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This weekend i'm happy to announce is my 9th anniversary at Barcode located in Downtown Richmond Va. Every year at this time i have an annual Karaoke Star Awards which celebrates individual achievements for the past year. I don't have contests (unless the venue which i work wants to sponsor and delve out the cash) because what usually happens you announce a contest where money is the prize and you'll get non-regular singers come in get all the glory then turning around never coming back and then alienating your regular singers by feeling they've been humiliated or feeling they've been cheated for some reason. As far as the awards go we have different catagories: Entertainer of the Year Karaoke Diva Karaoke Hall of Fame (legend) Bar Employee recognition Patron of the year (someone who does not sing but is a karaoke enthusiast) Female and Male vocalists (Usually 5 & 5 apiece) Karaoke Newcomers (5 people recognized) As i said earlier this is my 9th year, each year i've tried to recognize different people, and for those people who continue to support the business who have recieved recognition in the past but may not receive the top prize i give them an engraved star key chain with their name on it and the words thanks and the year. The other rule is that once you've won Entertainer of the year honors you can't win it again. (that does not exclude Hall of Fame or Diva though) Anyway, just basically proud of those involved who shall remain nameless however, out of courtesy but still proud none the less.
thanks
-------------------- Karaoke With Jason & Friends "where stars become friends" Posts: 582 | From: richmond virginia | Registered: May 2000
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Jason- I'm in total agreement about that contest issue, and I applaud your efforts! -rc
-------------------- one of the last legitimate karaoke hosts in the Pacific Northwest... Posts: 745 | From: Portland, OR, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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We two agree with you two, too. Contest are typically bad for long term business. A line (i think it was l'op/Tim) that has stuck with me... "There is no second place, only first loser" has helped me to dissuade bar owners from trying to force our hand. WE DON'T DO CONTESTS. But singer recognition and appreciation is always a good thing.
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I have to disagree CONTEST over all are very good for Karaoke business..we have had great reponse for our SALINA IDOL, Although we have gotten away from cash prizes and went to tropies instead but respones have still been good
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the majority of the karaoke hosts that are members of this site have agreed time and time again that contests are a gimmick and once the contest is over, your attendance will slowly go back to the pre-contest days. And there's always judging issues, upset customers, longer rotations...
those that value a pure karaoke show usually despise contests! contests seem to always appeal to the serious ego folks, and normally "not so serious" karaokers... i.e. those that go only every now and then, nto karaoke regulars!
-------------------- Matt Posts: 3332 | From: Independence, mo | Registered: Oct 2001
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Hmmmm...in the contests I've attended, vocal gymnastics are generally given a higher rating than just plain good 'ol singing. For example, a mediocre rendition of Lady Marmalade with faux emotion will win a contest, while a well sung heartfelt ballad might be panned. Songs that typically show up in contests turn me off. I have yet to hear anyone sing Me and Bobby McGee well. People know its a great song but they don't know how to put there heart in it. I hear R-E-S-P-E-C-T for the n-th time, but I know it's not coming from the heart because the song was usually chosen just to win the contest.
In addition, often what makes a karaoke song great is the spirit the performer puts into it. One of the better performances I've see was 3 drunk guys singing the Bohemian Rhapsody. It wasn't technically great, but it was...great. I was cracking up at the end it was so comical. There are two guys I know who sing Viva Las Vegas better than Elvis ever sang it. They throw in the dice rolling pantomine, they ask others to join them in singing, they don't have half the talent of Elvis, but they sing the song WAY better, and when they are done, I want to go to Vegas--my adrenalin is pumping!
I like Jason's approach and I'm guessing there could be alot of variations done on it. Just a little something to show appreciation for those that get out and enjoy singing.
quote:Originally posted by knightshow: the majority of the karaoke hosts that are members of this site have agreed time and time again that contests are a gimmick and once the contest is over, your attendance will slowly go back to the pre-contest days. And there's always judging issues, upset customers, longer rotations...
those that value a pure karaoke show usually despise contests! contests seem to always appeal to the serious ego folks, and normally "not so serious" karaokers... i.e. those that go only every now and then, nto karaoke regulars!
