New Singers

[wackyquack]

I am looking for suggestions from other KJs on this matter. How do you handle new singers that come in near the end of your night? I run into this alot. My gig usually goes 9p-1a and it never fails that someone will come in at 12:30 when I have a rotation of about 25 singer and complain because of the wait. If you try to get them in for 1 song they complain cause the can't sing more. If I do get them in, then the people that have been there all evening complain. This to me is a no win. Any suggestions or thoughts on the subject?

[kedmison]

You hit the nail on the head. It is a no win situation. Your not going to please everyone. I've been doing karaoke part time now for 4 years. Currently doing a 3 night gig at the same place now for 3 years. I only say this to give credit to what I'm going to say. 3 years, three nights a week at the same place does say you're doing something right. I normally get $225 a night for four hours. However since this particular place is having me there three nights (Sunday, Monday & Wednesday) a week I am only charging them $150 for 4 hours; $50 an hour past that. I never work more than an extra hour. (Have to keep up my day job.lol)

Anyway, back to my rat killin',...whatever system you use is fine as long as you're consistant and fair. Don't bump your friends up in line; don't take money to bump someone up. I've been offered $500 to bump someone up. Talk about the embarssement when you let the crowd know what was just offered. Some say I'm stupid for not taking advantage of situations like that, but if you ever do it once, then you're labeled. My crowd knows I'm fair and they don't argue.

I start the rotation off just like anyone else does. I'll keep adding people in the rotation at the end until I get about 15- 20. Past that point anyone new that comes up gets sandwiched in between "regulars" or someone who has been there from the start. My regulars understand this. Mainly because it's MY show; MY reputation. I do what I think is fair to the regulars while at the same time making it possible for that "possible new regular" to get a chance to sing. Many nights it gets quite hetic. However, I have never had a regular get mad at the rotation. The only trouble I get is from that first timer or someone who comes from another club where they can buy themselves a place in line. When they confront me and get to the point of being rude, I openly ask them on the mic what makes them better than anyone else here. And if they don't like it, we have a front door and a back door and they can take their pick. The crowds applauds; the person either sits down and waits their turn or they leave.

I have had every excuse thrown at mme I can think of. From "I got to get to my grandmas' funeral visitation" to "my cats fixin' to have kittens."

Just because you have regulars doesn't mean they own the place. Yes, they are the reason you get paid but they themselves were once a newcomer also. I'm am very fortunate to have the regulars I have. 75% of them have good to great voices also. that always makes the night go by faster. My other rule is if you sing, you clap when someone else sings. Regardless how bad they may be. I also dont' put up with booing or natsy remarks made to singers. You do that where I'm at and you'll get a tongue lashing.

Those that come in late and you have boocoos of singers. Just explain to them to come a little early next time.

Start on time, quit on time. You're in charge. Let them know that. And whatever system you use; be fair, be consistant. And don't worry about pleasing everyone. It ain't gonna happen. Sorry I got a little winded.

Kelly

[Wallymeister]

Hey wackyquack,

This is always going to be a problem but to me it's simple. The patrons who are there all night spending their money to keep you in business are the ones to keep happy. If those that come in at the last minute and think they can sing quick and often really want to be treated fairly then they'll come early and stay late. Those are the ones that I will assure that the rotation is full for the evening and to come earlier next time.

The way I generally do the rotation is this. Wherever I am in the rotation at the time they turn in a song request, I will insert them about 3/4's the way down the rotation. e.g. If I have 20 singers and I'm on the 12th singer in the 2nd rotation then they will be inserted about 7th in the next rotation. I will fudge this some with someone that has been there for quite some time but is just now turning in a slip. It's just really for those who just walk in and turn in a slip late in the night.


Hope this helps

[wackyquack]

Thanks to both of you. I am very consistant with my rotation. I've been at this particular tavern about 14 months now every weekend. My honest answer to the people who come at the end is I'll try to get you in. I always start on time and sometimes I might run over 10 minutes if I have only 2-3 left at the end of the night.

again, thanks

[mindonstrike]

If you've still got 25 singers at 12:30 you're not going to get done untill nearly 2:30

In your situation this is what I'd do: With 25 singers in the rotation and trying to quit at 1am I'd pull the books at about 11:15 (I'm assuming you'll end up with a few no shows) and announce that you are starting the final round. Tell any potential new singers that you'll put them in on a time permitting basis and you may or may not be able to get them in. Hopefully the bartender/mgr will play the bad guy for you so you can explain that "it's out of my hands". When it get's to be about 12:30 look around and see if your next seven singers are still there, if so then let the latecomers know that you won't be able to get them in and again tell them the bar wants you to close up at 1am so it's out of your hands.

