KJ's Place in the rotation
 

In general, I like to sing at the top of the order for several reasons.

First, it lets everyone know the show is starting, and signals that its time to start getting slips in if you haven't already.

Two, I can make announcements for the bar and in general I do this when I'm done ("I'm the Karaoke Koyote, here at phillips every tuesday night from 8:30 to 12:30 for all your karaoke and musical needs, make sure to take care of Lori behind the bar...etc."). Everyone knows thats the spot that I take a break for that.

Three, Here's the chance to mix it up a bit. Your singers might have put in 5 sappy songs in a row and the bar is ready to commit suicide... so you can put in something up beat for yourself.

Four, entertainment. I'll put on a fedora and sing "luck be a lady" by frank sinatra, or some big glasses and sing "Saturday" by elton john. I grab on of my regulars for a duet... "Cover of the rolling stone" by Dr. hook is a good one. I'll put on sunglasses and get on of the ladies to sing "love shack" with me. I do a trio with Two of my female regualars where we do "Boondocks".... Always a crowd pleaser.

And for a big laugh I take of my shoes and kneel on them (so it looks like I'm short), and get a lady singer to do "I got you babe" by Sonny and Cher... always gets a great response.

Or, as a way to get some "shy" karaoke virgins up to sing, I'll do one with them on my rotation, and if they want to do a solo afterwards... boom... they'll be at the bottom, so it won't look like the "Newbie" is hogging the show.

Of course, if the rotation is overly long, or its at the end of the night and I'm trying to get as many people in before closing I'll skip my spot.

Is this what everyone else is doing, or no?

I myself prefer NOT to start and be first. One, I have been at the same places, one for almost 8 years, and another for two. I have my loyal regulars who generally are there to be the first ones on the list. I don't have a problem getting someone to start. This gives me a chance to walk around for a volume and sound check. And, while that 1st singer is going strong, now everyone is asking questions or bringing up their slips. ( I hate it when someone starts asking me questions WHILE I am singing) I place myself when there are too many slow, sappy songs and we need a change. Or to put a break in the lineup when it looks like one table is dominating the night. This also helps in making the appearance that I am NOT making me the star. I dislike the karaoke shows where the KJ sings most the night, or with every other singer. Karaoke is supposed to be for the patrons, and supposed to be fun. So, in answer to your question, I could be anywhere, or nowhere in the lineup. Daryl.

When I decided to get into this biz about 8 years ago I decided to adopt the things as a singer I liked about other shows and vowed to avoid the things as a singer I disliked.
2 of the things I disliked was the KJ singing when it was busy and the KJ singing before I got my first turn.
8 years later I'm still true to my vows, I don't sing when the rotation is larger than about 8 people and I don't sing if it means a new singer will be after me unless maybe they signed up during the song previous to mine. If I need to do a special request I'll put it off until I'm caught up on the new people. Most singers aren't there to hear the KJ or anyone else sing, they are there to hear themselves sing.
Most nights the first song I do for sound check is all I get, which is fine, I make it as much about the singers as possible and as little about me as possible.

I never beg anyone to sing. If they want to signup and sing and/or have me help them on THEIR turn thats great, and if they don't they don't, the bar needs listeners as well as singers.

Sam

Well, since it's all about the "Singers," I don't mind giving a little "Free" overtime...many times...about 90 minutes without pay.

Let's see...a 4 hour show with 30 singers and 3 songs per singer is 90 Songs. The KJ will, most likely, get 3 songs, too. At 4 minutes per song, the KJ will have taken up 12 minutes in 4 hours...LOL.

With my 30 to 90 minutes FREE OT, I dare any Venue or Singer or KJ to tell me that I'm hogging the show.

12 minutes of 240 minutes...I'm still ROTFLMAO.

That's another reason I like to sing first... so I can sound check. As a singer I HATE being the guy who the KJ is going to system adjust for.

I know the all the lyrics of my first song by heart, so I can walk the room, listen to what's going on and go back and set music and mic levels. I use all three of my mics during my song to make sure the levels are correct, which is something my singer can't do. I usually don't have a full boat of singers to start off anyway.

I don't start the rotation until I have four singers plus me (I play regular music until then... usually takes about 15 to 20 min). By the time it gets to the fourth singer it usually gets to eight, and by the second rotation I up to 14 or 15. It can go up or down from there.

I will sing first just because people don't like to be the first. Sound check is my excuse. Then will only sing if needed throughout the night. If it's busy, I will not sing, as a host I feel I am taking away a spot of a paying singer that may not get up now because I took an extra spot. If I want to sing I will come in on an off night or go somewhere else.

I agree with this 100%, everytime a host sings, someone else doesn't. However, i always (or nearly always, I should say) have someone that wants to be first, I sometimes announce them as the sound checker (they feel pride in helping me out). Then i can walk around the room and see how it sounds in different places, couldn't do that with the wired mic (which is what most ppl use) if I was singing?

Same here, sometimes start with three (w/o me).

Then again, once in a while I'll get one or two ppl that want to sing over and over till the crowd comes in.

Then again, you are hogging there time if they are not present "after show hours" although you are.

