The Karaoke Forum

Do you get this at your shows? I have found the best way to deal with this.
If someone wants me to move them up in the rotation, they have to put a dollar in the kitty for each person ahead of them. at the end of the night, the person who sings last gats the kitty.
The last singer is determined by the scheduled time for the show to end.

if the show stops at 1am, then the person who is singing at 12:55 to 1:05 would be the winner. this keeps them there to the end, and everyone wants to win money.

Just a thought... and I hope it helps. If you got any good ideas, I appreciate any help and hope that I never quit learning.

by the way.... my first karaoke show was done with the lyrics on a sheet of paper and cassette tapes. (1978) Man do I feel Old

KJNeal

I think that would tend to PO the people that want to wait like everyone else. And what about people that can't afford to do it or just don't think it's right. Now it starts to be discriminatory, to me.

If people can't afford it, then they need to stay home. I get paid by the bar to bring in people who spend money. If your broke, stay home and sing with the radio.
There is a reason why they call it a "Karaoke Business", not "Karaoke Freebie". If you think it is more important to not offend they people who don't spend money, then don't do it my way. I think more about the people who do spend money. That's my job.

If you're just gonna drink water, go to a lake. You wanna have fun and drink a few beers, then by all means come see me.

I might be willing to push someone up to the top of the rotation if say they are the designated driver for a group of drunks. I said "might". I have yet to do it for anyone. Nah, first come first serve is my creed.

I have been known to do favors, if it's a regular and they truly have to leave. Because of a baby sitter or need a ride or ..

But if you lie to me to get a favor like saying you have to leave and you are still there when I tear down...it won't happen again.

Or if you want to pretend to be 10 different people during the night.

It is a very rare instance that I'll move someone to the top, Bigdog's scenario is about the only one. I've had offers of many bribes to try and move people up (anything from money to sexual favors) but I refuse to accept them. I've even told bar owners that I won't move their friends up in line. The only other time I can think of that I do anything like that is I have one regular at one of my shows who is there almost every night but can only stay for about an hour. He always has 2 songs to sing and I usually put his back-to-back whereas normally my singers only get one song at a time.

As far as this idea, I can see where it may work but I can also see it really pissing people off. One of my ideals as a KJ is a fair rotation and this seems like anything but. I mean I get yelled at as it is by people who don't think they're getting to sing enough when I have a 15 singer rotation, how would they feel if they now saw the same person sing 2-3 times before they got to come up again. You'd have to really know your crowd and be real careful with an idea like this. It could work but it could also seriously backfire.

I NEVER move anyone ever.. not even a regular client.. cause as soon as they sing they are out of there anyway.. so why let em sing instead of those that are staying to spend money. When you tell em they can't sing early, 9/10 will still around anyway.


Marlena

I found this way the most useful:

At the beginning of the show, all the singers (or presumed to be) must make their choice on a strip, then I manage them considering the song rhythm, the moment, and so on. But the "golden rule" is to make the mics rotating all around the tables (this is my idea, of course). Avoid to leave the mic for two or more songs always on a table could make all the people to feel involved, and even the awaiting of the turn seems shorter.

that would not fly here

I take my requests as I get them and will not bend the rotation even for the "got to leave soon" excuse. Fell for that once and because at the end of the night they were still there will never do it again. My singers sing in the order they came up to me to request their first song. The only time I might change the order is if the singer is in the restroom but i MOve them back to their original position after they sing.

I had a very rare Instance, ya you get the people that flash a $1 and think that will move them up Wrong!! a whole $1 wow LOL. I stay with my rotation. Anyways about mid show a group of about 8-10 peolpe come in (riding in a limo) they see the karaoke going and this guy wants to sing right away,and that they wont be there long. I tell him we have a long list and it will take a bit. so next thing he does is flip out 2 $50's for one song!! Can you say next! I did go around and tell my singers and they said the same thing put him up. he sang his song they had one more round and left thats a hard offer to pass up. What would you guys Do??

I would stand by the info I gave them. I can't be bribed. Don't care if it is $1000. If I did that I would basically be telling the entire group that my reputation for fairness means nothing.

If "brain dead" wants to lay $100 for one song, he's singing. Now there are ways you can handle this so your reputation is still intact. You could have bought every singer in line a drink on "brain dead." And kept the change. You look like Mr. Nice Guy on his dime. They aren't going to bytch, they got a free drink and they are only one song behind. You can afford to stay later to play that one more song. I personally like taking money from idiots like him. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

I have a simple rule related to bribes, I don't take them. Period. I'm fairly idealistic but my goal has always been a fair rotation for ALL singers. Once word gets around that you accept bribes to move people in rotation, others will follow suit and when you don't respond in the same fashion your credibility is shot.

Now the way I run my rotation is pretty simple, first time singers get a bump up, I do that for everyone so when I come across situations like this I put their names in, let them know how many songs are ahead of them and if it's too long, sorry guess you can either wait or not sing.

I've been offered money for moving people up, extending my show for "one last song", etc, and I never accept it. Sometimes I might give that one last song or play that house tune they want if I have a break in singers but I still tell them to keep their money. I don't even accept tips because my belief is perception is everything in this business and if I'm seen taking money from a customer, it looks like a bribe even though its not. I do have two regulars at one of my gigs that insist on giving me a tip (they find sneaky ways to leave it or stuff it in my pockets) and in those cases I give that as a tip to the bartenders that spend all night putting up with these folks.

Now, I have to admit, I've never had $100 stuffed in my face, the most I've refused has been $40, however I'd like to think I'd stick to my principles regardless of the amount.

I should clarify something. I have taken money from people for small favors.

But that favor could have been to insert them into the rotation, since they haven't sang yet. They are going to be inserted somewhere in with the old singers anyway so....a few places farther up the line than they normally would have been inserted isn't going to hurt. It makes them happy and I'm happy.

I don't take money from people to move them in front of other singers. I may move them to the end of the rotation. But they won't sing before someone that hasn't sung yet. And they will be in their new rotation spot if they want to sing another song. They may move farther ahead but then they are farther behind too. This doesn't happen often.

I have done worse things for free....