Karaoke Forums

I like that Lonnie - pretty simple and puts responsibility on the House and leaves the KJ free to do his job.

Should a drunk have the right as a customer to determine that they want to enjoy 2 shots of Hennessy for the price of a $5 well drink?

The way some bars are run some of the bar owners appear to think that way, but once in awhile maybe a good businessman needs to push back jjust a little on an unrealistic customer expectation.

Isn't the reality for most KJs that we take a lower rate to start and try to partner with an owner to build a good karaoke night for our mutual benefit, but then...

The owner poor mouths the results never showing his tape...

Or he grudgingly pays and then starts looking for a cheaper host totally forgetting about partnership.

A host needs to have some sort of feel for when the deal is being honored and when he's getting taken advantage of.

on a side note....
i see most that are open till 2am only run karaoke till 12:30 or 1:00 on this forum
am i the only one that runs till closing 9-2?

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

Most nights out by 1am . . . but since we are 24hrs here, really rockin' shows have been known to go on till 5am.

I did not run my show last night, but I have an alternate that does a very nice job in my absence. Last Wed when I did my show only 7 days after back surgery, was not my smartest move Here was Wed 3-4-15 FB post:

"I know it's hard to believe but Karaoke tonight is fully booked again with a waiting list of about 30 people. And next week's is nearly booked too! Thank You to everyone for supporting this Wednesday tradition and know we are doing our best to get everyone in. Please remember if you're unsure about the status of your reservation to give us a call or email".

I tried to speak with the owners on Tuesday about this thread's topic but I could not pin them down.

I always ran until 3 am. The place still does that today.

Bars in my town were only allowed to stay open until 2:00 a.m. until about 3 years ago, when the law was changed to allow them to stay open until 3:00 a.m.. So, I was working until close until the law was changed, then my bar owner told me basically that I could stay until 2:30 if I wanted to, but he wasn't going to pay me for that extra hour. So our understanding is that he pays me to play until 1:30, after which time I can leave if I want to, but can also stay if I want to. I typically play until 1:30 on the dot on most Wednesdays, but typically stay until 2:00ish on Saturdays when the bar is packed and there are always plenty of peeps willing to toss a $5 in the tip jar to sing after my hours. On the nights that I'm there until last call, it's typically because it's been a very good tip night.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

so do most of you shut down 30 mins before closing?

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

The club I work wants me shut down an hour before close Sun thru Thurs & half hour before Fri & Sat. Not allowed to go over time without permission, but that rarely happens.

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

I gig at a restaurant like mrmarog I run from 9:00 - 12:00 most nights. Even thought they could serve until 2:00am if they wanted to. Some nights we will run until 1:00am. But I get paid above the average for my 3 hour show and love the hours. Close to the homestead and home by 12:30 most nights. Have been there for over 3 years now and it is a very comfortable laid back venue with a nice clientele.

My local runs 9:00pm-1:00am Friday and 8:30pm-1:00am Saturday and my sis and I usually drop £40-£50 between us. Not sure about the rest of The Squad but there is usually between 5 and 7 of us going along so even if you estimate an average of £20 per person that is at least £100 from my little crew alone. There is one guy that comes along every other week or so who easily is dropping 50 notes on his own, probably a bit more if his kid is about. There are probably 3 or 4 other little crews that come along regularly of 3-5 people as well as 2 or 3 solos and the odd walk-in group. On top of that, they have 2 pool tables which are always covered for the entire night by 3 or more people every week and 4 dart boards, of which 2 are always in use. Then you have the people that just come to chill as it is their local and the bar hounds who seem to live there. They are doing alright out of their weekends.

We don't have bar curfews in our state so I go until they stop buying drinks. I tell the bartender to give me enough warning to give the singers one last song and allow for a half hour tear down time but other than that if it is hopping we are still going. Sometimes I am driving home when the sun comes up. The bartender is authorized to pay me extra when that happens. It is usually more in the spring/summer months.

There are a lot of restaurant/casino workers in the town so often there will be a "second shift" of customers who come in around the time the show would usually end. Often they would just rather play the juke box so I get to go home but the bartender is stuck for several more hours. Or there are some groups that hate karaoke so they stay at the other bars that close earlier than come in later hoping the karaoke is over. But if they want to sing and they are buying, I stay too.

The bar liked for me to be done an hour before the 4 am close. They had a hard time getting people out if things were rocking and I played too long.

I did my show on Wednesday to an even more packed house than the posted picture shows. I had 42 singers and a lot of them were first timers, and wouldn't you know the A/c system gave out! The temperature that evening was a balmy 85 degrees at 7 PM. Fortunately there are three door ways to the outside because it was getting very warm very quickly.

The owner had a 42 inch shop style fan and he used it to suck the hot air out, and the party continued. Even with crowds that big he will not put another karaoke night on the schedule If he did he might be able to afford a new A/C system

It is another totally reserved evening for this Wednesday again! All tables and bar seats are taken as of last Saturday. Last Wednesday was the day after St Pat's Day and it was only 90% full for the first time since Christmas.

I have been having to pay someone to set up my equipment since my back surgery, which has been severely strained after every show even when I don't do any of the lifting. I have an alternate hosts that fills in for me, but this is the most fun time of the year here in Sarasota and I really don't want to miss out on all the fun.

The owners still have not gotten back to me on the "how much should a customer spend" topic. They seem to be avoiding it because I am not buying their line that they are not making any money on karaoke nights.

If people are coming to the bar for karaoke, then my primary job is done. My next job is to keep them there, usually by promoting and encouraging a good time. That includes promoting bar service, specials, menus, etc.

If they still aren't spending money, that is on the bar.

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-Chris

Chris, I totally agree with you on your last post, but a little praise for good job goes a long way too. I never get any of that and I can't bring in any more people than I do..... the place is completely packed from December to almost May.

An awful lot of my full time singers don't even come any more because they don't feel like making a reservation ...... to sing karaoke. They don't have to make reservations any where else. I will get them back in May when all the seasonal folks are gone, and I will glad to see them again.

We ALL should be shown more appreciation. I hear it from some staff and owners, but mostly from patrons. But I also have one bar in particular that would simply go belly up without karaoke. Not once in over a year have I been thanked by the owner for keeping them in business. Sure, they could find another karaoke company if we left, and that karaoke company would also keep them alive. But there is zero acknowledgment that karaoke - regardless of who provides it - keeps the bar open.

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-Chris

The snowbirds are going home a month early this season. It started late too. Only a three month window to make some cash. The weather on the west coast is way too warm to keep them here.

I had another great evening 3-25-15 with a more than full house and still the owner can't give me any kudos. I find this very upsetting. I had one guy complain that he brought 20 guests (all non singers) and he only sang twice. BTW that is the most anyone sang.