How Are Economic Changes Effecting Your Karaoke Business At The Start Of 2009?

[bryant]

Originally Posted by madjim

Hey Bryant,
You've always said that you were in one of the poorest areas in the country. Seeing any changes in Maine?

Jim

Only a little, but not so much in the bar business. As I've said before, there isn't much money around here at all anyway. I have noticed that the drinkers still always go out and find the money to spend on drinks, even those without jobs. They always find a way to get drunk, that's what a lot of ppl around here are good at, and those are the ones that don't work, usually. The normal working person, around here, maybe comes out a little bit less, but those were the type that didn't go out that much to begin with anyway.
The thursday night gig at Applebees that I've been doing for three months and barely breaking even there was just starting to pick up just a little. The corporate mgt. said that they are to close anything down that they are putting out money for even though they were making a lil bit on karaoke, the other applebees in the area were running in the red. But, they said they're gonna call me in the Spring. Funny, too, the place was packed that last night. Another bar called me this morning and asked if I was available this Thursday. Just lucky, I guess.

But, you know, I can't remember a time in history where there wasn't some kind of economic slowdown going on, or some kind of recession coming, or some kind of recession were in. I mean really, do you really ever remember a time where a new (or in-office) president ever said "Boy, times are really good right now, I think we're all set". It seems like every point in history has been a "not so good time right now to spend money", and the cost of this or that will be going up and ppl will be losing jobs.

In fact, I'm thinking right now of retiring from my regular fulltime day job as a teacher with full benefits, including dental and eye care (a 100% paid) and decent salary (for Maine) working only 8 months a year. I'm 58. Iwould be retiring at 61 anyway.

I'll just gig a little more during the week where I have been taking it easy and perhaps promote a few more wedding gigs too.

[ddouglass]

Bryant just out of curiosity just what do you teach?
By the way retired life is great! I am in an area like yours where it is a down economy all the time. Too many people are out of work with little to no industry in this area at all. So nothing really new here except higher prices for food. Those who do work have to drive to Houston or Beaumont to work. They all need some entertainment and drinks on the weekend and we only have 2 1/2 bars in the area (the half is an Amvets club with limited membership). We play at one place (VFW) on Friday and Saturday and I won't set foot or equipment in the other. Too many fights, drugs etc in that one.
Since we only play the two nights to supplement our retirement income and not looking for more I really am not feeling anything or the recession except for slightly higher prices and that really is nothing new.

[bryant]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

Bryant just out of curiosity just what do you teach?
By the way retired life is great! I am in an area like yours where it is a down economy all the time. Too many people are out of work with little to no industry in this area at all. So nothing really new here except higher prices for food. Those who do work have to drive to Houston or Beaumont to work. They all need some entertainment and drinks on the weekend and we only have 2 1/2 bars in the area (the half is an Amvets club with limited membership). We play at one place (VFW) on Friday and Saturday and I won't set foot or equipment in the other. Too many fights, drugs etc in that one.
Since we only play the two nights to supplement our retirement income and not looking for more I really am not feeling anything or the recession except for slightly higher prices and that really is nothing new.

I teach Biology, Dale. I was a mechanical engineer in an electric power company before that; got layed off. 1994.

Sort of getting tired of explaining to parents why their kids who have never even opened a book are failing their classes. Administrators make up all these new ways to teach, and cliches like "kids don't have the right to fail", and la-di-da. I spend more time in workshops and seminars then the kids do in class, and I work for a very strict private school. AS everyone knows, nothing much will change if only one side of a relationship(student/teacher in this case) is willing to make changes. High schools in our country are more like a social event, aren't they. I wonder how it would be if education was extra-curricular and we had to ask the coaches if a kid could be excused from a game to attend class. I'd rather not complain about anything, so leaving the situation puts me out of the loop where complaining won't even be necessary.

I think there are plenty of jobs around here for 5 to 7 dollars an hour, but most ppl think they are too qualified for those jobs and apply for those they are not at all qualified for. The others make excuses and just choose not to work.

I'll be in the same boat you're in soon. Just adding on to security income.

[ddouglass]

I taught Electronics for 8 years and know teacher burnout when I see it. I fully understand what you mean about student apathy and it doesn't stop at High School. I taught for 3 years at a junior college level and the kids were the same way, even though they were paying a lot of money to fail their classes.

[billyo]

funny you guys( bryant & dale ) are talking about retirement, i've been thinking about doing the same thing ( early retirment ),i'll be 54 this year ,and i'm going on my 30yrs. as a local gov't employee, just can't figure out what to do, my wife is not in a hurry to retire she's much ( not that much ) younger than i am and she's a surgical nurse, i would love to just do karaoke, but since the economy is bad right now, i dont wanna take jobs from other kjs that depends on playing karaoke for a living,so i just decided to do just private parties, as a matter of fact i've been getting calls from people asking me to play for this coming valentines day, i already have given 2 gigs to a friend of mine, and i will only do one...some of my friends that does applebees aroud here, are doing pretty good, friday nights are their busy nights.sat. is a little slow, but anyway they took the banner with my name off at the place where i used to worked for almost 4 years, the new kj that they had only worked 1 night , when he started charging people to sing, cust. walked out..

[bryant]

Originally Posted by billyo

funny you guys( bryant & dale ) are talking about retirement, i've been thinking about doing the same thing ( early retirment ),i'll be 54 this year ,and i'm going on my 30yrs. as a local gov't employee, just can't figure out what to do, my wife is not in a hurry to retire she's much ( not that much ) younger than i am and she's a surgical nurse, i would love to just do karaoke, but since the economy is bad right now, i dont wanna take jobs from other kjs that depends on playing karaoke for a living,so i just decided to do just private parties, as a matter of fact i've been getting calls from people asking me to play for this coming valentines day, i already have given 2 gigs to a friend of mine, and i will only do one...some of my friends that does applebees aroud here, are doing pretty good, friday nights are their busy nights.sat. is a little slow, but anyway they took the banner with my name off at the place where i used to worked for almost 4 years, the new kj that they had only worked 1 night , when he started charging people to sing, cust. walked out..

How much did he/you get at Applebee's?

[billyo]

Originally Posted by bryant

How much did he/you get at Applebee's?

i never did Applebees, my friends does and i believe they are making $200 a night, when i used to do karaoke ( a month ago) i was making $250 a night ( fri. only) from 9pm-till closing around 2 or 3am, but before that when i used to do a japanese restaurant i was making $200 a night 4-days a week ,(thu-sat. 8pm-11pm and sun 5pm-9pm)..and i was getting paid after the 4 days..and also with an agreement that if i have a private party to do i will have someone do the show for me.. i had to quit when they decided to put me on a payroll and had to get paid every 15 days..