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Went to a very good Karaoke show last night

T

The Wizard Of OZ

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I got to talking to a local KJ that I met online at the Karaokescene website and he invited me to his show. I had never been to that bar before. My wife and I got there around 10:30 and I introduced myself. I put in a request, got a pitcher and settled in. The sound was pretty decent, a bit on the loud side, but this is a big place with lots of people and a young crowd so it was appropriate.

I noticed that he was DJing with filler music inbetween singers and sometimes he played the whole song. I looked around at the crowd and they were having a great time and loving the music. He played some great hip hop and my wife and I were loving it too.

We stayed until 1:30 and I left with a new philosophy and a different understanding of running a Karaoke show. I came there with the philosophy that a Karaoke show should be just Karaoke and you shouldn't DJ in between songs, EVER. This young guy played such fantastic, up beat, high energy music in between singers that it created a high energy, fun environment. He told me he had been there 5 years and I could see that he was very, very good at KJing, the best I've seen.

Now this way of doing things won't work everywhere, but it worked REALLY well at that bar. I can see people who are serious about Karaoke going to a different show without as much filler music and that's fine. That show rated very high on entertainment value and the people there had a fantastic time-to me that is the bottom line. Live and learn . . .
 
Just my philosophy but I've always, always, always played filler music. If I have several singers then I will just play a bit of it until the next singer gets up on stage and if it's slower I'll play more of the song...Choosing the right music will keep the energy high and will also please those non karaoke people who may have a request! :sqbiggrin:
 
I have been to shows run both ways and I have run shows both ways! Filler music interupts and slows down a karaoke show. I keep my shows running at a fast pace, if I am going to DJ I will set aside a half hour slot for just that purpose (but only if the vast majority of songs are ballads).

I agree that there are probably shows out there that "need" filler music, but any show that has a backlog of people wanting to sing isn't the place for it.

I hear all the time about shows where it takes a singer 1 minute or more to come to the stage when they are called, at my shows the song is already starting when they are called (their names appear on the screen as the next person up when the singer in front of them is on stage) if they aren't on stage by the time the lyrics start I call the next singer in line and move on.

I can always put them back in if they were in the bathroom, although knowing they were next that is not really an excuse either! For those who were "in conversation" I don't bother putting them back in at all. I will watch the floor and if I see someone trying to get to the stage but having difficulty getting through the crowd I will restart their song, still no need for filler music. Filler just tells them they can take their time no rush, But when you have 20 to 30 singers on the list wanting to get their shot at the mic it just doesn't make sense.

As for the non-karaoke people I generally find that when people come out on a KARAOKE night they know what is going to be going on and why the people are singing karaoke. If the majority of the people on the list have had a chance to sing twice I may do a Dance set for the last 1/2 hour of the show for the non-singers!
 
This wasn't a straight Karaoke show and like I said, if someone is really into Karaoke they might not like this show and go somewhere else, however the place was packed and people were having a great time. The key was the KJ's song choice. He played really good music and the sound quality was pretty good. A pair of EV Eliminators and eliminator subs would have blown his setup away and would have sounded much better IMO, but it was good enough and people were having fun. Had I gone there just to sing I might have been frustrated, but my wife and I had a very good time. People were dancing and singing between each song and IMO this KJ could have Djed all night and this crowd would have loved it.
 
When I run karaoke along with dancing I will wait till I get about 4 slips in and then start karaoke, that will usually bring in more slips, when I get down to my last slip I will make an announcement, and if no more come in I put on some dance music. Many times people will be dancing during karaoke too so the transition back to dance is seamless. I have a karaoke only show coming up in a couple of weeks, but I am sure at some point we will take a dance break.
 
All I have ever done or seen is "Karaoke-only" and it's going to take some time and practice to replicate what this guy did. I'm going to put together some music files and see if I can't do the same thing, it'll be good practice for me. I also need to work on getting some books printed finally.
 
I have been using filler/dance music in my shows for over 10 years. I fought it tooth and nail at first with my partner. I felt filler music would take attention away from the singers. Then somehow I started to realize that some of the people that go to a karaoke bar, want to be entertained but they want to be ENGAGED just as much.

Filler music gives you an opportunity to engage the non-singers, and allows them to participate. Whether they're tapping their feet, or bopping their heads or dancing or playing air guitar, they are engaged and enjoy themselves even more.

I have since changed my mind. I believe filler music makes for a much better "transition" than going from silence (and/or the KJ talking) to the singer's performances, and then back to silence.

If I may offer you a few small suggestions on using filler music...

1) For most situations, you may want to play filler music that is of a similar feel/genre/pattern as the song that was just completed. If you can beat match it... awesome. If not, it doesn't matter (unless you have a floor full of people). The idea is just that the "shock"

2) Fade the filler music while you're announcing the next singer. If the singer is slow in walking up, or is outside smoking, or in the can... this gives you the opportunity to avoid silence as much as possible.

3) Exception to First suggestion. If you've had 2-3 SLOW songs in a row... you're going to drive people to commit suicide. So wake them up after a few slow songs in a row.

Needless to say... this is what works FOR ME, so I realize not everyone will agree with this. However, this is a "formula" that has worked very well for me for many years.
 
Regardless of whether the singer just finished a slow song, an old song or a contemporary song this guy Saturday night played up beat really great hip hop music. At one point there was around 10 people up in front dancing to the Cupid Shuffle. This guy played to the younger crowd and knew what songs to play and he had a good music library. Even though I'm 51 I loved the music he played. But I would have loved it if he played some great Country or Motown or Swing Dance or Merengue. Anything with a good beat and a good musical arrangement.
 
Though I don't run actual filler between singers ( background music maybe if it's a slow walker from the back of the bar...), I do play music between rounds- but only if the rotation size will allow it.

I play upbeat tracks of mixed genre, some dance, some just hi energy. Anything from "Jump In The Line", "Do You Love Me", and "Devil With A Blue Dress" to "When God-Fearin' Women Get The Blues", "Here For The Party", to In Da Club.... ANYTHING that keeps the crowd energy up.
 
Thunder said:
Filler music interupts and slows down a karaoke show. I keep my shows running at a fast pace, if I am going to DJ I will set aside a half hour slot for just that purpose (but only if the vast majority of songs are ballads).

I agree that there are probably shows out there that "need" filler music, but any show that has a backlog of people wanting to sing isn't the place for it.

I hear all the time about shows where it takes a singer 1 minute or more to come to the stage when they are called, at my shows the song is already starting when they are called (their names appear on the screen as the next person up when the singer in front of them is on stage) if they aren't on stage by the time the lyrics start I call the next singer in line and move on.

I can always put them back in if they were in the bathroom, although knowing they were next that is not really an excuse either! For those who were "in conversation" I don't bother putting them back in at all. !
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Steve, that makes you sound like the karaoke Nazi. I picture people obediently lined up in perfect order..waiting for their chance to sing...afraid to break out of line and not be ready for their time to sing. NO SINGING FOR YOU!!:sqwink:

But I do agree with Steve, it does depend. Most of the karoake shows I used to do were KJ/DJ shows....mixing in some dance music..and filler music in between singers.

But then I've done some bars and parties where people want to sing a lot...and want to listen, so very little filler music or dance music.

To me, it's all part of reading the crowd. If there are a number of people there that are not engaged in the karaoke, we'd mix things up.

Today, we do about 20-30 karaoke parties a year, mostly add ons to a DJ event. No Bars.
 
Scott Hanna said:
But I do agree with Steve, it does depend. Most of the karoake shows I used to do were KJ/DJ shows....mixing in some dance music..and filler music in between singers.

But then I've done some bars and parties where people want to sing a lot...and want to listen, so very little filler music or dance music.

To me, it's all part of reading the crowd. If there are a number of people there that are not engaged in the karaoke, we'd mix things up.

Today, we do about 20-30 karaoke parties a year, mostly add ons to a DJ event. No Bars.
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Yup, I should add that It's never more than 1 or 2 songs between rounds, iven if there's a short rotation- the singers are at a karaoke show to SING.

Private events are a different story- I work by feel.

The Thunder man isn't a karaoke nazi, he's reacting to and reading his type of crowd. He's successful, so that tells me his crowd WANTS a fast paced straight-on show.

I run a slightly slower paced show, giving people time to bask a minute before hitting play for the next song. After all, a bit of applause is what makes them feel like a star, right? On the other hand, I too, am reacting to and reading MY type of crowds.... ans so far, so good for me too....
 
Scott,

Well sort of a nazi ................. but if I don't do it I have 20 other singer breathing down my neck to move on to the person who is ready to sing!

The singers that come to my show do not sit still for people who drag getting to the stage, My singers list generally run from 15 to 35 different singers (note different singers not repeats) within the first hour of the show, signups generally are closed by 10:30 or 11:00 Most of the time the only people who will get a second song are the first 10 who got on the list at the start of the show.

These people come to sing and there are shows in town where they could go and sing 4 maybe 5 songs in a night but the singers don't go there because of filler music and 1/2 hour dance sets every 5 to 10 singers or the KJ and his friends sing a song everytime a patron sings one!

But I did KJ an event tonight (corporate) where I played an entire song between each group of singers because it took that long for the groups to get together and get to the stage!

Although the single singers actually ran to the stage because they knew they wouldn't have a chance to sing but a couple of songs so they made sure they were getting their turn and getting back on the list!

I will post pics of the gig tomorrow! BTW .......... No Bose at this gig LOL
 
To his credit, the KJ never sang a single song the entire 3 hours that I was there and I respect that. He helped a couple singers out, but never sang.

Honestly now I can see both sides. The majority of what I have been involved with and exposed to was the straight Karaoke show with sometimes a few seconds of filler between singers so there is no dead air. I'm glad I got a chance to see another way done well.

I've been to a lot of not that good to bad Karaoke shows and only a small number of really good, entertaining ones. So far, very few shows where the sound and the mics were very high quality.
 
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