for the input! Don't want to make any big deal about it...I usually reserve my least favorite song or the song I'm less enthusiastic about singing for the 4th song just in case I don't get to sing it! And the people in the restaurant are super nice, so I'll just say Everybody Sing On!!

They're supposed to be working. What if your bus driver pulled over and ran into a karaoke bar just to belt one out, and everyone on the bus had to wait? What if your cab driver pulled over to make a personal call when you were in a hurry to get somewhere?

Bruce that's funny but i have had that happen. I had a cab driver park in front of the hotel, run in and put in a song and try to get pushed up on the list in case he had to go take a fare. He would run in every few minutes to check the list. Hilarious.

I know I said I usually save my least-favorite song for last, but sometimes I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY want to sing that 4th song...practiced it all week and looked forward to it...and the employees start singing. I just roll my eyes heavenward, sigh, and say "Well, I guess next week." The thing is also, I hear all the other non-employee people say that it gets on their nerves also and is wrong, so it's not just me.

You might ask the host if it is possible to limit them. There may be a tactful way to take care of the situation. Or it is possible the host has been instructed by the owner to let them sing although usually I find that to be the opposite.

But what I have found is I have less trouble with employees singing but a bit of trouble with owners who say that they are paying for the karaoke so they should get to sing multiple songs whenever they want or say who of their friends and relatives should be up when. So sometimes the host is in the middle of a situation that might not be apparent to the singers. I lost a job once over not pulling a singer off the stage to put up the owner's relative.

It can be lose/lose when a host is put in that position as the owner may decide to replace them or in the long run they will lose singers and eventually their show, anyway. I have tried to explain that to owners and been told of the singers, "They'll get over it." Actually, no, they will go on Yelp and forums and ream the the place.

It can also be awkward as far as you might not want to alienate the people who are spending hours with and who are serving you. But if the host doesn't know there is a problem then they can't fix it. It is possible that the boss would rather have their employees working than singing.

I would have KILLED to have a gig where the employees sang. It would have meant that they actually WANTED to be there, and wouldn't deliberately be trying to sabatage my show.

Sometimes the fastest way to kill a gig is to have an an atmosphere that isn't supportive of what you are trying to accomplish..


In all the shows I have ever been to where the employees sang, they were treated EXACTLY the same as any other singer. Maximum of 1 turn per round, including duet, but more often than not, they would only get to sing once the entire evening, because they were too busy doing their job.

Double edged sword, eh?

Bikini bar a few years back, the gals came up to sing quite often..

The regulars never complained, as the gals would flash a boob or two while singing..

I often wondered why they closed down..

I agree with you, JC, it is MUCH better to have supportive employees and a fun, all inclusive atmosphere. I've got one who doesn't want to have to work late so she is hoping the show fails and is telling the customers that--you know that one isn't going to fly for very long. But it sounds like in this case there are so many of them singing that they are dominating the rotation and shutting out the paying customers.

I have had the bartender in the rotation before, just like anyone else. But if it gets to be a really long rotation then as fellow employees, I like them to back off from singing just as I do. If it is that busy then they usually don't have time to break away, anyway. There are always exceptions. I have had some that the crowd requested I put in. But I've also had owners tell me not to distract them from their jobs.

That's why we allowed them to participate when it was slower. For one thing, it could help if the rotation is light. Next the bar maids are into the night. But if they got busy they needed to focus on slinging drinks. The one exception; we had two hot bar maids who did a duet from behind the bar. They worked as they sang. It was a pretty cool deal and many of the patrons loved it. It definitely added a spark to the night and was worth a spot, even on busy nights.

I agree with the person who said talk to the kj about it and let him know how you and the others feel. Many times, the kj has no clue that people are unhappy if they never tell him.

One thing I can promise you is this:

If you are a good singer or even a halfway decent singer (and also not a butthole), he doesn't want to lose you as a regular at his shows.

in blue is the key point that i see.
my bartenders sing, but they also take orders and mix drinks at the same time. if they have to stop working to sing, then i can see a problem, but there is no reason they should ever have to stop working.

_________________
Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

Happy medium seems to be the key. A pub/club with a karaoke where none of the bar staff or the landlord/lady seem to give a rat's arse about the karaoke is not going to ingratiate me to frequent that gig, but neither is one where the staff overly dominate the stage. At the latter, what's in it for me for showing up, buying drinks and supporting other singers if I'm not going to get a fair go myself? From my point of view as a singer, this practice is akin to a KJ who allows their favourites to jump the rotation queue, a major turn-off for me.

I don't have many employees that like to sing, but I do try to accommodate them at some point in the night, once. There have been plenty of times where I've told them it isn't possible during a big rotation, but then I have allowed them to sing the last song. you do have to try to take care of these people because you have to work with them every week. And sometimes the whole bar thinks it's fun when they sing, as well. The key is moderation.

_________________
Birdofsong

As long as they are decent to good singers I think it makes the customers feel like the employees really enjoy their jobs. You wouldn't want to encourage an employee that sings poorly however..... I don't think.

It is hard to tell what is the correct thing to do in today's society.