Again I will have to disagree i have seen for myself how Karaoke contest have bought people out and most of the time they return and it has encourage new singers a taste of what a contest is like..I dont care how many Karaoke host on here agree..EVERY SHOW IS DIFFERENT..if you having that much of a problem there with contests then maybe you should stay away from them..AS FAR AS UPSET SINGERS....that happens all the time not just at contest..." I DIDN'T SING ENOUGH"....cry ..cry..cry...its all in how you handle it...i myself have held several contest and there hasnt been that big of a problem...so again I say EVERY SHOW IS DIFFERENT
quote:Originally posted by knightshow: [QB] the majority of the karaoke hosts that are members of this site have agreed time and time again that contests are a gimmick and once the contest is over, your attendance will slowly go back to the pre-contest days.
And by slowly returning to pre-contest levels, I would add that this is after it quickly drops below pre-contest levels immediately after the contest is over
posted
I personally hate contests & wouldn't run them if the club didn't want them done - but they do so I am required to run them. Too much hassle, people think they are rigged - even if it wasn't, only brings out the "hoppers" - the pro contest singers that make some of their living going from contest to contest. Rarely do the contestants stay after the contest is over & generally don't see them until the next contest. As far as gaining new regulars, it happens, but it's not very common. The last contest we were involved in had a $2000 cash first, $1000 2nd & $500 3rd, oddly enough our qualifying nights didn't do very well. There were radio ads, numerous paper ads & fliers at all participating clubs & still didn't get much of a draw - but I was getting the same response from the other clubs that were involved stating that no one really had much interest.
quote:Originally posted by GeminimALE: Again I will have to disagree...
O.K. dissagree then...why should this topic be any different than the rest? Ooops ... was that my outside voice?
Posts: 900 | From: Ottawa, ON Canada | Registered: Dec 2000
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I wont even touch a contest after seeing the reactions of customers, kj's, and the bar/restaurant staff alike from other places.
Jason, I do like the idea of the grammy/tony/oscar/emmy award. Everyone has that moment of fame or infamy that everyone talks about and i know the establishment in question would love to see a loyal crowd coming in (translation: consistant cash flow on that night). As long as its done that it is not a contest but more like an anniversary like yours or something for new year's day, etc.
and Dog : when did you master ESP as well? It's Mentok the Mind taker ooooooOOOOOoooooooOOOOooooooh!
posted
Jason. I like your style! It takes a lot of sensitivity to recognize the detrimental effects of contests on peoples' fragile egos on the whole. We've found contests to drive rifts between friends and acquaintances. They've triggered bad behaviors and fostered hurt feelings that for some, last forever. We've seen bars fill with people that never returned after the contest feeling they'd been unfairly treated.
We are hired as entertainers, to e-n-t-e-r-t-a-i-n people (or more precisely, to assist them entertaining themselves ). Part of that job entails helping people temporarily forget their troubles and help build their self esteem not to facilitate events that leave people feeling anxious or hurt.
"There is no second place, only first loser" has become our motto. There is only 1 winner, everyone else lost. That's uh... 1 happy customer.
All that being said, we do provide sound and music library every year for a fundraiser for Cancer Research. A local bar organizes the event every year. There are numerous prizes for many categories and we're proud to have raised over $10,000 this year. Our singers put their egos on hold for the cause and hurt feelings are kept at a minimum (but some damage control is still necessary).
quote:Originally posted by GeminimALE:..AS FAR AS UPSET SINGERS....that happens all the time not just at contest..." I DIDN'T SING ENOUGH"....cry ..cry..cry...its all in how you handle it...i myself have held several contest and there hasnt been that big of a problem...so again I say EVERY SHOW IS DIFFERENT
Well, you made my point for me.
I have FAR less complainers when I run a regular show, than I ever did when we ran contests!
Far too much hassle, and never a returnable and viable financial return for the bar owners. SURE, the LOVE the numbers of that night and the other contest nights... but there's also a ton of water drinkers (oddly enough, the 'pro hoppers' Lonnie was talkin' about make up the majority of this)... these types almost NEVER support the venue... where the regulars DO.
Why would I want to segregate those folks that have kept me alive for years??! On PURPOSE?
