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Karaoke set?

#3
I have seen this done as well, with good results. However I would recommend having your band backing the vocals as well so that if the person fails you can kinda take over the vocals.

When I saw this done it was going pretty good, then two drunk girls tried to sign a song and it turned into a really bad train wreck.

Singing with a live band is totally different than singing crappyoke.

So this can work, just be prepared to take over when needed.
 
#4
Hi.

Been there, done that, didn't like.

Hard as hell. Imagine backing up a singer who's drunk, who's never rehearsed the tune, doesn't have a clue when to sing and when to shut up, doesn't remember the lyrics, doesn't like the key, what key?

Was a HUGE success though, but unless there's a lyrics prompter, I wouldn't recommend.

Regards
Sam
 
#6
We srarted doing this every once-in-a-while.
We put out a list of 100 songs to choose from and give the singer a lyric-sheet to minimize screw-ups...
The singers that are decent do well..the ones that stink hate it.
Keeps you on your toes..pays good too!
 
#8
rappa29 said:
If you're into drunk, atonal and arrythmic singers than go for it! ;)
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+1
LaughingGroove said:
...two drunk girls tried to sign a song and it turned into a really bad train wreck.
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+1
T-Bird said:
...backing up a singer who's drunk, who's never rehearsed the tune, doesn't have a clue when to sing and when to shut up, doesn't remember the lyrics, doesn't like the key, what key?
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+1
John Wentzien said:
Make sure they supply the band with free "song-lube" (AKA beer) to make it go down easier!
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OK, I'll do it. :D
 
#12
Rick Auricchio said:
Most places hire a karaoke DJ because he's cheaper than paying a band.
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True, but the karaoke DJs are competing against one another, whereas your karaoke band might be the only one in your market. We do live band karaoke on Thursday nights, against at least three other established DJ karaoke offerings in a small southern college town. Live band karaoke is reliably the club's biggest night of the week.

Rick Auricchio said:
I've had a local former band singer join us twice at different gigs. Drunk, missed lyrics and timing, the whole bit. And she used to be a very good singer in bands in her day.
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Yeah, on the high end we've ranged from a singer with Broadway credits, a huge current country star w/ multiple platinum albums to his credit, and a bunch of very talented local pros and semi-pros. At the other end of the scale, we sometimes have to back a singer putting out a woozy & whitebread version of "Love Shack" or "Santeria."

You've got to have lyric sheets, and the more clues to the song structure those give, the better. You've also got to be ready to cue and/or cover the singer.
 
#14
Rick Auricchio said:
Y'know, this might be a fun project to start. Soon as we get past the holidays I may start thinking about it.

Worst case, it fizzles out. There'd be no harm. (Well, except for the harm done to music by the singers...)
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Going into it understand it has little to do with music. It's entertainment, it's ego (many people dream of fronting a band, even for a song), it's three girls getting up and the only words they can remember are "Bang Bang Bang on the door baby" and "tin roof rusted", but people enjoy watching them try.

Best case people will have fun and be entertained and you'll get paid.

Worst case scenario, you get paid each night you do it.

We've played them before. I just close my ears and stick with the drummer.
 
#15
I've been doing one a month or so for the last year.

It's great fun. However it's hard work, as you're 1 step from a train wreck all night. You need a band with BIG ears, that can keep up with a singer who's just sung the verse double speed and has hit the chorus 4 bars early. I'm lucky to have a drummer and guitarist who can pull that off - if either of them quit the project I'd probably have to stop doing it, because they'd be too hard to replace. It's a fun night, and low preasure because you can make a few mistakes, but it's not the time to be worrying if someone in the band is going to screw up.

Big book of lyrics is a must, and someone in the band who can sing is a big help too.

In terms of the talent we've encountered - generally it's better than we ever expected. We brought in a few ringers for the first few gigs (it's always helpfull to have someone you can drag up to sing at the start of the night), but we've now got a small following. Of course there are the odd guys who are clueless to a level you wouldn't believe possible, but more often than not people give it a good shot. A reasonable proportion of singers are actually VERY good, to the extent we get their numbers, and try and fix them up with real bands.

Financially it works - the band get paid a little less than in our regular four piece bands, but we only have to split it three ways, so the bar and the players both come out ahead.

We all love it. Keeps you sharp, and is never boring.
 

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