How to Irritate Shadow

As a human being, I’m full of irritations and general curmudgeon type attitudes. As a KJ, I try to be pleasant, upbeat, and friendly to everyone, including the ones who drop the mic, can’t stand up without help because of extreme inebriation, or slobber out the words in a drunken, off key whine that sets my teeth on edge.

I do work at a bar, after all. Drunk is part of the experience.  Most of the time I have too much fun to be irritated.

However:

I have one actual rule: DO NOT TOUCH THE EQUIPMENT.

I only warn once.

If you try to get at the computer or other equipment again, I get Bob and he decides if you can stay in the bar at all. (Usually not.)

The mic is the exception. Just try your best not to drop it.

This list contains a few things that happen to irritate the hell outta me, and I’ll react to each of them if it gets bad enough.

1) Someone who continuously bothers the other singers, trying to sing on stage with them, sometimes going so far as to grab the other mic without permission to sing with them.

It depends on who it is (I know one person who comes to mind, and this person just needs to be told to stop it in a firm tone). If I don’t know the offender, I politely ask them to leave the singers alone.

The next offense gets an order.

Very drunk people are referred to the boss to deal with, unless their friends come to rescue the situation.

2) The singer who cannot decide what song they want and ask you what they should sing. (Regulars can ignore this.)

Unless you’re a regular and I have a clue what songs you know, I haven’t the slightest idea of what you’d be good at singing. I am not a mind reader, and I don’t know if you have a low or high singing voice just from your drunken slur.

I try to narrow it down by asking what kind of music you listen to, but I usually get a blank stare and a twenty minute wait to finally figure it out.

What I don’t mind is someone who asks what songs I have by certain groups or singers. Genre I can sometimes suggest, but don’t ask me about country music yet. I’m still trying to learn more of it. Give me a month or two and I’ll have a handle on the most requested groups, singers, and songs.

I like to help, but I can’t perform miracles.

3) Continually changing your mind halfway through the song you’re already singing.

I tend to get testy if it happens every time the same person gets up to sing, or if it happens three times before that person settles on a song.

I might even be mean and skip that person in the next rotation. He/she has already used up two songs, and other people like to have a turn. I think that’s pretty fair.

4) The worst irritation of all is when an audience member (especially one who is also a singer) ignores the singer on stage and yells over the music to her/his friends.

I know a bar gets noisy.  The occasional bray of laughter or loud talking isn’t an issue.  That’s what the volume control is for.

However – if one person shouts loud enough that the entire bar is now turning to stare at him/her on a continual basis, I’ll turn off the music altogether.

That usually gets the attention of the entire bar. At that point I’ll ask if the drama king/queen would like to finish screaming so the rest of us can continue with the show.

This is a bit of a fine line, but I know when someone crosses it. I wait until it’s been crossed more than a little. Especially if the loud one is at a table next to the mic, waiting for his/her turn to sing.

Rude is rude.

 

I love to sing. I enjoy the DJ part of the job, playing music to fill in the gaps between singers. I like to help the newbies, and I really like it when they begin to have more confidence. I like to have a drink or two, myself. The attention is wonderful. (Who doesn’t like praise and thanks?)

I’m still learning the job, and I’m very thankful for the patrons at Perera’s Place. They’ve been hugely encouraging, kind, and patient as I struggle with all the problems that come with learning a new job with little training or help.

Rude, annoying people are everywhere, and I don’t mind them as much as I used to. I might even say that, without them, it would be a bit less bright and fun. As my hubby, Highness, would say – Never a dull moment. 😀

Thanks for reading – Shadow

Singer Etiquette

Karaoke is a group function, involving a singer and an audience. When you aren’t singing, you’re part of the audience. The golden rule applies – treat other singers the way you want to be treated. Perera’s is a great place for this. I’ve not run across anyone there who actively disses another singer. I haven’t noticed too many sour faces at sour notes.

We’re a friendly place. 😀

One thing I want to stress is – karaoke is not a professional singer’s venue. You don’t have to sing well to be well liked. You merely have to sing and be appreciative of other singers. Applaud. Hoot. Hollar. Dance.

If you want compliments, then give them out. Don’t apologize for singing badly. No one there is a famous singer. All of us, even the best singers, are not professional. We’re only having some fun.

Encourage the shy ones. If you’re the shy one, then clap maniacally for those you like, and compliment them – or at least give them a thumb’s up sign.

Yup, Perera’s is a drinking establishment. We’ll get those who’ve had one too many trying to sing something meaningful to them and destroying the song. Clap anyway. Enjoy the performance. It isn’t all about the singing. Some people can’t carry a tune in a bucket, but they can put on a great show.

It IS all about the fun. So come down to Perera’s and contribute to the fun!

Peace, Love, and Karaoke – Shadow

Getting on ‘The List’

A KJ’s main goal is to get as many people as possible to sing in one night, not to get one person up multiple times. I use a list to help remember who sings when, unless it’s very slow.

If only a few people are singing, just come on up and tell me your song choice, and I’ll get you up immediately. I’ll be playing regular music a lot and singing myself if it’s slow, so it’s fairly obvious.  If it’s busier, then I’ll have a list.

I usually have just names on the list, and allow you to tell me what you want to sing when you get up there.  If I have the time and you give me a song, I’ll try to cue it up.  In order to look a song up on the system, I need the correct title of the song and the artist’s name.

My priority is always to get the person up and singing during their turn.  If I ignore you because I’m working with someone who has the mic, then I’m not trying to be rude; I’m trying to get them singing so I can turn my attention to you.

Believe me, I hate it when people leave the table because I don’t immediately stop what I’m doing and talk to them. Just give me a minute, giggle at the dinosaur-slow computer as I struggle to get a song cued, and be patient.  It’s my job to give you my full attention as I can, and I will.

(It is my sincere hope that we get a new computer quickly!)

If I’m hugely busy, I’ll hand you the list, and ask you to write down your name for me to save time.  You can write down your song choice if you want.  Include the artist’s name if you do, so I can find it quickly for you.

Once you have your name on the list, I’ll keep calling each person in order.  Sometimes, I have to sneak a new-comer into the middle of the list, especially if it’s late.  Do not be offended if someone new gets up before you.  It’s not an insult.  I’d do the same for you or anyone else.

If you like to sing a lot during one night, my advice is to get there early.  We usually don’t crowd up at Perera’s until about eleven or so.  Before then, it’s easy to get up and sing multiple times.  Of course, that’s subject to change if more people come early.  😉

I will try to accommodate everyone, but if I seem to forget you, I don’t mean to.  Please tell me about it and I’ll fix it as best as I can at the time.  Karaoke is not a time to be angry or feel bad, it’s a time to have fun.  😀

Peace, love and karaoke —  Shadow