I like to start up if I have one singer that wants to sing, more singing time for them which they like. Usually by their 2nd or third song I have a few singers up.

double post

The problem here is you are expecting your singers to overlook the appearence of the KJ singing every round even when it's busy, but noticeing the substance of the fact you are going overtime, working for free, and it's a net gain for them.
It's been my experience that people who are drinking, people who go to bars and people in general are more likely to notice "appearence" over "substance". You've also got a lot of folks who won't stay to take advantage of that extra time, they've got babysitter issues or they work in the morning or whatever so they need to leave by some certain time.

For every guy who argues with your policies there will be a number of people who won't say anything and you won't get the opportunity to explain the logic behind them. I rarely get appreciation for running overtime (most don't know or care) but I have gotten a number of comments over the years from people who appreciate that I don't sing when it's busy.

Whatever works for you and your crowds.
This has worked well for me and mine.

Sam

I dread those nights because Murphy's law usually kicks in and that one singer will be...um...not noted for carrying a tune...to put it politely, but they love to belt it out! Rain or shine the bar pays me to start at nine so start I do. Running some funny video clips or racey foreign commercials in between songs helps cut down on the agony.

Sam

I sing the first song to soundcheck, and remain in the rotation until there are 10 or more singers, and fill in for duets if requested.
There are times when the management will ask me to remain in the rotation if the songs are all the same, either all sappy stuff or all metal, to break things up. I work for them and do as they ask.
The crowd I have at my regular places also request me to sing sometimes and have even had some of the regulars give up their spot for me to sing the song they requested.(when this happens is when I usually go a little overtime to get another few singers up).

There have also been the nights when the first hour or so is really slow for whatever reason, and I use these nights to try out new songs,and tell the ones who are there to get their songs up now, cause you don't want to hear me kill any more of their favorite tunes.

I don't do "free" time, as the owners of the venue I do are there 90% of the time and we worked out a deal that if they want me to keep going after the usual close time, I get paid more.
Good people to work for.:w:w:):w:w

Sam, yup.

I'll sing to get the party started but I won't sing if I have a decent sized rotation. If I get folks on the playlist before I start the show, I won't sing all night.

The way I see it I provide two services for two different groups of people. To the club owner I'm a liquor salesman, to my singers I provide a platform for them to sing and sound as good as possible. As a musician I have gigs where I play guitar and sing to get my "fix", my singers don't so I give them as much stage time as possible.

Very seldomly do I have to run a non-karaoke track during a show. I'm sure this is not the case for eveybody, (we all have to adapt to our audience), but it works for me. :r :w :c

Jim :g

Ditto on all points here.

I think what it comes down to is: am I entertaining, or do I think I'm being entertaining?

The only way to verfiy that is whether or not your singers come back every week, and do they bring friends? If the answer is yes, keep doing it. If the answer is no... stop. :g

There's no argurment... some hosts can do this well, others can't. Period the end.

So far, my singers come back, and they bring friends. I make it a point to get people involved, and have fun, and don't take myself too seriously. You want to stand behind the table all night and collect slips, more power to ya, if that's working. Personally, I enjoy getting out on the floor and talking to people... I couldn't do it any other way. There's nothing more rewarding than getting that "shy" person to pop their Karaoke cherry and become a regular singer. If I've got to sing with them and hold their hand the first time, then that's what I do. The karaoke community loves to find newbies and bring them "into the fold". That's how your business grows... that's how you get the private gigs... because people see you're personable, and easy to approach.

That's the difference between a "host" and a "KJ". Any monkey can change disks/ work a computer, and introduce the next singer. A host remembers that besides the singers, there are others that come for the entertainment, and if thay doesn't happen they won't be back. You can't keep a gig on going if the bar isn't making money. That means non-singers need to be there as well. I choose my song not based on what I want to sing per say, but what is happening in the bar... sometimes the crowd needs to to get perked up. Singing or doing something silly can get a good laugh and "break it up" a bit.

There may be someone wanting to sing, but with someone else, and the don't have a willing partner. How will they know your willing if you don't sing? How can you expand what you sing, if you don't sing?

Are people laughing/ hugging you shaking your hand at the end of the night? Are they saying they can't wait to come back next week???

Sell drinks, entertain, and keep your singers happy and coming back. I don't think that's going to happen if all you're doing is changing songs and introducing the next singer all night. Boooorrring! :g

Exactly, you have to entertain and listen to what the patrons want, and sometimes it may be you singing and sometimes it may be you not sining.
Also, you have to let the people know what else goes on at this venue, that way you are bringing in business even when you are not there..
You have to get into the action, talk with people, find out whay THEY want, and give it to them (within reason).

I'm still ROTFLMAO.

It appears that karaoke koyote is the only one running a S H O W...not mindless, by the numbers, KARAOKE, and is why I get paid MORE than any other KJ in this city...because I have a SHOW...like KJ hosts used to run when Karaoke first came on the scene.

It's why the patrons KEEP COMING BACK, which is the difference between SUBSTANCE and APPERANCE.

I don't have time for any Singer who complains...no matter the reason.

Kind of like the 2 Singers who have to stick their finger in their ear to get on key and expect you, the KJ, to buy and set up a floor monitor when the other 28 Singers have no problem. Not going to happen...ever.

I'm just like "Other" businesses in that respect...if the majority of people aren't complaining; it's not worth fixing.