scenerio Happened last night.. advice please

Marlena · Post by **Marlena** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 11:14 am

Last night a couple of girls (mother and daughter) came in, put up a song and sang it together. that was the okay part.

An hour after they sang, an upset customer approached me and told me that everyone in the bar was talking about how the girls were telling everyone that I beat the mother up (with the help of my husband) and how I ratted out the daughter to her parent's about something (that part quite isn't clear to me).

Never happened I laughed and ignored this. I calmed my customer down and told her that they were just drunk and they were trouble makers and to let it go. (you'd have to see me to know how ridiculous this is, 120 pounds and 5 foot nothing)

about 20 minutes later I'm walking through the bar, back to the stage and the daughter starts screaming at me profanities, over and over at the top of her lungs.

how would you handle it?

I went to the bar owner and he basically told me that i was dreaming and she wasn't calling me names, ever though at the beginning of every sentence she used my name. He told me they had called a cab and they were leaving.

but yet they still continued to be served and even attempted to put up another song, which I didn't accept. they stayed for another 45 minutes or so.

Well today is a new day and now how (in your opinion), should I handle it?

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 4:05 am

After 16 years of this I am at the point where my tolerance for A$$holes is very low. They are A$$holes.

From now on I don't care if I am just starting to set up or in the middle of a show....any outside interference from anyone that looks or sounds like they are going to present a problem to me or my crowd, be it physical (especially) or just verbal, is going to be pointed out to the management/owner for IMMEDIATE ACTION. Whether that action means they are leaving or I am leaving. ASAP One thing is for certain, someone is leaving within a few minutes. I am not paid enough to be abused by anyone. For any reason, drunk or sober.

Any type of altercation between you and or your crowd and some jerk looks bad for you and the bar. ACTION needs to take place as fast as possible to eliminate the problem person. Before it turns into an actual fight.

If the bar owner wants to be a jerk and take the side of the paying A$$hole, I don't need to work for an A$$hole any longer. I will not kiss anyones A$$ to work for them. They will kiss mine to come back after they find out how much their ignorance has just cost them from my absence. My personal safety is not too much to demand and expect.

Not for the kind of money I bring into a bar, week after week.

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:55 pm

I'm with Bigdog on this one.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 6:09 am

This is a topic I brought up about the Visibly Intoxicated Persons (VIPs) and the laxity of the security people.

Everyone thinks I'm nuts to send a letter (I haven't yet) to the bar owners about VIPs and security persons to take care the safety of the crowd and me. Over serving these idiots so the bartender can make more tip money is the biggest cause. I'm still waiting to see if it's really going to be necessary. But it is almost complete.

So I'll ask again, What's wrong with me expecting to be safe at a bar at all times during my show? Safe from VIPs (bartender caused) and just plain idiots.

Any bay owner that doesn't want a squeaky clean reputation is an idiot.

Any KJ that doesn't want to be safe and expect to be safe is an idiot to continue to work under those conditions.

mwadeson · Post by **mwadeson** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:41 pm

big dog i have had it happen to me in the middle of a song i shut down and was out the door in about fifteen minutes. a VIP went nuts and was stumbling around making everyone miserable. I went and tried talking to the bar owner and he told me to deal with it i did. by the time i was out of there. so was most of the crowd.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:59 am

I have had people that worked for me have trouble with idiots. I told everyone the same thing.

1. Tell whomever is in charge, be it the bartender or the owner or manager about the problem individual/s.

2. Tell them they have 5 minutes to decide who will be leaving. Us or the troublemakers. I personally don't care who leaves, but someone is definitely going to leave within 5 minutes.

3. There will be no compromise. The clock is ticking. If they are singers they are done FOR GOOD. Look for another place to sing.

They will be barred from every place I play. Because if they show up at another bar. The second I see them show up, I'll be talking to the person in charge telling them that So & So has caused me problems at ??? and you now have a choice....Are they leaving or am I? I play 6 nights a week. They are not going to ruin anything for me at any job PERIOD. CASE CLOSED.

I have walked before many times and I'm sure it will happen again.

Let's face it...we do not get paid enough to put up with any crap from anyone.

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:49 am

One good thing about the bar I am in is the instant that something happens, even though at times the bartender is at fault for serving an already too drunk individual, the bartender or the bouncer handles the situation and the offending party is asked and required to leave. So far they have not given any trouble about leaving.

mwadeson · Post by **mwadeson** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:15 pm

it is great when a bar does that for you but i have played to many bars that dont

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:09 am

Listen to what I said.

I demand that something be done or I QUIT.

If they don't stick by me...I stick it to them.

If they think the troublemaker is going to bring in more income than I do then good for them...SeeYa

I'll be looking for my new job at the closet bar to the one I just quit.

They will get a double whammy.

Stick to your guns. Them or me. The 5 minute clock is ticking.

AT NO TIME SHOULD YOU LET A BAR OWNER GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING AS FAR AS YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY IS CONCERNED.

I refuse to put up with out of control jerks that want to threaten me. I can find another job.

They get one shot with me. I warn them about what is going to happen if nothing is done and then I do it. If they won't.

It's my business and I'm not putting up with your stupid out of control customers. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY. I'm Gone....

michaeljvaughn · Post by **michaeljvaughn** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:44 pm

Wow! That's so wild, it sounds like a bad acid trip or something. We had a situation at my bar with a stalker - I mean, this guy had actually been to prison a couple of times for stalking women. He was awfully strange, and began to act stalkerish to my KJ. She shut down, his in the bathroom and refused to do any karaoke until the bartender escorted him out. The man was duly 86ed from the joint, and we haven't seen him since.