Karaoke Forums

Except in certain backwoods backwards parts of the country where bars are the height of low life melieu, bars give karaoke a bad name and remain a big part of the cheap stigma associated with it in the pop culture.

If karaoke gets its bad rep from bars and drunks, here's a word to the wise. If you want a safer, more fun show, try for an upscale nightclub or restaurant. Live music in bars is a joke. And karaoke is much worse.

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So you can sing. But can you write a song? That is the difference between karaoke...and the big time!

Not even.

Many upscale clubs give karaoke a good name. Well run shows, talented KJs, and good singers create a good name for karaoke.
(And draw crowds)

(If fact, I remember you sayin' there were some good clubs in L.A.)

While it's also true that a "Low Life Bar" in "B u t t Crack Texas" may not have the above requirements, they all seek their own level just like a pond of water.

Life is in fact, a "Bell Curve". Some sing on the high end, some on the low end. (Of the curve)

Most, hang out in the middle.

(With you and I)

Just observin'

Jerry

agreed jd...

Karaoke bar venues are notoriously well mannered and behavied. I used to HATE bar scenes not only for the "meat market" type following, but also the loser "barfly" image...

In the better karaoke bars I've been to, as a pure testimonial, this is NOT the same situation at all!! In fact, the bar bands atmosphere is still like I described above... much more than the latter.

Matt

In Florida, they put a new wrinkle in it....

Now if a bar has over 10% food sales, then you cannot smoke there. This is hurting, because many singers are smokers, and it is driving business out of the upscale resaurants/bars.

Unlike NY and CA- which barred smoking everywhere, this 'loophole' makes it almost impossible to maintain an upscale show.

Any suggestions for this situation??

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

I can't quite get a handle on this. What do you define as a bar?
In England nearly all pubs have a bar and a lounge. Are we talking about the same thing or are you talking about just a drinking den?

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Imagine!

Would have liked to have met him, Jimmy!
My kind of guy!

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Imagine!

By bar, I mean a hole in the wall dive that cater to drunks where karaoke is a novelty. If you look at most of the complaints in here about rowdy patrons, it seems that most of these incidents occur in bars and not more upscale venues. Of course, there are good bars and bad ones. But it's the bad one that give karaoke a bad rep. And that's no can of worms. It's fact.

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So you can sing. But can you write a song? That is the difference between karaoke...and the big time!

South of L.A., we have "Imperial County", largely agricultural, and an "Old Time" type of bar/pub/card club set of rules.

They have food on the left front, the bar is on the right front, and the card club is in the back.

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That's why we "Liquor in the front, Poker in the rear" in Imperial County.

B u t t no karaoke.

Just sayin'

Jerry

Tell 'em to sell more booze?? ! Bars in VA have the same problem, only in reverse. They must maintain a certain percentage of total sales in food, in order to maintain their liquor license. Believe me....there is a lot of "juggling" that goes on, in regard to whether it is food or alcohol being sold.

Again, I'm talking about small bars with little or no acoustics that have no business featuring live music or karaoke. Places like that tragic dump fire trap in Rhode Island. Out here in LA we're lucky. Drunks and smokers are second class citizens who tend to gravitate towards the cheap bars and dives. Only in a larger upscale nightclub that just happens to sell drinks can you breathe and relax.

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So you can sing. But can you write a song? That is the difference between karaoke...and the big time!

If drinkers and smokers didn't attend my shows I'd be singing on my own!
What's the world coming too?

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Imagine!

In fact, even I wouldn't be there!

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Imagine!

I don'rt think that karaoke has a bad name. I think that many, but not all, of the establishments that have karaoke, have bad names. The fact that people go into bars, get drunk, then behave poorly, has nothing to do with karaoke.

Is LA trying to put the State of Virginia out of business (inhales deeply and has another slurp of Vodka)

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Imagine!

Thank you, Jimmy. That's my point. I'm talking about barfly dives. Small bars where people go to get drunk, move a day closer to death with their cancer sticks and make trouble for singers. I'm not talking about all bars. There are good ones that have enough space and class and serve food and there are holes in the wall which give karaoke a bad name. It may mean good business. But smoke and drink are still poisons that kill us all in slow motion. And I wanna live long enough to see the Red Sox win without having to worry about risking my health for a karaoke song.

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So you can sing. But can you write a song? That is the difference between karaoke...and the big time!