Dealing with people who've been drinking is never an easy thing to do but if you don't draw a line they'll walk all over you.

IMHO
Sam
5-7 nights a week for the last 5 years.

[Chilichili1]

My remedy for this situation is simple. I use the five minute rule to manage the last hour of my show. (It takes an average of 5 minutes to bring a singer up, let them perform, and get the next singer up) I stop taking requests when I know I have enough to finish off the night. I announce no more requests, and collect the books. Usually I give myself a ten minute "buffer" at the end of night for late arrivals or pushy folks who have to sing one more. That way I can accomodate the customers and never play over. Hope this helps.

[richpap]

Originally Posted by wackyquack

I am looking for suggestions from other KJs on this matter. How do you handle new singers that come in near the end of your night? I run into this alot. My gig usually goes 9p-1a and it never fails that someone will come in at 12:30 when I have a rotation of about 25 singer and complain because of the wait. If you try to get them in for 1 song they complain cause the can't sing more. If I do get them in, then the people that have been there all evening complain. This to me is a no win. Any suggestions or thoughts on the subject?

Hello fellow Karaoke DJ. I have been in the Karaoke DJ business for about 4 1/2 years. There is always someone that comes in at the end of your show. My answer is easy, "Hey folks, we have a new singer in the house, help me welcome (name)." After they get their chance to sing, always say, "Hey (name), I'll be here next week from (time), come on down earlier and sing some more". Then go on to the rest of your singers. You have not offended anyone, but on the same hand, you have let that new singer know that if he came in earlier in the evening, he/she could have sang more. You are out there to bring entertainment to all, not just one select person.
richpap

[quaizywabbit]

however its handled try to have a consistent set of rules........
print a "rules" insert and put it in the front of the book.

"ignorance of the law is no excuse"

[Digital Party]

Near the end of the evening....I say things like "Boy we have some great sings tonight and ALOT of them....gonna try to get everyone up". Or this!! "Well folks, it's time to end the show. I sure hope everyone had a chance to sing....if not COME EARLYer!!!!" and then close the show.

I will "sandwich" a new singer in. I will also say something like "How about we get a brand new sing up here"....and so on....

Later,
Chris
AWare Entertainment

[BigMike]

Throwing new singers in at the end of the night is a touchy subject. Yes you can say "Ladies and Gentlemen we have a new singer Please give <Insert name here> Singing <insert song title.> That is a fair way to do it for some. What bothers me is here it is after 1:00 I know where I am in rotation and I havn't sang for a couple of hours. It doesn't seem right that someone can walk in at the end of the night and walk right up to the Mic. I see the same person every weekend come in after 1:00 and walk right up sing the same song and then walk out knowing they will get the new singer treatment. It doesn't seem fair to me.

This is what seems fair to me. With a big rotation sometimes you can only make it through the list 2 times. By the time you make it to the second time through a lot of people have left. That's where I place new singers. No one can say a thing about it because the same amount of people are singing that were before them before and new singers get up sooner then if we put them on the end of the list. It will still look like they walk in and walk right up and sing but no one gets bumped back.

Another thing I would like to try is to reward the people who show up within the first hour hoping to sing more by being early. As people put in thier slips I write down the order in which I recieve them and that becomes the rotation. At 10:00 I draw a line under the the last singer in the rotation then continue to add to the list. Once I reach that line I go to the begining of the rotation and let those singers sing thier second song. Usually by 10:00 there are less then 10 singers so the people who arrive after 10:00 will most likely not notice that some one has sang twice before them. Of coarse there will be times when the list is too big to do this it wouldn't be fair to start the list over if you have 25 singers before 10:00 so in those cases you can't start the list over. What this does is gets the singers who want to sing more then 2 times to come in before 10:00 and stay longer hoping for the third or forth song. Where we go we average between 30 and 40 singers, mind you that's counting the people who sing once andleave and thier spot is filled by a new singer and at least 20 of the singers get there after 10:00 mor like 11:00.

