Karaoke Forums

I agree with those of you  who suggested raising the price on a club with a successful night...this sounds just like a club I play at on Wednesday nights in Steubenville...The bartender is very popular, I have a very long rotation on this night.  I have thought about raising my price, but I am known as a "nice person", and don't know how to approach the owner with it...The bartender makes more money in tips that I get paid for a night of service!  It's true, you work your 'butt' off on nights like this, putting up with all the 'die-hard' singers who get mad at you.  I have been wanting to raise my price for quite a while now, but don't know how.  Any suggestions??

As for keeping the 'children' entertained, I like to throw in the Cha Cha slide or something like that - it tells people that I have arrived at the top of my list, and they love it!  Sometimes I'll have a little contest, where I will ask them all a question and whoever gets the answer right gets a beer from me!

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"Life is the song, Love is the music"

I myself do not if i'm just running over to finish a round.  I work with the clubs for the most part.  If i'm going over it's my decision or not, but I don't charge for it.  Our club actually PREFERS me to shut down on time as they have more time to get everyone out on time.

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Yeah Lonman one of my clubs is the same way.  Actually If we are really busy they ask me stop cut it 10 mins early.  Ya know when the bar clock reads 1:00 not the real time so they can get everyone out on time.

running over can be quite costly for the bar and you.

the liquor laws are VERY strict. If your venue has a 1:00 license, that means all alcohol must be off the bar/tables, and the patrons should be moved, or moving out of the door

A bar that gets caught can be fined, have their license suspended or pulled, etc.... any you as the host may find your gig pulled on ya

Alaska has some of the strictest laws of anyplace I've ever been.  What makes me say this?  In Alaska you can't:

1. Charge less for liqour based on a time period (no happy hour).
2. Charge differently for liqour based on age, sex, race, etc.... (no ladies night).
3. Offer a one charge open bar (no 'wristbands' or similar for access to well drinks)
4. Can't offer a bar tab or provide alcohol for a 'contest' of any sort.

Depending on where you are in the state the time you have to shut down varies.  But once that time arrives the ONLY people allowed in the bar are employees.  NO ONE else is allowed to be in the bar.  This is why most of the places shut down the show within a few minutes of last call and the show has to end pretty close to that point.  There are a few places that shut down the show early because they have an earlier closing time than the limits of the law.

So, for the most part, no going over here.  But keeping them occupied does wonders for making the rotation go by quicker!

We have one place here that puts your name in every time you sing.  Near the end of the show they draw a name.  That person comes up, is blindfolded and their hands tied together.  They then spread $50 in $1 bills on the dance floor and give the person 60 seconds to pick up as many as they can.  Any you pick up you keep.  When they call time the person stands up and they pick up the remaining money off the floor.  They count it out and annouce how much the person 'won' in the 'grab for cash'.  I won once and got $27 for my troubles.  Almost paid for getting all the dirt and junk out of my pants afterwards....

In Ohio from what i have been told, the establishment, cannot give away a drink they have to charge for it (1 cent drinks).  When i do a contest I have to buy the drinks, out of my pocket, now, i am paid that back at some place.  Other places we just give a $5 gift certificate

1 cent drinks? Im There....

well here in New york our bars/clubs stay open till 4am  7 days a week so after im done the bar stay's open for like two more hours. as for me i only work 4 hours a show so at times im collecting the books almost two hours before i end just to be able to shut down on time.
I've had the place pumping at 2 am and i go to the owner and say " I can Shut down now or Continue to entertain the crowd" every owner knows that when the entertainment ends a good # of people are gonna leave especially when its 2am. so sometimes i get a 1/2 hour OT or more. And even long after i collect the book i still get singers that pull tickets out of there back pocket wanting to sing "one more Song" Karaoke hosting is a fine balance between having a successful show and charging the most amount of money for you and your show. The better the show the more you ask for from the club. Nightly ring-outs will tell you if the bar is making more money week to week because of your Karaoke and the people you draw.
       I once came across a place that had two floors of karaoke One everyone sang country and the other was PoP. had alot of problems with singer putting in tickets in both but if you werent there when call they moved on quickly. Was Interesting.
Djpauly

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"There is a Law of the Universe:   CHEAP...   FAST...   GOOD...   pick any two."

I hate long wait times. If a place is really TOO busy, I will look for another place to go. I'm there to sing, and drink. But I like to sing alot. If the rotation is more than an our, I want to go somewhere else. And I will sacrifice a bit of quality for more turns. But if it is busy, I won't bother the KJ. I know what he has to deal with. I'll just say goodnight, and go to the next bar.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE