Lately I've been a blogging fool....My mind runs 24-7 so I think it really helps sometimes just to jot my ideas down on digital paper. I want to add some other tidbits I thought about on online dating.
- It's wonderful if you include half a dozen pics of yourself on a dating site,however have a full body shot in one of them. I am certainly no Brad Pitt, but I have at least one full body shot. If you are that insecure about yourself then why do it?
- Don't have pics of you with your ex or another guy kissing. Why not? DUH!!! There is nothing more unappealing than going through a profile and seeing a pic of the girl and some dude doing the ol' bump in grind on the dance floor!
- Put some info about yourself on your profile! Profiles I ignore and the ones that just say," Message me later about this" How bout I don't "message" you at all! I like to see people who put their interests there and what they're looking for.
- On a side note I appeared to make some people upset last week when I posted that women who have just gotten out of bad relationships shouldn't put themselves out there. I want to clarify what I'm saying here so there isn't any misunderstanding. I have been on a couple dates from online sites and the ladies had literally been out of their previous relationship a week or a few months prior. They were also going on about how shitty their boyfriend was or that they want them back. I don't have time for these types of people! If a person needs time to heal then take time out of dating for a while and do so!
Make sure you are ready to give 100% to a new person of interest instead of making your date feel like they did something wrong..... ok I've gotten that all out of my system. No more is going to be said about it, so time to move on to my next subject.
Micheal Jackson was one of the best performers ever- bar none. Whether you do or don't like his music, you still have to give the man some props. Back in '83 when I was nine years old I listened to the "Thriller" album countless times and danced around and sang along. This album I believe featured about 12-13 tracks and every single one was a multi-platinum hit! Can you say the same thing about Nickelback? I don't think so, but I digest...;-D
About a decade ago there was a huge amount of controversy because a small group of parents came out and accused Micheal of molesting their children when they went over to sleep with him. Ok the first thing is why did the parents wait months or years to say anything? The second thing is is that if you let a ten year old sleep over with a forty- five year old single man in his bed then what is wrong with you as a parent?
I sure as hell wouldn't let my daughter do that! I think what it comes down to is the almighty dollar. The parents wanted to get rich quick and they found a sleazeball lawyer to help them out. Do I think Micheal Jackson was a normal person? No, I don't. Micheal definitely has some issues, but I really don't want to believe he was a child molester. I just hope as time passes people will just remember the music and not the controversy.
I finally sat down the other afternoon to watch what some call the worst movie ever- Troll 2. I have seen some horrible movies in my day and I wouldn't say it's the worst I've ever seen but it sure as hell ranks up there with them! I know this flick has become a cult phenomenon and has midnight showings across the country. Some questions get raised right away watching this film. Why is the movie called Troll 2 when the monsters are in fact Goblins? Also why did it take the main family in the film an hour to figure out that the town of Nilbog was Goblin spelled backwards? Anywho, there are plot holes aplenty and acting that makes Shatner seem like DeNiro. I suggest that if anyone has a weekly bad movie night, then by all means rent or buy Troll 2...because you can't piss on hospitality. I won't allow it!* - * This is an actual line from the film
Cheers
Stephen
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The horrors and good things of online dating!
Hey all you out there on the inter-webs! It's Stephen back with a blog about online dating. Online dating a couple years back was thought by many to be a sketchy way to meet people, however in 2011 it is regarded as just as a legitimate way of meeting someone as going to church,college,coffee house,etc..
I have done online dating now for a couple years. I've had my shares of busts and it's hard for me to say successes because I'm still single. I have made a very good friendship out of one. I want to go through a list of stuff that a person should do when coming up with a profile.
1. Have a pic of yourself from the current year- I have seen so many people post a number of pictures of themselves,but it is from two to five years ago. Much can happen in that period and often it does to the people whom do this. Mostly it's a significant amount of weight gain. Right off the bat when meeting said person they are starting out on a lie....bad!!
2. Is their profile complete? - On many sites I've been on there will be a pic of a very attractive woman and when you go to read the profile the site tells you that the person of interest hasn't filled out their profile info. If you are hoping for a relationship that will last then you need the 411 on them!
