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Girls Club Benefit Showcase

The spectacular Girls Club Benefit Showcase will be held at TIDBITS on April 27, 1997. Between March 1st and April 12th, County wide participating nightclubs, including TIDBITS, are sponsoring the contest of singers in 4 categories of music, including, POP/ROCK/OLDIES, STANDARDS/ SHOWTUNES, COUNTRY WESTERN, and
R&B/JAZZ/HIP-HOP, culminating in The Girls Club showcase. The finalist will be featured on the night of the 27th and one talented individual from each of the 4 categories will win $250 (Total prizes of $1000). But, that's not all. The showcase will also feature the World famous fabulous FOLLIES and The HERrrricanes all girl band and a special guest star.
In addition to "LEO'S MUSIC MACHINE" bringing it all together on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursday, featuring thousands of exciting songs and singers to sing them, TIDBITS has other great entertainment during the week and month. The New York Times says she is "invigorating", the World famous Copacabana says she is "unforgettable" and The Reader says she "has the moxie". See her, JUDI PRANE, in her West Coast Cabaret' Show Debut' at 7:30 PM, Saturday, March 22nd at TIDBITS. On every Friday and Saturday, at 9:30 PM, the World famous fabulous FOLLIES perform skits from Broadway, Hollywood and Vegas, including dead-on impersonations, as The San Diego Union-Tribune puts it, of Elton John, George Michael, Tina Turner and Dianna Ross. So come on in and join the excitement, comedy and fun. FOLLIES is never exactly the same from week to week. And, on the fourth Friday of every month, TheatreSports provides the best improvisational comedy show in town at 7:00 PM.So, if you haven't been at TIDBITS, you haven't been at the best yet.

There is no place like TIDBITS

in San Diego. As for the Karaoke scene, TIDBITS has the best and most comprehensive program. They've got the stage, they've got the spot light, they've got the props, They've got the dance floor, they've got a light food menu, and they've got at least one producer in their audience looking for San Diego talent for various projects and shows. Leo Pitts, Music Machine Karaoke ("Karaoke just for the fun of it"), hosts the Monday, Wednesday and Thursday Karaoke shows at TIDBITS, which start at
8:30 PM.
There is NO cover.

Fast Track to Fame 1997
Vocal Talent Search - is now offering exclusive territories to KJ's & Clubs in the Southern California Area...

PRIZES
Every in-house winner will appear on National TV's Fast Track to Fame with their phone number posted in front of 30,000,000 viewers!!

GRAND PRIZES
America's top 5 vocalists will receive a total of $100,000 Promotional Recording Contracts with Sonic Records (released Wolfman Jack's last 3 CD's)
FAST TRACK TO FAME AIRS LOCALLY ON:
Satellite: Spacenet 3, Channel 24: UHF17-San Bernadino, TV6-Big Bear City (these 3 at 9:00pm Sundays)
TV38-Palmdale, Lancaster, KSTV57-Ventura-12 Midnight Sunday
Cable - Watch Billboard for Airtimes
Century-Channel 3-Santa Monica, TCI Channel 25-E. San Fernando Valley, CVI-Channel 27-W. San Fernando Valley and Continental Cablevision, Hollywood - These channels sponsored by KARAOKE ON THE TOWN!
13 WEEK CONTESTS NOW IN PROGRESS - AND WE WILL EVEN JUDGE THEM FOR YOU!!!
PARTICIPATE LOCALLY AT:
Casino Morongo - Banning, Fridays
More locations to be announced on TV and in San Diego Scene
TO REGISTER, CALL: 910-760-1380 OR 818-362-3550

BEWARE SAN DIEGO

Investment...capital, energy and experience. Now when so many enterprises are falling by the wayside, is not the time to forget the hard fought lessons you've learned along the way. The market share you've strived to obtain is in jeopardy. Entertainment provides the way to capture and build your market share. Well-seasoned KJ's and their clubs have survived and enhanced their position during these difficult economic times. The established KJ has the following to build your market share, the sound equipment to turn your club into a concert and the song inventory to excite the singers, dancers and audience.

It has been brought to my attention that local karaoke promoter--who has left a path of devastation--is currently attempting to take over the entertainment contracts of all San Diego clubs. Not only have there been allegations of misdoing concerning charitable fund-raisers in the past, but now this promoter is using strong-arm tactics against independent karaoke professionals. The "work for me or else" threat is employed by going into clubs of KJ's who have refused his offer. Both openly and covertly speaking with owners and promising to provide the same entertainment for considerable less cost. Impossible, "If it sounds too good to be true, it is" applies here. The KJ's provided are not seasoned professionals, do not have quality equipment, and most importantly do not have a following. The dirt cheap KJ may sound appealing, but you will "get what you pay for".

San Diego's KJ's are paying the price. After striving to be accepted as professional entertainers, creating standards and promoting our profession honorably by providing fundraising opportunities for local charities and volunteering in the community, our reputations our on the line. Professionals and owners who align themselves with this promoter are closing the door on our profession and placing their reputations and economic future in the wrong hands. As in any business decision, researching the background of potential partners or alliances is just plain smart. I implore you before accepting any offer or signing any contract do a background check. Protect yourselves, your investment and your reputation. Johnny Stewart

World wide web

Lately I've been spending a lot of time on line with the world wide web. In fact I have my own home page site...
http://www.san diego.znet.com/age/sdscene.htm soon to be.... http://www.mysurf.com/karaoke.
I have invited karaoke enthusiasts all over the country to drop an E-Mail to me regarding their views. I would like to extend the same to you. I have also received many phone calls and faxes as well. Send a fax to 619-448-7574 or E-Mail to karaoke@mysurf.com.
In most cases I have left these views un-edited. After all we do have the right to expression in this country. Now with the world wide web, so does the rest of the world. I Look forward to hearing from you. Johnny

Should KJ's mix up the rotation to keep the crowd entertained?

Two Views
Don't Mess With Rotations!

I am a singer who gets around to lots of shows, and I was a host for quite few years. When I was hosting, I had lots of singers say they came to my shows because I always stuck to a rotation. When I go out to sing, the only time I see singers get really angry is when they feel they're being skipped over or the host is playing favorites. Mess with the rotation enough and your singers will soon be somebody else's singers. There's lots of ways a host can limit the number of slow songs. Many just take certain songs out of their catalogs. One couple puts a notice in their catalog that while they want to let everybody sing, they owe it to the bar and the other patrons to space the ballads out. My method was to look at the songs people handed me when they came in. If they were ballads, I'd give them a spot in the rotation close to upbeat singers. Occasionally I'd have someone ask why they didn't get to sing right after the people they came in with, but once I explained my system, they usually understood. Often they came back the next time with more lively selections. Ballads are not necessarily bad things, but too many can bore the non-singers in the audience. It's up to the host to balance the desires of the singers, non-singers, and owners. Keeping a rotation, and maintaining it in a way that keeps the show from getting dull is the best and easiest way to do so. Brian "BigDoggy" Wagner

David -Expressway Music It depends on the night, the crowd and how hard I feel like working. Keeping a rotation as a strict rule is silly to me. It's no different then being atoll taker...doesn't require imagination or energy...if you're tired and need to kick back that night OK...keep a strict rotation. If A very good steady customer wants to sing often I will put him up often...otherwise It is not my problem if a person is impatient and can't wait their turn. Their lack of patience is not going to disrupt me...in fact I'd rather they not come...there are plenty of people who are respectful and understanding and don't get peeved if others are placed ahead of them sometimes. If I have a friend who comes in late, yes, A lot of the time I will put them up right away...THEY ARE MY FRIEND. Remember the KJ owns the equipment and is being hired as Master of Ceremonies...it is a privilege for people to sing not a right.

LET ME KNOW YOUR VIEWS karaoke@mysurf.com

TOP 10 GRIPES
SINGERS VS SINGERS

1. People who you know have been singing on the circuit for years and still do the same five songs every time.
2. Certain regulars who think they can run an establishment and run a show. "hey get your own show"!
3. Singers who can't tolerate other types of music.
4. People who never sing, but like to spend the night razzing singers and trying to upstage everything. Okay, Larry Flynt established that the First Amendment protects the free speech of anyone, but you know, these people should get up and do a song, then see how it feels.
5. Booing.
6. Those lovely people who follow the contest circuit who sing only bland songs.
7. The people who tell you about their vocal training and how they have sung for money. "If your so good, go professional".
8. People who continuously whine about the sound system. Excuse me folks if you have a bad voice, no system will help you. If your a good singer we can all tell.
9. People who treat new singers badly. New singers are the people who keep Karaoke thriving.
10. People who keep requesting you to do the same song night after night. Look folks, if you want to experience something over and over, spend time with a three-year-old with access to a VCR and a Lion King video.

KJ'S VS SINGERS

1. Spillin' on our books.
2. Singers who are truly constantly terrible.
3. People who come every week and ask if you have anything new...then sing the same old songs anyway.
4. Swinging the mic. by it's cord.
5. When drunks jump on stage and try to ruin someone else's act.
6. Singers yelling into the mic.
7. Cupping the mic.
8. System feedback.
9. Customer's asking "What do you have by"... hey! just look in the book ok?
10. When singers ask "When am I up next" every 10 minutes.

SINGERS VS KJ'S
1. Hosts who have a habit of putting slips all over the place, and therefore, not being able to keep track of the rotation (otherwise known as the "did you check you pocket?" syndrome).
2. Hosts who sing more than once or twice a night when there's an hour long wait.
3. Hosts who feel they have to sing along with you as a backup when you are singing (excuse me, speaker KJ, but the floor belongs to the singer).
4. Hosts who put their group of friends up time and time again without regard to the rotation.
5. Hosts who sing songs that certain customers perform in their own reper-toires without asking the customers.
6. Hosts and or establishments who do not understand the concept "The Customer Comes First"!
7. Hosts who compare singers. I never want to
hear the phrase again, "How do you feel having to follow so-and-so?"
8. Hosts who are drunk.
9. Hosts who do the same jokes night after night.
10. Hosts who don't let you sing what you want.

KJ'S VS KJ'S
1. KJ's coming to your show and passing out business cards trying to recruit your singers.
2. KJ's standing at the bar soliciting your show.
3. Karaoke magazines in which I have advertised, talking to my employer about replacing me with their own agency.
4. Other promoters discussing doing karaoke promotions or contests at my venue behind my back.
5. KJ's Telling me or my crowd how to run my business.
6. KJ's expecting to sing before my other guests.
7. KJ's copying my advertising flyers.
8. Other KJ's stealing my books to copy my song inventory.
9. KJ's who make adjustments to my equipment.
10. KJ's low-balling to get my job.

JOHNNY STEWART'S 10

When they say:
1. Can I sing soon? The waitress is trying to sell me a drink.
2. I can sing that song better. Let me sing it after him.
3. Can I sing next? I want to go sing at Joe's show.
4. What's the number for; "I will Always Love You" or "My Way"?
5. Can I sing two? (When it's a two hour wait).
6. Let me sing right away, I'm a professional.
7. Mind if I smoke, drink and sing at the same time?
8. Who's next?
9. Can you change that key up an octave?
10. The music starts and they say, "How does this song go?"

OWNERS
Please respond if you have a Gripe!

Business or what? By Jonnie Fox

Are we running a business or what? When I came to California four years ago, within six months of living here, I began the first karaoke publication in San Diego. I knew no-one in town and most of you know how I began my business. Hustling around to every club building mail-lists and asking questions. That was a stepping stone for me to further my investment in the business of karaoke. Now here I am, four years later hosting once again at my favorite "house", the Waterfront Club in the Travelodge. I finally own my own equipment, continue to invest in new software, upgrade my books, increase my mail-list, advertise my business, present quality shows, host "karaoke kruises" and attend all the charity functions and award ceremonies possible that relate to our business.

Doesn't this sound much like any other business to you? So why is it that we are still struggling to convince many of our customer's that they must support the establishment we are in, in order for us to provide them this service. Why is it that I still see people come in and expect to use my equipment, books, mikes and disks as well as the hotel lounge seating, bar, fireplace, view etc. for absolutely nothing. I mean NOTHING!! We charge no cover, no per song fee, no drink minimum, no rental for using our equipment.We simply provide a quality location, large inventory of instrumental disks and a great opportunity to practice, showcase, audition, record, meet new friends, or just be entertained by the variety of talent. For that we like to think that one would have the courtesy to support the establishment by at least purchasing one or two beverages or appetizers. Seriously, if you can't spend $10.00 when you go out, you should just go look at the stars from Mt. Soledad.

This is a business folks!! We spend thousands of dollars to be able to provide you with the opportunity to use our products. Would you walk into a fitness center every couple of weeks, use their equipment for as long as you like so you will feel better then walk out? NO CHARGE!!? I don't think so. But that is exactly how some people view our business. Just use our stuff, then leave. I personally think it not only lacks class, it's audacious and rude.

True story - I had nearly fifteen guests in my show a couple of weeks ago. They stayed the duration of the evening (4 hours), put in over 25 song requests from their table and ordered one round of cokes. Most of them drank water. One even had the nerve to bring his own bottled water into the club, then left it on the floor for us to clean up. When I gave it to him at the end of the evening I sugjested that he take his bottle with him, he simply stuck it in the ash tray outside. Now I don't know about you, but do we really need these people? All they did was use my equipment, my disks, cause other paying customers to wait 30-45 minutes between songs, enjoy the comforts of the lounge, and leave their trash. No tips, no orders, no class!
Unfortunately, because of this attitude, we (KJ's) with our own business, may be forced to institute some type of usage fee or charge a cover/drink minimum at the establishment, etc.

It is also always a shock to me when people get frustrated because they see someone sing before them. Happened a couple of weeks ago. Guy just walks up, picks up "his disk" from my station and leaves because I put a singer in before him. Again, - the KJ is running a business. He/She reserves the right to mix the music, add dance sets, organize selections, or even refuse service if necessary. We try to do our best to accommodate everyone. If I was completely ignoring the customer for hours-that's one thing, but if I choose to put in a singer who is a visitor to the state, or someone who spends a ton of money in the bar, (yes, that's right, just as a Maitre d's give their best customers the best tables, just like bartenders get to their big tippers sooner that their stiffs) then that's my prerogative, it's my equipment. Now some may say, "well that's just not fair". Well that's probably someone who is not supporting my business. And like any other business, it's not about always being "fair," it's also about providing a product/service for a price.
So, if you enjoy the karaoke experience, don't come with an attitude of empty pockets. Come to enjoy the talent of your neighboring singers as they will you, have a couple of drinks (even soda's), mingle with other guests and RELAX!! You'll enjoy your evening much more if you don't come just to hear yourself sing as many times as possible. What did you do in a lounge before karaoke? You probably had a couple of drinks, mingled with other guests,
and RELAXED!! Jonnie Fox

LET HIM SING!
Brad Pitt proves Life's a Circle. From Missouri choirboy to karaoke singer,
Well not quite. Friday night a guy wearing a baseball cap turned backwards walked up and handed me a karaoke sign-up card that said he was Brad Pitt. I didn't think anything more about it because people occasionally make-up names in karaoke. But there was something familiar about the guy. That night we had about a one and a half hour wait to sing. About an hour later as I checked through my sign up cards, I looked around the room. The fellow in the hat had left without singing. I felt bad, but it happens.

The next day when I heard they were filming a movie about karaoke called "Duets," featuring Brad Pitt, my blood ran cold. "Now I knew where I saw that guy before!" I want to apologize to Brad and all the ladies in the audience for not rushing "The Sexiest Man Alive"(according to People magazine) to the stage.

The circle started in Missouri where Pitt sang in a Baptist choir. Attended Kickapoo High and the University of Missouri where he left two credits shy of graduation to head for L.A. While taking acting classes, Pitt bided his time wearing a chicken costume for El Pollo Loco, waiting on tables and driving a limo. A role in Thelma and Louise propelled Pitt into the Hollywood spotlight. The chicken costume now hangs in some other hopefuls closet.
Pitt's success in my opinion derives from his finely tuned skills as an actor evident in his convincing role as a mental patient in 12 Monkeys. Though some of my lady friends believe it's his "to die for abs, hypnotic blue eyes, and a smile that would charm the pants off......." well let's not get into that.

Pitt's resume includes: Too Young To Die?; Legends of the Fall; Robert Redford's A River Runs Through It; Interview With A Vampire; Seven, where he met Gwyneth Paltrow; and his first Oscar nomination for supporting actor in Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys. Look for Pitt's upcoming flicks: Seven Years in Tibet, The Devil's Own, Meet Joe Black and Custer Marching to Valhalla.

Next time a guy wearing a baseball cap backwards hands you a card that says Brad Pitt LET HIM SING! Johnny Stewart

"Can you you imagine us years from today sharing a park bench so quietly? How terribly strange to be seventy."...Paul Simon

The residents of San Diego's Convalescent Hospitals get a blast from the past From Nickole Farrell, a local KJ, in the form of golden oldies, such as, "Happy Days Are Here Again," and Pennies from Heaven." Patients stir and shimmy in their wheelchairs to their favorite hits of the '20s, '30s and '40s, thanks to the energetic antics of Vista Karaoke host Nicole Farrell.
Nicole uses her free time to drop in on local retirement homes, bringing with her a healing remedy called music. Reaching out to the elderly, she trumpets the simplicity and fun of singing along.
"You don't have to be a good singer," Farrell said. "Just have fun." Farrell brings a box full of props with everything from toy instruments to bubbles. But her most valuable asset in energy. Working the room like a dance-happy student at a sock hop, Farrell roams around in a constant state of motion, toes tapping, marching, greeting each patient with a blast of cheeriness that is infectious.
Moving in and out between the parked wheelchairs, Farrell sings into a cordless microphone, coaxing patients to do the same. Soon, they are crooning away, transported for a spell to days long gone. Sheepish smiles emerge as a few grab the microphone and sing for the first time. Others nod and clap, recognizing their favorite tunes from yesteryear. The rest sit back and read the lyrics in front of them, tapping and clapping when the feeling takes them.

Nicole grew up in a family of 17 children (that's nine brothers and seven sisters) and now, at the age of 48 she has seven (7!!!) children of her own. Planning anymore Nicole?

If you would like to see this "Dynamo in Action" she is currently hosting a show at "Bubs" in Oceanside on Wed. & Thurs. (8-Closing), and the "Cask and Cleaver" in Fallbrook on Sat. (8:30-closing) & Sun. (7-11).