Karaoke Forums

Last night I attended a new show in Ft. Lauderdale, and I must say that there are some totally clueless KJs out there. I arrived and put my song request in. I noticed that the library is very limited and of questionable quality. Mostly Music Maestro, Sweet Georgia Brown and Backstage). That's not a problem as you work with what you got. At any rate I sit there and wait for over an hour for my song to come up. My name is never called. It seemed the preference was been given to her regulars. I do not know how she does rotations nor do I care, but what really got me was that while I was sitting there waiting for over an hour the KJ, yes the KJ, sang two songs. At the hour and half mark I told the manager it was the worst Karaoke show I had ever seen. I even told the KJ that as a first time customer I was dismayed that she had the cheek to sing twice while I politely sat there upfront cheering all the singers on. Her response was "Well you can't please everyone". I lost it and told her that her show sucked. The only positive thing I can say about the show is that she uses the disc number to identify songs. Hence you can tell what label the song is done by.

Now this may be an old story, but this girl replaced a more experienced KJ that was doing this venue before. Apparently, she undercut the previous KJ and the bar went with her. Bar owners need to look beyond the price a KJ charges. I don't know what they were thinking, but I know I will not be back. Someone needs to tell Ms. Rose that new singers should be placed in the rotation within a relatively short period and customers usually are not there to hear her perform. They want to sing!

Sorry for your experience.

HOWEVER, I would like to call you on one thing.

NEW singers are no different than those that have been there. It's not fair to make the regulars wait while newbies get up before everybody else. EVERYBODY is fair and equal, no matter what time you walk into the show. I think of rotation as a line in an amusement park... no cutting in line!

It's fair for everybody that way. I show NO preferential treatment... save for the bartender or waitress... they don't normally GET to wait in line, so when they have a slowdown, then I insert them if they want to participate in the show. Most of the time, they're much too busy, though! !

Matt

As usual, Matt! Well said.

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Imagine!

Stevie...
It was my ONLY night off on my Florida trip..
I do remember being in Ft. Lauderdale.. I DO remember YOU there..
WHAT A COINCIDENCE!!! Yes the show was not that great..
IT definately needed some work.. and I would say the KJ did need some practice.. needless to say that club won't last too much longer..
I did better in Orlando on my 2 shows and had better songs than alot of the "Other" 5 shows I did see.. out of the 9 clubs I consulted for the company I was hired to consult, and the 2 shows I ran in 6 nights.
I think I'm partied out and will sleep on the flight home thurs.
The one I'll remember the most is the one at Downtown Orlando the most.. non-stop for 9 and 1/2 hours.. over i still have not counted the song request slips.. yet.. .. I will sleep on the flight home and when I get home.. BOY WILL I SLEEP!!!

I gotta go with Matt on that one. I get new singers in the rotation where they go - then they stay there. Its not fair to someone who walks in well after your regulars to get up right away. On the other hand, they should not have to sit there and listen to some people sing twice (especially the KJ or any other employee) before getting their turn. I once walked out on a show that my daughter loved because they had their group of regulars who they gave preferential treatment to. They'd get to sing 2 or sometimes 3 times for every once others got to sing, even though everyone had more requests in.

Big Jimmy C, I agree with you on that being the biggest part of the sin. I get to where I have mixed feelings about the KJ singing. I used to drop out once you got over 10-12 singers in the rotation. Then I had a couple of regulars who were non singers, but stick around all night every show, complain because they wanted to hear me sing this song or that song. So I kinda play it by ear, depending on what's going on. That said however, couple weeks ago I had 29 singers immediately in the first round, which then grew to 36, so I definately dropped out. The other thing I do quite frequently is, if the KJ or KJ and wife/asst etc. are singing, I'll run over by 20-30 mins to make up that time to the crowd. That also keeps em happy.

Well,
I started my own karaoke company after visiting a local club that had Karaoke every night. I could go tto the club an hour before the Karaoke started (because they had a free buffet). and as soon as the KJ got there put in a request slip. I waited 2 hours, while the regulars did several songs each, and some did 2 in a row. Finally I left. I went back several times thinking this might have been a bad night, but saw the same thing.
Needless to say I don't go back.