I hate going up and looking at the list and seeing there are 2 or 3 singers untill the end of the list only to have the list not start over for 2 more hours because of constant new people coming to sing.

anyway my two cents worth

[Digital Party]

Originally Posted by BigMike

Throwing new singers in at the end of the night is a touchy subject. Yes you can say "Ladies and Gentlemen we have a new singer Please give <INSERT here name>Singing <INSERT title. song>That is a fair way to do it for some. What bothers me is here it is after 1:00 I know where I am in rotation and I havn't sang for a couple of hours. It doesn't seem right that someone can walk in at the end of the night and walk right up to the Mic. I see the same person every weekend come in after 1:00 and walk right up sing the same song and then walk out knowing they will get the new singer treatment. It doesn't seem fair to me.

This is what seems fair to me. With a big rotation sometimes you can only make it through the list 2 times. By the time you make it to the second time through a lot of people have left. That's where I place new singers. No one can say a thing about it because the same amount of people are singing that were before them before and new singers get up sooner then if we put them on the end of the list. It will still look like they walk in and walk right up and sing but no one gets bumped back.

Another thing I would like to try is to reward the people who show up within the first hour hoping to sing more by being early. As people put in thier slips I write down the order in which I recieve them and that becomes the rotation. At 10:00 I draw a line under the the last singer in the rotation then continue to add to the list. Once I reach that line I go to the begining of the rotation and let those singers sing thier second song. Usually by 10:00 there are less then 10 singers so the people who arrive after 10:00 will most likely not notice that some one has sang twice before them. Of coarse there will be times when the list is too big to do this it wouldn't be fair to start the list over if you have 25 singers before 10:00 so in those cases you can't start the list over. What this does is gets the singers who want to sing more then 2 times to come in before 10:00 and stay longer hoping for the third or forth song. Where we go we average between 30 and 40 singers, mind you that's counting the people who sing once andleave and thier spot is filled by a new singer and at least 20 of the singers get there after 10:00 mor like 11:00.

I hate going up and looking at the list and seeing there are 2 or 3 singers untill the end of the list only to have the list not start over for 2 more hours because of constant new people coming to sing.

anyway my two cents worth

You mention at the end of your post "2 or3" untill the end of the list and then the list not starting untill 2 or so hours more...... All I was saying was get a new person up once in a while, not all the new singers up at once. Face it! If you come in real late to my shows.....you may not get to sing. Tuff....get here sooner.

Chris
AWare Entertainment

[Digital Party]

There will be a point that you just can not take anymore request to sing.

They don't like it.....sorry. They are probably drunk anyway

[BigMike]

I have seen a KJ put up new singers at the end of the night and let them sing twice because everyone else had sang twice and he didn't want to start the rotation over knowing he only had four songs left. me being one of the first four singers on the list that upset me

[Digital Party]

Now I did go to a show in San Diego once where it was some girls 21st Bday and the they (about 15 of them) were all smashed. I showed up with my wife and in-laws after a local dinner, put my name in to sing, waited (Don't bother the KJ...He's working!!!)......those drunk girls kept getting up to sing!! ???

I finally asked why? The KJ said....and I'm not kidding........."It's My Show And I Can Run It How I Please." WOW After running a Karaoke show in Texas for 7 years, I could not believe what he just said.

We left right then and there!!!!

After I returned home.....I wrote an letter to a very wide spread karaoke magazine on how NOT to run your Karaoke show.

Chris,
AWare Entertainment

[bowfishn]

I have it listed in my song books on the first page how I run the rotation. What I do is have people come up and put thier name on the list first come first serve. If we get to the bottom of the list we start the rotation over, if you come in after the rotation starts your name goes to the bottom of the list, regardless if there is 20 singers or just 2 singers till the end. Once the rotation starts we don't put you in ahead of anyone else.
What has happened to me at one of the local shows many, many times is you get there before the host arrives, get your name on the list close to the top, maybe 5 or 6 in the line up, you stay there for the 4 hours they run the show and every time they have new singers come in and the rotation starts over they put the new singers in the rotation just before they get to you and you end up going down the list a few each time and then at the end after you have been supporting them by buying drinks all night, you have someone walk in 30 min. before they are going to close and you only have 1 or 2 people ahead of you and they put the new ones in ahead of you and you get completly bumped out of the rotation. Then on top of that they will make sure that the new ones get to sing twice within that time and you had to wait 2 hrs between singing. That always burned me, but I new that was how they ran the show so I just had to deal with it until I could do something differant.