3. Be honest! - If you don't like physical contact then don't post that your an affectionate person looking for a cuddle buddy! I've been on a couple dates where the person claimed they were very affectionate and loved hugs but at the end of the eve they deflected...I thought to myself," maybe she's just got the first date jitters?" So I gave them another chance on the second date and again hesitate to hug and no chance of a quick peck on the lips. I won't be fooled a third time and I hope you won't either!
4. Be ready if your going to put yourself out there - I have been on a number of dates where the person is still in love with their ex or are still trying to get over a recent abusive relationship. They are constantly negative and in foul moods. Stay away from these kind of people! I know from experience!! These aren't necessarily bad people but they do need time to straighten their lives out.
5. Know where you are!- There are tons of dating sites out there and there are many made for specific people types. There are BBW and BHM* sites, there are sites like Geek 2 Geek that obviously cater to the geek culture, and so on. What I hate is when someone is on say a BBW dating site and they state in there profile they don't like fat people! Hello? McFly?? (* Big Beautiful Women/Big Handsome Men)
6. Are they within driving distance?- I have tried a long distance relationship before and since I'm certainly not made of money and have a full time job, it didn't work out. If you can find someone in your same town then that is fantastic! I try to keep a 60 miles away and under rule for finding someone. I know this is different for everyone, so what ever works for you!
7. Do you share common interests? Are gambling and boat riding two of your favorite things but the person your checking out hates them? Look for some common ground. The two of you dig They Might Be Giants and shuffleboard on thursdays! Woot! Least you've found some common interests that will make for conversation and entertainment.
This list wasn't made as a slam at all on women. In fact I would love to hear the opinions of women who have also done online dating and their experiences. I do have a couple friends that are online dating success stories and have gotten married and are very happy. I say kudos to them and best of luck! I try to keep optimistic there is that right one out there for me :-)
Take care
Stephen
5.
I have done online dating now for a couple years. I've had my shares of busts and it's hard for me to say successes because I'm still single. I have made a very good friendship out of one. I want to go through a list of stuff that a person should do when coming up with a profile.
1. Have a pic of yourself from the current year- I have seen so many people post a number of pictures of themselves,but it is from two to five years ago. Much can happen in that period and often it does to the people whom do this. Mostly it's a significant amount of weight gain. Right off the bat when meeting said person they are starting out on a lie....bad!!
2. Is their profile complete? - On many sites I've been on there will be a pic of a very attractive woman and when you go to read the profile the site tells you that the person of interest hasn't filled out their profile info. If you are hoping for a relationship that will last then you need the 411 on them!
3. Be honest! - If you don't like physical contact then don't post that your an affectionate person looking for a cuddle buddy! I've been on a couple dates where the person claimed they were very affectionate and loved hugs but at the end of the eve they deflected...I thought to myself," maybe she's just got the first date jitters?" So I gave them another chance on the second date and again hesitate to hug and no chance of a quick peck on the lips. I won't be fooled a third time and I hope you won't either!
4. Be ready if your going to put yourself out there - I have been on a number of dates where the person is still in love with their ex or are still trying to get over a recent abusive relationship. They are constantly negative and in foul moods. Stay away from these kind of people! I know from experience!! These aren't necessarily bad people but they do need time to straighten their lives out.
5. Know where you are!- There are tons of dating sites out there and there are many made for specific people types. There are BBW and BHM* sites, there are sites like Geek 2 Geek that obviously cater to the geek culture, and so on. What I hate is when someone is on say a BBW dating site and they state in there profile they don't like fat people! Hello? McFly?? (* Big Beautiful Women/Big Handsome Men)
6. Are they within driving distance?- I have tried a long distance relationship before and since I'm certainly not made of money and have a full time job, it didn't work out. If you can find someone in your same town then that is fantastic! I try to keep a 60 miles away and under rule for finding someone. I know this is different for everyone, so what ever works for you!
7. Do you share common interests? Are gambling and boat riding two of your favorite things but the person your checking out hates them? Look for some common ground. The two of you dig They Might Be Giants and shuffleboard on thursdays! Woot! Least you've found some common interests that will make for conversation and entertainment.
