[swany]

Bar hires the judges and pays the prizes, it is their place and their prize.
Contestant info should be gathered as they enter on paper.
Rules should be printed and handed out to contestants that apply, that way no rules will be called unfair and contestant will understand what they can get points for.

3 judges each night in the semi finals new judges each week, KJ has the right to over ride obvious bias of judges with the Bars representative.

In the finals, no karaoke monitor. Know your songs. Can't sing the same song that got you into the finals, this eliminates one hit wonders.

Judge Contestants and award points, on appearance, showmanship, and of course talent. Give one extra point for not using the monitor this can sometimes bring a person into the finals, it is however available to all. Most of the serious contestants will know their songs anyway.

Finals contestants are awarded a place in the finals by these points. Eliminates a ringer coming in one night and qualifying.

Other things to be considered, you can make it music you have only or allow someone to bring in music you don't have. The latter does sometimes give a new person an edge with a popular new song you don't have.