-------------------- Matt Posts: 3332 | From: Independence, mo | Registered: Oct 2001
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[/qb][/QUOTE]Well, you made my point for me.
I have FAR less complainers when I run a regular show, than I ever did when we ran contests!
Far too much hassle, and never a returnable and viable financial return for the bar owners. SURE, the LOVE the numbers of that night and the other contest nights... but there's also a ton of water drinkers (oddly enough, the 'pro hoppers' Lonnie was talkin' about make up the majority of this)... these types almost NEVER support the venue... where the regulars DO.
Why would I want to segregate those folks that have kept me alive for years??! On PURPOSE? [/QB][/QUOTE] Our contest run for a weeks all singers must attend EVERY NIGHT to perform to get a score or they get a 0 which is added together the night before the finals. Final Night are worth double points... ALL SCORES ARE POSTED FOR PUBLIC VIEW this has kept singers comming back besides just for finals...and it works great
Posts: 797 | From: Salina,KS | Registered: Jan 2004
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I just finished doing the last one I can only hope forever. They thought it would be a great idea to do a popularity type contest to entice the singers to bring more friends out, except all it did was create hell for me at the end of the night because all their friends ended up cheering louder for other singers, but that was my fault. so basically in the end I got rid of some shallow people who really wern't out to have fun, which is no loss to me, unfortunately for the venue, nobody else came there after all that rukus and karaoke is there no more.
Personally I don't think it was worth the $250.00 cash prize.
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I've tended to see more of the opposite problem. In one contest where popularity was a key factor in the contest, the audience tended to clap just for their friends, even if they were reasonably responsive to other singers before the contest. That led me to another bar when the contest started.
Posts: 1262 | From: Milton, MA 02186 | Registered: Mar 2001
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I advertise hosting and consulting services for karaoke contests, so I'm in the position to influence fair and impartial contests. I've developed some specific procedures to pass on to sponsors to protect them and me from participant backlash (there's always some fool unhappy with the results of a contest). Some of the procedures I've developed came from suggestions on this forum.
Most of the contests I do are usually fund raising events for charity that stretch over several nights. I outline to the sponsors how to make the contest fair and impartial, selecting judges, developing judging rules, prize selections, etc.
The first thing I do is disuade the sponsors (whoever they are) from giving cash prizes just because of the ringers - trophies and/or recognition prizes always work the best.
Always, always, always make sure the participants register for the event and always, always always make sure every participant comes away with something like a t-shirt, karaoke CDs, or something (I always try to make sure they get something with the Smoke, Magic & Mirrors Entertainment logo on it).
I suggest that karaoke players be given to the bottom three placers (at least the last place person) as a consolation prize.
If you do a contest, keep careful records, especially who sang which song, who won what prize, etc., notes about participants, judges, prizes, etc. These records will be useful later on when you need to persuade/disuade a prospective sponsor about a contest. In some venues, a poorly managed contest will spell disaster for everyone concerned. For others, the long term pay-off can be excellent.
Well, that's my opinion, but then I'm an old coot in the throw's of senility.
-------------------- The Pappy Smoke, Magic & Mirrors Entertainment A song on the lips is therapy for heart, mind and soul Posts: 249 | From: Greenville, SC USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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I love contests, both hosting and competiting
-------------------- Be still my heart This could be a brand new start with you <3 Posts: 1242 | From: Lakewood, Ohio | Registered: Jan 2005
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although I love the awards idea also, good stuff
-------------------- Be still my heart This could be a brand new start with you <3 Posts: 1242 | From: Lakewood, Ohio | Registered: Jan 2005
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I dont allow aud response to influence a contest winner..last time I ask a voice instructor and band director to judge on only the performance quility..tone color..breath support...focus..placement..and ect..and it came out fair..the singers were given their score sheets with comments on them..I got a chance to see a few of the score sheets and boy were they right on..they took no prisoners and were very honest
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). Part of that job entails helping people temporarily forget their troubles and help build their self esteem not to facilitate events that leave people feeling anxious or hurt.
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so basically in the end I got rid of some shallow people who really wern't out to have fun, which is no loss to me, unfortunately for the venue, nobody else came there after all that rukus and karaoke is there no more.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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