This list wasn't made as a slam at all on women. In fact I would love to hear the opinions of women who have also done online dating and their experiences. I do have a couple friends that are online dating success stories and have gotten married and are very happy. I say kudos to them and best of luck! I try to keep optimistic there is that right one out there for me :-)
Take care
Stephen
5.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Times they are a changin!
Wow I am just becoming the blogging fool here, and yes it is another blog about karaoke. Today I heard news that The Fairhaven Pub is permanently closing their doors this weekend. Thus one more good karaoke show in Bellingham has been eliminated. It's a sad week for local karaoke because I've had two kj friends lose their venues and another who is more than likely going to be next week....man the state of karaoke just keeps getting sadder and sadder in the city of subdued excitement!
What hurts most here is that these folks are good people. They are friendly,non-drug users and they have legit music...no illegal downloaded business here! I hope these guys can all rebound and find better gigs and come back stronger than ever. That is my hope! Some may say I'm foolish, but like Steve Perry says,"don't stop believin!"
I think many rich business men come into Bellingham with the idea in their heads that our town is another Bellevue and they can charge outrageous prices on food and drinks and people will keep coming....wrong! Everyone knows Bellingham is primarily a college town and the local bars are largely supported by those dollars. Dollars that are very hard to come by! The Fairhaven, while very nice, charged way too much for their drinks. What is sad is that they had good acts come through their establishment.
I realize however that Fairhaven is a fancier part of town and the prices match that. I want to see diversity in the karaoke in town! There shouldn't be a monopoly. Variety is the spice of life and I would love to see a number of different kj's in town with shows running seven days a week again. Snohomish county has become a mecca for karaoke as of late! From Smokey Point to Lynwood there are so many places to go! I tend to journey that way almost once a week now for good karaoke. It's sad because it doesn't exist in Bellingham anymore!
Cheers
Stephen
What hurts most here is that these folks are good people. They are friendly,non-drug users and they have legit music...no illegal downloaded business here! I hope these guys can all rebound and find better gigs and come back stronger than ever. That is my hope! Some may say I'm foolish, but like Steve Perry says,"don't stop believin!"
I think many rich business men come into Bellingham with the idea in their heads that our town is another Bellevue and they can charge outrageous prices on food and drinks and people will keep coming....wrong! Everyone knows Bellingham is primarily a college town and the local bars are largely supported by those dollars. Dollars that are very hard to come by! The Fairhaven, while very nice, charged way too much for their drinks. What is sad is that they had good acts come through their establishment.
I realize however that Fairhaven is a fancier part of town and the prices match that. I want to see diversity in the karaoke in town! There shouldn't be a monopoly. Variety is the spice of life and I would love to see a number of different kj's in town with shows running seven days a week again. Snohomish county has become a mecca for karaoke as of late! From Smokey Point to Lynwood there are so many places to go! I tend to journey that way almost once a week now for good karaoke. It's sad because it doesn't exist in Bellingham anymore!
Cheers
Stephen
Friday, August 12, 2011
A blog for local karaoke enthusiasts!
Bellingham used to be one of the best karaoke cities in Washington state. Back in 2006-2008 was the golden age. Karaoke went 7 nights a week and multiple venues. Every bar is packing eager singers in with at least a dozen people rotation a night.
We fast forward to 2011 and Bellingham is virtually a barren wasteland when it comes to karaoke venues that are decent. Most is to blame on laziness of karaoke hosts and drug/alcohol abuse. The rest is to blame on the bar owners whom were either tax evaders or drug runners.
I want to stress that not all the shows in whatcom county are bad. There are a select few who seem to have their stuff together and have a good crowd on their given nights. However there is one company in town that has really put a bad taste in singers and bar owners mouths. I don't want to really mention the name here and don't feel I need to because anyone who reads this will know exactly who I'm talking about.
What I keep hearing and at this point it's starting to sound like a broken record, is that people are tired of this person and want to see them out of business. Well if you want this to happen then don't go to this companies shows! It's that simple folks. I personally don't go to this companies show because of what the owner represents. Again I'm not going into the finer points of why said person is a douchebag....readers of this will again know whom I'm referring to. The way to end the reign of this companies power over the city of subdued excitement...STOP GOING TO THEIR SHOWS!!!!!!
