Attended our 1st ever Karaoke event.

[Papa Deuce]

The whole family stopped at this place for a late dinner. At 9pm the bar started Karaoke. MAYBE 15 people in the bar, but probably not that many. Anyway, my daughter asked me if she could sing a song. I told her probably not because it was in the bar side of the building.

But she really wanted to, so I asked the host. At first he grimaced, but he did agree, and he said he would put her on next. I thanked him.

So, my daughter came on and did Taylor Swift's "Love Story". Now, realistically she wasn't very good, but LOL, she was much better then the 65 year old guy singing "Come Sail Away".

Anyway, when it was over, I went to thank the host, and I tried to tip him $5, and he wouldn't take it. He said "No worries; I have kids too".

So maybe the bar gets busier after 10PM. We left at about 9:45ish....

But it made me wonder, if the guy doesn't accept tips, and there are not many people in the bar, how much could he possibly be making?

BTW, the guy was really pretty funny in a PG rated George Lopez kind of way, but I don't know if he actually added anything to the actual Karaoke part. But, then again, I don't have anything to compare him to.

 

[Guest]

Papa,

I do not take tips from patrons either!

Generally speaking in the summer the bar people start coming in around 9:30 and by 10 - 10:30 the places are jumping! I have shows in the summer where the managers don't even want me to start up intil 10PM even though they are paying me from 9PM!

Winter (when it gets dark sooner) people will start coming in by 8:30 or so for a 9PM start time!

 

[DJCC]

Yep, I'm a fill in @ a bar tomorrow night. Thier DJ/KJ dosen't start until 10pm.

 

[DJ Zac]

WAYYYY back in the day when I started, none of our weekend shows started before 10, and even then, they didn't really get jumping until 11 or so...

 

[JoeChartreuse]

Papa,

I do not take tips from patrons either!

Generally speaking in the summer the bar people start coming in around 9:30 and by 10 - 10:30 the places are jumping! I have shows in the summer where the managers don't even want me to start up intil 10PM even though they are paying me from 9PM!

Winter (when it gets dark sooner) people will start coming in by 8:30 or so for a 9PM start time!

Fully agree. I never take tips, except on very rare occasions at the end of the night, for maybe singing a dedication or something. One reason is that if people see a host taking tip, they might assume a bribe to bump- a sure show killer..

How can he make money? How does a band make money? A set fee for the night.

In most cases bars fill much more after 10:00, at least in my area. Restaurant bars see this as a second "money shift". Without it, many just close after dinner service. Another benefit of karaoke is the extra exposure the restaurant gets, prompting many who come to sing to return for meals, and recommend the place to others.

One Mexican place I worked for used to close at ten. They brought me in for Friday nights, starting at ten. They ended up staying open until 2:30, and adding and extra $1200+ to the till...

 

[Guest]

Most nights I start at 10PM now. It generally takes about 30 min til we start singers but then it's quite busy by 11PM.

 

[KjAthena]

we dont accept tips either...kinda cheeze rep here if you do. People were trained by bad hosts that tips got you favors(bumped up in rotation ect). Very occationally someone will leave a tip at the bar for us when we refuse.:triwink: most of our shows start at 9 but some family type venues that serve food request a 8 pm start so people can bring kids until 10

 

[Papa Deuce]

Well, now I know not to tip if I ever go to Karaoke again.

 

[Guest]

Well, now I know not to tip if I ever go to Karaoke again.

Thank you Papa! It does tend to make the KJ uncomfortable, and it is even worse when the tipper insist that the tip be taken!

 

[Papa Deuce]

Thank you Papa! It does tend to make the KJ uncomfortable, and it is even worse when the tipper insist that the tip be taken!

Well, I didn't know the protocol, so now I do... But I also wanted to thank him for letting my daughter sing. I didn't expect him to, and would not have been upset has he turned me down.

 

[jokerswild]

It's not so much the tip itself but that the tip might appear to have been a bribe to allow a singer to sing or gain some sort of rotational advantage over other singers...... it's a bit of taboo in a way.

 

[Randy A]

It's not so much the tip itself but that the tip might appear to have been a bribe to allow a singer to sing or gain some sort of rotational advantage over other singers...... it's a bit of taboo in a way.

I think I read that somewhere before....oh yeah, right above in another post. :triwink:

 

[jokerswild]

I think I read that somewhere before....oh yeah, right above in another post. :triwink:

Ok smarty.... I didn't read Athena's post... you got me.... :tritongue:

 

[Randy A]

Ok smarty.... I didn't read Athena's post... you got me.... :tritongue:

Actually...to be fair and correct...I read it in Joe's post first, then Athena, then yours. LOL! :triwink: :tribiggrin:

 

[Big Joe]

I don't feel comfortable accepting tips either, so I never do. I graciously deny them, and always explain that the club has already payed me to ensure that the patrons are enjoying themselves. It also seems more times than not, that the ladies are the ones who want to tip, possibly because they work on tips themselves.

Around these parts, alot of folks like to by drinks to show their appreciation. That can lead to alot of wasted alcohol at the end of the night.:trisad:

 

[jokerswild]

Actually...to be fair and correct...I read it in Joe's post first, then Athena, then yours. LOL! :triwink: :tribiggrin:

Oh just go DJ somethin'...... :triwink::tritongue::tricool: