I took a job over a year ago when prices were still $2.50 a gallon. It's 32 miles one way from my house.
At $4.00 a gallon the job costs me about $1200 a year. With gas and turnpike fees. I should add that my night there is their biggest night. Other KJs and a Video DJ can't come close.
I am debating the actual worth of this job. I just booked my 6th night a week, 5 minutes away from home. So I could drop the road trip one. Even if the close job would cost me $250 a year. $750 in my pocket is better than $750 at the gas station.
Should I ask for a $25 gasoline increase? What if it hits $8 a gallon after we bomb IRAN? It's coming.
Gasoline costs.
I actually agree with Alkmenes here.
Ask yourself this question, is $750 in your pocket really better if the close one turns out to be a pain tin the neck because they get a dozen of drunks that are way too drunk to handle your $600 microphones and you don't have any trouble with the bar that is farther away? I wouldn't burn your bridges until you know exactly what type of crowd your new gig hands you.
Ask yourself this question, is $750 in your pocket really better if the close one turns out to be a pain tin the neck because they get a dozen of drunks that are way too drunk to handle your $600 microphones and you don't have any trouble with the bar that is farther away? I wouldn't burn your bridges until you know exactly what type of crowd your new gig hands you.
This is actually a dilemma I'm in right now. I've got a show that round trip is about 90 miles. The show pays pretty well and I've been doing it for a couple years. It's a fun crowd on most nights (a dead night here or there) and it's well established.
So the problem is I now have a local bar that I've been trying to get into for a while only six blocks from home that is interested in my services. However they'd want me to play on the same nights as the 90 mile gig. The pay would be the same but I'd save about 5 gallons of gas a week. Their Karaoke nights used to be really packed but as of late have died off (the old KJ is moving on). I'm not sure if the KJ was the issue or if the clientele has shifted or what.
So at this point I'm reluctant to give up the sure thing for a might be that is a lot closer to home. It would be nice to be able to leave later for the weeknight gig and get home much earlier than I currently do (around 2:30AM). With a regular 8-5 day job, those are other benefits I can't just dismiss. So I'm torn.
So the problem is I now have a local bar that I've been trying to get into for a while only six blocks from home that is interested in my services. However they'd want me to play on the same nights as the 90 mile gig. The pay would be the same but I'd save about 5 gallons of gas a week. Their Karaoke nights used to be really packed but as of late have died off (the old KJ is moving on). I'm not sure if the KJ was the issue or if the clientele has shifted or what.
So at this point I'm reluctant to give up the sure thing for a might be that is a lot closer to home. It would be nice to be able to leave later for the weeknight gig and get home much earlier than I currently do (around 2:30AM). With a regular 8-5 day job, those are other benefits I can't just dismiss. So I'm torn.
Both of the jobs in question have bouncers so way out drunks wouldn't really be a problem. But that said I had 2 different microphones hit the floor on the new job Wednesday night. Both were accidents but still.... 
Kjs killing jobs is nothing new. If they really suck the crowd leaves and it is real hard to get the place revived. There are a few KJs that I don't think I ever want to follow. They not only kill the jobs but they have a burial.
Try to sell them on a different night.
Explain to them that only karaoke has the power to be very successful on any night of the week. It's not like bands and DJs that need to be on weekends. That's the power of KARAOKE. You can make money on any other wise dead week night. Bar owners are all stuck on this "I can only make money on the weekend" thing. That was before karaoke came on the scene.
Kjs killing jobs is nothing new. If they really suck the crowd leaves and it is real hard to get the place revived. There are a few KJs that I don't think I ever want to follow. They not only kill the jobs but they have a burial.
Try to sell them on a different night.
Explain to them that only karaoke has the power to be very successful on any night of the week. It's not like bands and DJs that need to be on weekends. That's the power of KARAOKE. You can make money on any other wise dead week night. Bar owners are all stuck on this "I can only make money on the weekend" thing. That was before karaoke came on the scene.