I know some of you might argue," but Stephen I love singing and it's the only place to go." I will tell you to do your homework :-) At a number of local bars there is the Northwest Karaoke Entertainment newspaper. In it you will find tons of venues local and not so local. I have a list of places below to go that are local and semi local that are not affiliated with the above company:
- The Fairhaven Pub- shows run every wensday starting @ 9pm.
The Fairhaven runs a quality show and tends to fill up quick so I recommend getting there early in the eve if you want to sing 3 times. DJ Seamus and Bam have been running the show here for years and have built a good following of folks.
- Bobby Lee's in Everson - shows run thursday,friday,& saturday starting @ 9pm
This might be a little out of the way,but if you like to sing alot then I recommend coming here on a thursday night. Saturday is when this place can get quite wild! It is also alot of fun when owner Bobby Lee kj's. He's full of energy and sometimes will break out musical instruments to join you in your song!
- The Uncanny Valley - this is not a venue, but what it is is the best rockaroke band around!! The UV have played shows at The Fairhaven and lately at the Village Pub. In september they are going to be playing at the new Shakedown bar on north state street. If you have never experienced rockaroke before then you owe it to yourself to try the Uncanny Valley out. These fine gents tend to draw a large crowd so get to the venue early in the night to get your song in!
Now I give you some good venues south of whatcom county
- Skagit Casino hosted by Rocky and Kristine Fields -every thursday 8pm til midnight- To me this is the definitive show! I have gone here since 2006 and have loved everytime I go. Usually the shows are either asses and elbows or a little quieter...it's like a box of chocolates! Great singers from 'round the sound come here and even famous music acts will come in for karaoke when in town! Great sound,big stage,big screen tv with great music videos and two great people who make you truly feel at home. This place is my karaoke home!
- The Conway Pub in Conway- shows run friday & saturday starting @ 9:30pm. A couple miles south of Mt. Vernon will bring you to the small blink and you'll miss it town of Conway. What you won't want to miss is the damn fine karaoke going on here during the weekend! The place fills up fast and is loaded with good singers and better looking people.
- Danny's Midway Pub in Smokey Point - shows run 7 days a week starting @ 9pm. I have been to Danny's several times now and have always had fun with my buddies there. They have a huge catalog of music to go through and a decent sound system. Usually if you go during the week you can sing alot (which I love!)
- The Blue Moon Lounge in Everett - shows run thursday-sunday starting @ 9pm. Easy place to find right off Broadway. This place is a tiny venue,but what isn't tiny is the booming sound here! Jim really knows how to run his sound board and make you sound great. Half the bar usually becomes a dance floor. The patrons here are very supportive of the singers.
There are other venues as well but I won't go into further details. Like I said be sure to check the NW Karaoke Ent. newspaper for more venues.
I want to start on another subject here which is of great concern to me. I was informed last night that Rocky and Kristine's karaoke show at the Skagit casino may very well end in two weeks.....this was shocking news to me and many others. I don't understand the casino's logic behind this at all! So many people come in to the casino and give them their hard earned money and alot of that is thanks to the outstanding show that the Field's run here. On a personal note Rocky and Kristine are two of the most genuine,kind, and giving people that I have ever met in my life and I love them both and am truly honored to call them my friends. I think that's why this hits even harder to me is that because these are close friends and I want my friends to do well in life and not get the royal shaft!
If the Skagit casino decides to stop karaoke here or get another cheaper host, then I will boycott the casino and make it very public for fellow karaoke goers to not support this establishment any longer! This is a slap in all the singers faces and let me tell you there are many,many of us. I personally am writing a long letter to the casino to voice my opinion and I truly hope all of you will follow suit!
Like I said earlier in the blog the Skagit casino show is my karaoke home. I love the venue and the people. So many great folks like George aka Grumpy, Byron, Papa James,Trouble, Gretchen & Larry,etc... Great singers and good friends that I've made here over the past four years. I know the old saying goes," All good things must come to an end" Well I don't want this ending anytime soon and it doesn't need to! Please Skagit do the right thing and keep the Rocky & Kristine show going! If you don't the karaoke gods shall smite you forever (hee-hee)
Thanks to everyone who has read this!
