Mic Time?

Marlena · Post by **Marlena** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:22 am

so here's my question Mic Time?

how many of you allow it?

and for what?

dedications?
Jokes?

what's your thoughts on it?

I personally don't allow Mic Time.. i have rigged it (or so my singers think), that the mic doesn't turn on until the words appear on the screen for the first line of the song.. and it shuts off automatically (so they think) at the end of the last line... I don't know how it is for you.. but here is how i came about my decision..

MANY MANY Nights... in a drunken stupor.. from some customer I get this....

"ladies, HEY LADIES.. i'm talking here.. can't anyone here me.... I have SOMEthing in-poor-ant to SAY! 12 years ago.. no maybe 13 years... (sobs and a nice big belch)... Sorry I am just so happy to be talking to you all about this... You all remember jimmy two-feather... maybe it was three I dunno can't remember... He died.. and i really love this song.. he really loved this song so i wanna dedicate it too all my lost relatives... my man jimmy.. my ex-mother-inlaw.. my sister wanda... knocked up again... my dog, he died last week.. my cousins, sam, kelly, brit, hank, tom and jim.. died last year... and most of all I wanna thank the great spirit for bringing us this fine outstanding drink toNIGHT! so i can drink away my pain... this one is for you guys....(wiping tears and spit from the microphone) "

then the song starts & it's something like, "gettin' jiggy with it - Will Smith"

OR

I got this great joke you got to let me tell it!

Then some racial, sexiest or something else offensive comes over the mic and i am mortified.

if you haven't faced this.. well be thankful but i have and it happens everywhere i have ever played for 4 years .. SO for the last 2 years NO Mic time ever!

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:28 am

I just had a girl I never saw before want to sing a song she wrote a cappella.

The song sucked but she had "some" talent you could hear.

Every once in a while someone will want to make a dedication before they sing. Usually it's something like "I want to dedicate this to my wife/fiance/etc." And that's the end of it.

If I can tell the person looks like a jerk or is bombed or they tell me they want to tell a joke, I tell them NO. The next part of it is... there will have to be an F Bomb somewhere before they finish. Can't do it in a song because they are afraid to sing but they can do it in the context of a joke.

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:07 pm

I let them sing the song out and I don't turn off my mikes after the last line just in case they want to improvise like I have done in the past with "Faithfully"- I do the "Live" version most of the time, "Don't Stop Believin'" and "I'll Be Alright Without You" all live versions with different endings than the songs allow. On the last one I finish with the "someday Baby, Maybe your heart will be mine" accapella.

Post by **wiseguy** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:00 pm

I'll allow pre-song dedications ONLY if it is requested prior to the singer being handed the mic. If you just start talking before the song comes up your mic will be shut down. If you try to talk over the mic when the song is over your mic will be shut down. No jokes allowed...EVER!

letitrip · Post by **letitrip** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 4:08 pm

I call the singers up and once they've got possession of a Microphone, I start the song. If they want to say something during the intro, that's fine they can do it but it's up to them. At the end of the song (once I'm sure they're done), the mic's go on mute, I ask the crowd for applause and that's the end of that. If they ask me to say something more, I tell them I have to keep things moving. I'd be pretty leary of allowing someone to tell a joke for precisely the reasons mentioned above.

I do get the occasional drunk that just wants to holler random obsenitites or other jibberish at the end of the song. The mic gets muted really quick that way.

michaeljvaughn · Post by **michaeljvaughn** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:09 pm

I feel your pain, but on the other hand, this is a high-larious story! Largely because we've all seen this type in action, and I always get a case of the uh-ohs when someone begins a speech before the song.

oneofakind · Post by **oneofakind** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 4:56 am

My pa has a mute buttons on all the mics and I'm not afraid to use them!!!!!!!!! I will alow folks to make announcment's like birthdays or detications but If some one wants to be jerk they can do it some where other than my show . My haand is always near the mute button when I allow any announcements also If I have some one come up and go over board with profanity I mute them of right in the middle of the song !