Price of karaoke shows.
 

I just came back from a short vacation in Las Vegas. After losing most of my gambling budget(it didn't take long) I stopped at a karaoke show. The energy in the room was fantastic. Our shows in Chicago are great, but a bar full of people on vacation made for a great time. The host was pleasant and professional. My question is, what is the going rate for a karaoke show in Las Vegas? In Chicago,depending on the area, we get between $200 and $350. Just curious.:g

Depends on location & saturation levels of companies (not to mention the dead beat pirate companies that download everything free or buy pre loaded hard drives). Around here the going rate is anywhere from $75-$150 anymore.

Hmm, I actually hear of one person in your area that was traveling two hours to get to a 75 dollar show. Do you mean weekends, weekdays, and/or guaranteed weekly shows , say every Tuesday for example.
Around here the latter is around 75-150.

Things are getting tough around here, price wise, but I rarely send anyone out for less than $150. Lonman said rates in his area were 75-150 as well. Neither of you said what part of the country you were in. (let me know)
I think we all would agree that piracy and pre-loaded hard drives are at the root of our problem.
I am **** proud of my 12,000 song catalog. My wife and I worked hard, and sacrificed allot, to PURCHASE every single disc. Yet, operations are popping up in our area at a staggering rate boasting 25,000, 35,000 even 45,000 songs. They wave their fifty pound karaoke books under the noses of my customers and temp them with pricing that I could never compete with.
To everyone who operates a karaoke company in accordance with American copy write laws, I salute you and will stand at your side as we fight to keep our little piece of the American dream. To those of you that choose to compete at an unfair advantage, with music you didn't pay for, your time will come.

Actually we both list our location, it's on the same line as our screen name on the right hand side of the screen. I'm in Tacoma, WA & Bryant is in Winslow, Maine!

Are you using a computer that you transferred all your purchased cdg to & archiving the discs or just discs?
I purchase each and every disc as well, up to a shade over 11,000 (non-duplicated) songs myself since 92. Everything in my computer is completely accountable for if anyone ever wanted to 'audit' my hard drive, all my discs are with me at every show (for back up purpose as well) that I can show on the spot 1:1 match to my computer files.

I have been running computers for about five years, and I too would welcome an audit of my collection. I don't carry the discs with me though (too much work) That's one of the reasons I went to computers to begin with.
Too many people see the computer age as a free ticket to cheat themselves into "OUR" business. This industry belongs to you and me and anyone else that sets aside a chunk of their hard earned money to legally purchase karaoke discs.

yep
 

my wife and I also pride ourselfs on our appx 12,000 songs any more then that songs are to old (dont wana play for the old folks home)
but excited about finally going digital.Been doing shows for 8 years
about time huh.

Old ain't Bad
 

I have 10 or 12 singers that never sing anything from after 1965 and always country and they go where I go so old ain't bad.
Dick:)

not to old
 

1965 isnt to old sorry i ment like old slow sappy stuff

I charge $300 for a regular once a week gig, or $500-$800 for private gigs, depending on the size of the crowd expected, and have had a couple of corporate gigs which I got $1200 for.
I don't negotiate prices, if they don't want to pay what I charge, they can get someone else.

WOW! But let me say, however, in Central Maine, you would never have any work. But then again, as I've said before on here, the most expensive drinks in most bars are less than 3 dollars, you can still get an apartment for less than 400 a month, and, taxes on any house worth less than 200,000, are less than 2,000 a year. It seems that in your ara, a lot is required to live comfortably. So, it's all relative, I guess.

The corporate gigs were a while back when I lived near Vancouver and Karaoke was really growing, but for regular DJ shows here at this point in time, they charge between 6 and 8 hundred for a 4-6 hour gig, so I'm right in the neighborhood with my pricing, and yes, I have all the discs to back the computer drive, no pirate booty here.

I've entertained alot of "Snowbirds" from Canada in my life and they all tell me that things are more exspensive in CAnada that here in the states.

Jim :g

We've been in this area for 14 years (Outer Banks, coastal NC) and we are the most prolific entertainment company on the beach. We have more weekly and private shows than any other band, acoustic soloist, DJ, open mike or comedian. We've even been voted the area's "favorite night out", but still, the best we can get is $300/night (4 hours) during the summer tourist months for a weekly show.

Regularly, we get $225. But next year, our regular customers are aware we have to raise the rate to $250 in the off-season (September thru May) and so far, everyone seems willing to pay it. They've learned that they can expect professionalism and punctuality from all our hosts.

However, there's been a new little puke in town for the past two years who bought a pirated system who is only charging $100/night and he is trying to move in on us. Fortunately, he runs a terrible show, and has only been able to book himself three shows because around here, word of mouth is everything, so we've been able to maintain all our shows, but he presents a real threat to the places that are just now deciding to try Karaoke. We still buy every disk, but he doesn't have that overhead. It's little #*<@$ like him that have always prevented us from making better money.

But for private shows, we can charge $300/hour if they want me personally. I've been at the DJ/Karaoke thing since 1979, so I'm worth it :w :g!

So if he's pirating and you know it, you could send an email to someone and have him checked out.

Instead of focusing on "bringing the pirates down" I beleive it is smarter to pay attention to the quality of our own show. The places that hire a pirate, get what they pay for, usually a poor show as Alan pointed out. This makes the Karaoke host's that run a good show stand out. "The Pirates" will get their just rewards in the end. :w

Jim :g

I agree with Jim. I was brought up not to point fingers but to focus on our own situation and control what we can. I didn't mention any names because I was simply trying to make a point, not cast dispersions. I apologize for the language I used in my post, it was not a very Christian attitude and I am not his judge. Thanks, Jim for keeping me in check.

In a way, I'm even grateful to the people that run bad shows. They get the wild, drunken crowds that don't want to follow the basic rules of decorum and courtesy. This leaves our shows to cater to the people who want more quality entertainment.

But there is a point to wanting to bring those pirate types down as Alan stated he is screwing it up in bars that are still new to karaoke & if this is the experience they get, then they may not ever try a 'quality' show that work in thinking that is all karaoke is about. I've seen it happen around here alot.

Lonnie,
I agree with all of you on this point, pirating is wrong in any form. I just think that if the "legal" karaoke hosts spend all of their time trying to bring down the pirates, they end up becoming the "karaoke police" spending man hours with no pay doing somebody elses job. I say let the Writers Roalty Groups (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) put the man hours into stopping the pirates. That's what they get paid for plus, we have better things to do. :r :w

The pirates won't be able to stay in business too long if they keep charging $100 or less per night. Gas is getting too expensive. :w They could get a house gig at a dive somewhere where they issue you a gun or a knife if you don't have one which will get them caught in no time. If they are illegal, they can't stand still for too long.

There's no doubt that pirating sucks but we are not our brother's keepers.

Just a thought.

Jim :g