Cheers
Stephen Whitener
We fast forward to 2011 and Bellingham is virtually a barren wasteland when it comes to karaoke venues that are decent. Most is to blame on laziness of karaoke hosts and drug/alcohol abuse. The rest is to blame on the bar owners whom were either tax evaders or drug runners.
I want to stress that not all the shows in whatcom county are bad. There are a select few who seem to have their stuff together and have a good crowd on their given nights. However there is one company in town that has really put a bad taste in singers and bar owners mouths. I don't want to really mention the name here and don't feel I need to because anyone who reads this will know exactly who I'm talking about.
What I keep hearing and at this point it's starting to sound like a broken record, is that people are tired of this person and want to see them out of business. Well if you want this to happen then don't go to this companies shows! It's that simple folks. I personally don't go to this companies show because of what the owner represents. Again I'm not going into the finer points of why said person is a douchebag....readers of this will again know whom I'm referring to. The way to end the reign of this companies power over the city of subdued excitement...STOP GOING TO THEIR SHOWS!!!!!!
I know some of you might argue," but Stephen I love singing and it's the only place to go." I will tell you to do your homework :-) At a number of local bars there is the Northwest Karaoke Entertainment newspaper. In it you will find tons of venues local and not so local. I have a list of places below to go that are local and semi local that are not affiliated with the above company:
- The Fairhaven Pub- shows run every wensday starting @ 9pm.
The Fairhaven runs a quality show and tends to fill up quick so I recommend getting there early in the eve if you want to sing 3 times. DJ Seamus and Bam have been running the show here for years and have built a good following of folks.
- Bobby Lee's in Everson - shows run thursday,friday,& saturday starting @ 9pm
This might be a little out of the way,but if you like to sing alot then I recommend coming here on a thursday night. Saturday is when this place can get quite wild! It is also alot of fun when owner Bobby Lee kj's. He's full of energy and sometimes will break out musical instruments to join you in your song!
- The Uncanny Valley - this is not a venue, but what it is is the best rockaroke band around!! The UV have played shows at The Fairhaven and lately at the Village Pub. In september they are going to be playing at the new Shakedown bar on north state street. If you have never experienced rockaroke before then you owe it to yourself to try the Uncanny Valley out. These fine gents tend to draw a large crowd so get to the venue early in the night to get your song in!
Now I give you some good venues south of whatcom county
- Skagit Casino hosted by Rocky and Kristine Fields -every thursday 8pm til midnight- To me this is the definitive show! I have gone here since 2006 and have loved everytime I go. Usually the shows are either asses and elbows or a little quieter...it's like a box of chocolates! Great singers from 'round the sound come here and even famous music acts will come in for karaoke when in town! Great sound,big stage,big screen tv with great music videos and two great people who make you truly feel at home. This place is my karaoke home!
- The Conway Pub in Conway- shows run friday & saturday starting @ 9:30pm. A couple miles south of Mt. Vernon will bring you to the small blink and you'll miss it town of Conway. What you won't want to miss is the damn fine karaoke going on here during the weekend! The place fills up fast and is loaded with good singers and better looking people.
- Danny's Midway Pub in Smokey Point - shows run 7 days a week starting @ 9pm. I have been to Danny's several times now and have always had fun with my buddies there. They have a huge catalog of music to go through and a decent sound system. Usually if you go during the week you can sing alot (which I love!)
- The Blue Moon Lounge in Everett - shows run thursday-sunday starting @ 9pm. Easy place to find right off Broadway. This place is a tiny venue,but what isn't tiny is the booming sound here! Jim really knows how to run his sound board and make you sound great. Half the bar usually becomes a dance floor. The patrons here are very supportive of the singers.
There are other venues as well but I won't go into further details. Like I said be sure to check the NW Karaoke Ent. newspaper for more venues.
I want to start on another subject here which is of great concern to me. I was informed last night that Rocky and Kristine's karaoke show at the Skagit casino may very well end in two weeks.....this was shocking news to me and many others. I don't understand the casino's logic behind this at all! So many people come in to the casino and give them their hard earned money and alot of that is thanks to the outstanding show that the Field's run here. On a personal note Rocky and Kristine are two of the most genuine,kind, and giving people that I have ever met in my life and I love them both and am truly honored to call them my friends. I think that's why this hits even harder to me is that because these are close friends and I want my friends to do well in life and not get the royal shaft!