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I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

I'd have done the same with that one. Once may be a fluke, but the second time with the same thing, its intentional. They can get their business from someone else. I won't spend my money in a place that doesn't appreciate it.

Well thanks Brian and Stevie! I have a floundering Tuesday night show in the Ft Lauderdale area, and you guys don't come to see me instead! Hmph!



Seriously tho, I had a 4 singer rotation Tuesday nite, and that included myself. It's kinda hard to build in a place where nobody knows there is a bar inside a diner, but that is a different story!

Try to swing by on a Tuesday nite (while it is still there), and I PROMISE I'll get you up- and I'll only sing 4 or 5 first!

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

Matt:

Point well taken, but I think you misunderstood. I do not believe, nor expect to walk into a show and sing immediately. However, in all the shows I have attended, the KJ will get new singers inserted into the rotation as soon as possible. Usually the KJ will announce to the crowd that we have a new singer. I seldom pay attention to the rotation. I am not one of those folks who pester the KJ asking where they are in the cue. This is the first time that I actually felt something was not right. And no, it was not a packed show.

Dave:

I will have to stop by and catch your show sometime soon. I just happened to stumble into that show. Previously, I was at a Lesbian Bar and that Karaoke show (they were actually doing a contest) was entertaining. There's nothing more entertaining than a really butch, heavy set woman belting out Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You", but that is a different story.

Brian:

Small world. I cannot believe you were there.

I always start the show with two songs. One on the host mic and one on the the singer mic to make sure all is working well. After that I will sing one per rotation if the rotation is not too large.

Most everyone in my area will mix in new singers as they arrive. I find that if the new singer doesn't have to wait too long to sing thier first song that they stay longer and therefore spend more money.

Max

stevieb - I don't think that a 1H wait is unreasonable, in fact that is about average for the places I go. As for the KJ singing twice. I know a KJ in my neck of the woods that has such a large rotation that she does exactly what you have described to cut off each rotation and to signal the singers in the previous rotation about how long they need to wait for their next song. All incoming singers regular or not are put in place in the next rotation. Nobody minds. The house is not packed. There are few listeners. Almost everybody sings. I personally get there near the beginning of the show and have ended up doing only two songs by the end of a 4H show. I suppose that may bother some, but I like to listen almost as much as sing.


As a sidebar you seem to have a hostile attitude toward KJ's in general and other singers. I thought that the crack about the heavyset lady who sang a very beautiful song in a contest was uncalled for.

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Jazz and Swing Live (as long as I do).

On another site, many people have debated the rotation mindset... it's been done to death here. Mostly, most kjs play it by ear.

The ones to avoid are the ones thinking "it's MY show - they come to hear me sing" and then sing SEVERAL songs over the night. Also, those that play favorites...

hey, it's how I got into the business too! What's REALLY funny is the KJ that taught me... she comes to my show cause SHE PREFERS how I RUN the rotations!! ! Yet, she was the WORST offender! !

Matt

Dave: I PM'd ya with a night's warning on my "1 night off" sorry to miss ya...

Steve: I saw 1 rotation.. I was very displeased.. and in and out.. then went back to orlando to another club in "Downtown Disney" to see some live music.. we did alot of driving that night.. and we bearly caught the last few songs of the act we wanted to see.. It gave me reminders of another show here in Albuquerque.. Not Ron's... it was not the greatest piece of work.

BTW I travel quite a bit.. and try to see as many shows as I can when I can.. and I'll be back in Florida real soon.. I also had fun in Miami too...

Penn65000:

I do not know where you get off stating that I seem to have a hostile attitude toward KJs and singers. First of all, I usually develop a rapport with the KJs. One of them actually invites me over to his house to sing regularly. As far as making what you call a crack, these are the folks I sing with. We all had a good time and were truly entertained by the woman dressed almost like a man belting out Whitney and hitting all the notes. It was the element of surprise and we enjoyed it. I like this show because of the camaraderie, the family atmosphere, and being well acquainted with the signers.

I do not like nasty message exchanges on forums. Hence, this is the last I will have to say on this topic.

Cheers.