Dipping my toe

[BooBoo]

Hi All,
I've been a KJ hobbyist for a few years now. Never at a bar, never paid. Held a show at my sister's last weekend and had a new record of 15 singers.
Anyway, I am now thinking of finding a bar to move to since 15 steady singers for a night is a little too much for a private show. I am interested in how I should present myself to a bar owner. I am also interested in what interests you have when writing an agreement with an owner. The shows I've attended usually run from 10-2. what hours do you run? What are some of the things an owner would be attacted to?
My book is around 2100 songs but it covers really well and I am constantly adding. I have the best system on the planet (hence the number of singers at the private shows have jumped considerably since I upgraded). I don't have bar KJ experience, but the people I've KJed for really like how I handle them.
On that note, I also would like to come up with some steady rules. I sometimes go with the flow in the private shows, but I wouldn't be able to get away with that when paid. What are the rules you have for singer sequence? I have a preference for adding new singers in just before the current singer next time around (in other words, at the current bottom) as I have a friend that K-hops to get in the front of a rotation at as many places as he can.
Lot's of questions, I know..

[gotrich]

so many questions. I personally think there is a got it or dont quality to being a KJ. I have a 10 page booklet about my company and give on to bar owners when I meet them. Batenders dont care so I dont waste the money on them. (I can email my boo and you can see what I mean)

A book of 2100 songs is a very small start. I started with 3,200 and I added over 6,000 songs in my first year. I too had a very nice selection of a little of everything. (that did help) There is a BIG BIG difference between a private free show and a bar gig. The public is very picky and demanding. (not being mean just giving solid honest advice) I would get on the mi and say if I dont have it Ill buy it! People brought me what they wanted to get I wrote it down and boom I am now the fastest growing KJ/DJ in NW Indiana.

Under promise and over deliver...been my modo since day 1.

ROTATION ROTATION ROTATION

Stick to it as much as your stick to your money!!! DOnt let someone give you the im leaving i need to hurry..no you need to hurry back and get one more beer..LOL make em wait if they drink one more that more the bar makes the more the bar make the more you either make or have job security.

I recomend you go listen to some of the guys in the area, listem to thier mic presence, book selection, setup of equiptment and lights everything. and ask local patrons about the guy. pick the customers brains!

send me a private message and ill give you my email and send that book to you and see what happens...

[danny_g]

One added thought in dealing with rotation. Think what do I have to do to make newcomers regulars and keep the rest of the regulars at the same time.
Be fair, go by the motto that you're gonna give everyone at least one chance to sing even if it means someone who has been singing all night gets one less song than they would have if the new person never came.
Remeber you can't please everybody at all times but the more new comers you get to keep coming back, the more the owner is going like you because you're making him money he would not have had had you not been there.

[Part On!]

Welcome to the KJ in Public world! You're off to a great start by asking the people in here for advice. I'm still in my first year of KJ/DJ, and these kind souls have gotten me off to a great start. I've fallen for the "I have to leave soon" thing way too many times, then, you see them coming up for another song anyway, while you're getting other customers upset who have been patiently waiting their turn, only to see someone else get bumped up in the rotation.
Sending them to have another drink while they wait their turn is a good idea. Beware of the egos that you'll run into now that you're in public. people get emabarassed very easily when they pick a song that may be way beyond their capabilities, so, be prepared to help them out. There have been times when I've taken the blame if they want to bail out from the song, I'll just tell the crowd that it was a KJ error, and the song I had was different from what they were expecting. Some people will save you this trouble by blaming you anyway.

[BooBoo]

Thanks for the advice gotrich, Danny and Party On. I am taking it all in. I know it was a lot of questions all at once! ha! I've sent you a PM Gotrich.. I would like to see the booklet. That will go along way in helping me come to a mutual understanding with the owners. I realize it's more difficult than doing it for free. now you are working for both the owner and the singers. Keeping everyone happy can not be easy. I've been to some of the shows in town and quite frankly, I have not been impressed. They all have disks and fumble through them. Sometimes the disks work, sometimes they don't. I went to a show last Friday night and the guy got my song wrong EVERY TIME! We corrected it twice then finally I just sang whatever came up.
He has also had trouble with the monitor mix in the past.
These are areas I know I can excel in. I find songs very quickly, and my system is designed so you don't need a monitor mix. The crowd hears what the singer hears.. Much more simple, it always sounds great and people love to sing with it. I am hoping that by being able to provide the best sound and getting more singers up during a show, I can provide a better product for the owner.

What times do you folks run your shows to?
How do you handle assisting singers. I've kinda thought that was a no no unless they ask for it.. I don't assist now unless I am asked and that seems to work best for me..
Anyway, thanks again and I look forward to more feedback..

[danny_g]

Originally Posted by BooBoo

Thanks for the advice gotrich, Danny and Party On. I am taking it all in. I know it was a lot of questions all at once! ha! I've sent you a PM Gotrich.. I would like to see the booklet. That will go along way in helping me come to a mutual understanding with the owners. I realize it's more difficult than doing it for free. now you are working for both the owner and the singers. Keeping everyone happy can not be easy. I've been to some of the shows in town and quite frankly, I have not been impressed. They all have disks and fumble through them. Sometimes the disks work, sometimes they don't. I went to a show last Friday night and the guy got my song wrong EVERY TIME! We corrected it twice then finally I just sang whatever came up.
He has also had trouble with the monitor mix in the past.
These are areas I know I can excel in. I find songs very quickly, and my system is designed so you don't need a monitor mix. The crowd hears what the singer hears.. Much more simple, it always sounds great and people love to sing with it. I am hoping that by being able to provide the best sound and getting more singers up during a show, I can provide a better product for the owner.

What times do you folks run your shows to?
How do you handle assisting singers. I've kinda thought that was a no no unless they ask for it.. I don't assist now unless I am asked and that seems to work best for me..
Anyway, thanks again and I look forward to more feedback..

In answer to your first question as to what time I run my shows till, it depends a several things- 1:When you start, 2: when the place closes, 3:How much I get paid. Ok let's go with my question Number 3 as it decides when I start as my prices have a locked amount with an overtime amount listed in my contracts. I will do a 4 hour show for $100 with a $25 dollar setup tear down fee. If they want five hours that's $25 more as I do my hourly rate at $25 an hour which I feel is reasonable for a bar gig. I charge more for private parties. Now say it is a thursday night, where I am the law states that the bar has to close by 1 am. I always shut down a half hour before the shoe to get time to tear down and pack up my wires, mikes and laptop while closing up my rack. It also gives the bar time to get their customers out of the bar by 1 am. So 4 hours before 12:30 is 8:30 but personally I actualy start the karaoke end of it at 9 as singers in our area come out half an hour after my scheduled start so I play filler music at the start of my show. As to assisting singers You have the right idea. I will only help them if asked, nine time out of ten they don't. The tenth time usually a female wanting to sing a duet (normally it is either Picture, Paradise by the dashboard lights, I got you babe or Summer nights).