If the Skagit casino decides to stop karaoke here or get another cheaper host, then I will boycott the casino and make it very public for fellow karaoke goers to not support this establishment any longer! This is a slap in all the singers faces and let me tell you there are many,many of us. I personally am writing a long letter to the casino to voice my opinion and I truly hope all of you will follow suit!
Like I said earlier in the blog the Skagit casino show is my karaoke home. I love the venue and the people. So many great folks like George aka Grumpy, Byron, Papa James,Trouble, Gretchen & Larry,etc... Great singers and good friends that I've made here over the past four years. I know the old saying goes," All good things must come to an end" Well I don't want this ending anytime soon and it doesn't need to! Please Skagit do the right thing and keep the Rocky & Kristine show going! If you don't the karaoke gods shall smite you forever (hee-hee)
Thanks to everyone who has read this!
Cheers
Stephen Whitener
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Karaoke Host 101
As almost everyone in the known universe knows by now, I'm a karaoke junkie :-) I've been singing now for about twelve years and don't ever want to stop. Over those twelve plus years I have seen many shows and hosts. Some great,some mediocre, some downright horrid! Sometimes when a karaoke show is canned it can be because of many factors. The host has a drug or alcohol problem. The venue owner was a tax evader or drug dealer or because of the current poor economy the business was forced to shut down.
I have seen what makes and breaks a karaoke show. 75% of it has to do with the host aka "the kj" or "karaoke jockey" for those not in the know. To me what makes a great host is his/her personality. Are they energetic and get the crowd interested and grooving? Do they just sit in a seat in the corner of the bar and don't make eye contact with the crowd and just blend in with the environment?
The kj needs to make every singer who comes up feel like they are the star of the show and all eyes should move on them. Even if there is someone up who is a borderline professional singer and hits every beat, they should not praise them more than a patron whose singing skills aren't the greatest. If they do then the latter person will feel self conscious and likely will not sing again for the evening or perhaps again!
The kj needs to be able to project when on stage. Does everyone turn and listen when they're speaking or tune them out? Timid or shy people tend to make bad hosts. The main reason is they have no presence and the second reason is that they tend to let aggressive bar patrons walk all over them.
It's great to be entertaining as a host and interject your own personal humor and flare but don't tell a story that is drug out for ten minutes or make lude sexual comments about a person in the audience. This is very unprofessional and will hurt the bar in the long run. Don't be pompous hosts!!
The sound system and selection is a big factor to running a great show. Does the kj know how to set up and run his equipment? I've found that many don't and the sound and singers suffer because of it! There is a local company that has many hosts working under their banner but they fail to fully train their hosts and they give them shoddy equipment to work with- very bad business practice, even if they do charge far below the normal rate of a karaoke host.
It really helps if the kj has had previous radio experience. Most will know how to tune in a singer to make them sound their best and run the equipment at optimal levels.
Song selection is another biggie. A good host will have upwards of ten thousand songs to choose from with a wide variety of artists and genres. There are some shows out there that cater to country music or spanish and that's all well and good but if you are hosting a show at "The Groove-Thang" then you should have a wide range of tunes.
The digital age is certainly upon us and a lot of hosts are switching it up to a laptop setup with strictly digital files and no discs. This can be a good and bad thing. The good thing with digital is that a host won't have to worry about scratches on a worn disc and quick access to a song file. The bad things are that the computer can crash and then the host is up the creek unless they have a cdg machine as a backup with discs. Another thing is that because of the new digital format a lot of hosts are illegally downloading karaoke tracks and many advertise that they have one hundred-thousand songs. Nine times out of ten these are illegal.
Karaoke companies such as Sound Choice are starting to crack down on these hosts and fine them and the bar several thousands of dollars!
Going back to the hosts I find many hosts feel that since they work in the bar that they get to drink all night like the patrons of the bar. This is very unprofessional to be drunk. I realize that many hosts make very little money doing what they do, however do you see a cook at McDonald's sucking back a fifth of whiskey while working the fry station? I don't think so!
Don't bring personal drama to a show! Don't ask everyone in the crowd to put money in your tip jar because your pet iguana needs a liver transplant or your sister needs a new car. I have witnessed this ridiculousness happen and everyone in the bar was very put off by it and needless to say didn't put any money in the tip jar that night.
Keep rotations fair! If you have a large rotation of twelve or more singers make sure that the order stays constant. I realize throughout the night singers will leave or arrive late so rotations have to be adjusted accordingly. However don't let Sally keep singing twice to three times in one rotation because you think she's cute or can sing better than everyone else. Again it's common sense here.
If the rotation is extremely long then the kj should take themselves out of the rotation. They are being paid to be there...not the singers! This personally drives me nuts and I don't go back to these places.
I hope everyone has found this blog entertaining and maybe informative. I would love to hear comments from my fellow karaoke goers about this!
Cheers
Stephen
I have seen what makes and breaks a karaoke show. 75% of it has to do with the host aka "the kj" or "karaoke jockey" for those not in the know. To me what makes a great host is his/her personality. Are they energetic and get the crowd interested and grooving? Do they just sit in a seat in the corner of the bar and don't make eye contact with the crowd and just blend in with the environment?
The kj needs to make every singer who comes up feel like they are the star of the show and all eyes should move on them. Even if there is someone up who is a borderline professional singer and hits every beat, they should not praise them more than a patron whose singing skills aren't the greatest. If they do then the latter person will feel self conscious and likely will not sing again for the evening or perhaps again!
The kj needs to be able to project when on stage. Does everyone turn and listen when they're speaking or tune them out? Timid or shy people tend to make bad hosts. The main reason is they have no presence and the second reason is that they tend to let aggressive bar patrons walk all over them.
It's great to be entertaining as a host and interject your own personal humor and flare but don't tell a story that is drug out for ten minutes or make lude sexual comments about a person in the audience. This is very unprofessional and will hurt the bar in the long run. Don't be pompous hosts!!
The sound system and selection is a big factor to running a great show. Does the kj know how to set up and run his equipment? I've found that many don't and the sound and singers suffer because of it! There is a local company that has many hosts working under their banner but they fail to fully train their hosts and they give them shoddy equipment to work with- very bad business practice, even if they do charge far below the normal rate of a karaoke host.
It really helps if the kj has had previous radio experience. Most will know how to tune in a singer to make them sound their best and run the equipment at optimal levels.
Song selection is another biggie. A good host will have upwards of ten thousand songs to choose from with a wide variety of artists and genres. There are some shows out there that cater to country music or spanish and that's all well and good but if you are hosting a show at "The Groove-Thang" then you should have a wide range of tunes.
The digital age is certainly upon us and a lot of hosts are switching it up to a laptop setup with strictly digital files and no discs. This can be a good and bad thing. The good thing with digital is that a host won't have to worry about scratches on a worn disc and quick access to a song file. The bad things are that the computer can crash and then the host is up the creek unless they have a cdg machine as a backup with discs. Another thing is that because of the new digital format a lot of hosts are illegally downloading karaoke tracks and many advertise that they have one hundred-thousand songs. Nine times out of ten these are illegal.
Karaoke companies such as Sound Choice are starting to crack down on these hosts and fine them and the bar several thousands of dollars!
Going back to the hosts I find many hosts feel that since they work in the bar that they get to drink all night like the patrons of the bar. This is very unprofessional to be drunk. I realize that many hosts make very little money doing what they do, however do you see a cook at McDonald's sucking back a fifth of whiskey while working the fry station? I don't think so!
Don't bring personal drama to a show! Don't ask everyone in the crowd to put money in your tip jar because your pet iguana needs a liver transplant or your sister needs a new car. I have witnessed this ridiculousness happen and everyone in the bar was very put off by it and needless to say didn't put any money in the tip jar that night.
Keep rotations fair! If you have a large rotation of twelve or more singers make sure that the order stays constant. I realize throughout the night singers will leave or arrive late so rotations have to be adjusted accordingly. However don't let Sally keep singing twice to three times in one rotation because you think she's cute or can sing better than everyone else. Again it's common sense here.
If the rotation is extremely long then the kj should take themselves out of the rotation. They are being paid to be there...not the singers! This personally drives me nuts and I don't go back to these places.
I hope everyone has found this blog entertaining and maybe informative. I would love to hear comments from my fellow karaoke goers about this!
Cheers
Stephen
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Make comics fun again!!!
In the late 1980's-early 90's comics took a dark turn. Story lines paralleled current events going on in the world. Heroes would kill the villains now instead of being content with putting them in jail. Many of the superheroes would pack guns and the way many artists drew them, made them look like the very villains they were trying to take down!
The question in my mind raised is," Why are these characters even called superheroes anymore?" The hero rescues the citizen from the evil-doer and puts them into the max security prison. To me a hero doesn't take out a hand cannon and blow the villains brains out in front of the person he/she just saved! Yes I know that this is the way Charles Bronson did it in the Death Wish series, but that series is also not geared for kids....that's just it too is that comics biggest audience are children from six to sixteen years old.
I know that there is an adult audience as well whom loves and reads comics (myself included), however the major comic book studios DC and Marvel need to work on making comics fun again! Does Spider Man need to worry because his gay Cuban neighbor overdosed on cocaine? Shouldn't it be a back to basics story of the Green Goblin and his group of goons are trying to rob the museum who recently acquired the worlds largest diamond? Spidey would swing in and thwart the group using his classic array of one liners.
Spider Man used to enjoy his job as a hero and not worry over whether Aunt May's social security check came in or not. Another thing in mainstream comics is the series bogged down with continuity and multi storylines that run through eight different books. Old school comics from the 50's and 60's would have a simple intro on the front page that would give you a quick run down of what the heroes origin,powers,etc... I didn't matter whether you picked up issue one or one hundred, you could get right into the story and enjoy yourself instead of having to try to go on wikipedia and find out which version of the villain you are looking at!
Now I enjoy mature reader titles and I know I'm coming off like I probably don't. What I'm trying to get across is that there needs to be more kid friendly titles. I'm not talking about Disney characters or Casper the ghost either. I mean superhero comics that are light hearted and exciting that will make a kid super excited for the next months issue!
I'm actually seriously considering doing something like this myself. A fun throw back comic that anyone could pick up and follow and would be full of action and enjoyment! I'll keep you kids posted.
Excelsior!
Stephen Whitener
The question in my mind raised is," Why are these characters even called superheroes anymore?" The hero rescues the citizen from the evil-doer and puts them into the max security prison. To me a hero doesn't take out a hand cannon and blow the villains brains out in front of the person he/she just saved! Yes I know that this is the way Charles Bronson did it in the Death Wish series, but that series is also not geared for kids....that's just it too is that comics biggest audience are children from six to sixteen years old.
I know that there is an adult audience as well whom loves and reads comics (myself included), however the major comic book studios DC and Marvel need to work on making comics fun again! Does Spider Man need to worry because his gay Cuban neighbor overdosed on cocaine? Shouldn't it be a back to basics story of the Green Goblin and his group of goons are trying to rob the museum who recently acquired the worlds largest diamond? Spidey would swing in and thwart the group using his classic array of one liners.
Spider Man used to enjoy his job as a hero and not worry over whether Aunt May's social security check came in or not. Another thing in mainstream comics is the series bogged down with continuity and multi storylines that run through eight different books. Old school comics from the 50's and 60's would have a simple intro on the front page that would give you a quick run down of what the heroes origin,powers,etc... I didn't matter whether you picked up issue one or one hundred, you could get right into the story and enjoy yourself instead of having to try to go on wikipedia and find out which version of the villain you are looking at!
Now I enjoy mature reader titles and I know I'm coming off like I probably don't. What I'm trying to get across is that there needs to be more kid friendly titles. I'm not talking about Disney characters or Casper the ghost either. I mean superhero comics that are light hearted and exciting that will make a kid super excited for the next months issue!
I'm actually seriously considering doing something like this myself. A fun throw back comic that anyone could pick up and follow and would be full of action and enjoyment! I'll keep you kids posted.
Excelsior!
Stephen Whitener
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