Hi Tom...
Ah. I understand better now where you're coming from regarding the sit and wait factor and I like that you are providing feedback for hosts to consider.
However, I think Mic Rophone had a point when he said it's not just about you. Big audiences and few singers with conversation friendly volume is great as an ideal but it is not likely going to work out that way. The only real solution I see to the problem you have cited is first to arrive early so as to be one of the first singers, then find something else to do until it is likely your turn again before rejoining the audience. This of course depends on the venue. At your local, i know there are other areas to go and converse but in a pub environment that luxury may not be available so I get that you're stuck. If there's a nice cafe across the street or something, you could go chat there, then return, ask the KJ how long a wait there is and either stick it out till your turn or return to that cafe or whatever a while. If there's nothing around but you are driving, perhaps have an in car picnic or something over conversation expounding on anything and everything you wish, then head inside for the second song. I know already you have great imagination so put it to use already! LOL
Beyond those suggestions I can't help you out too much here. I sympathise that it is difficult to enjoy yourself while enduring something unpleasant (such as ear pain or tinnitus) but I feel problems can be solved in some way or another. Sometimes identifying the real problem seems to be the challenge.
What can you as a consumer suggest as a good solution for the problems you've cited, Tom?
Incidentally, I don't object to that exaggeration of 'everything that breathes' and I think it has been taken too seriously simply because folk still seem to think you are against bad singers despite your clarifying that was not the case a couple of months back. I also attempted to clarify it a few weeks ago, you may recall. How frustrating to see neither of us succeeded in putting that issue to rest!

BillyT....
I like the lateral point of view regarding Tom's situation but the flaw with your plan is that as a host, Tom would then have to be even more of an audience than he is already and that is the main issue here. Hosts who do a lot of singing generally get frowned on even if other singers don't miss out resultantly (some folk are just sourpusses).

LeatherBaron...
That's freaky dude. I was thinking the same thought just yesterday about multiple hosts and longer gigs but I don't quite see how that would solve the problems of queue length and it could prove cost ineffective for both venue and karaoke provider if you're talking about later running gigs as opposed to earlier starting (more on that later). The die hards are going to be there as early as possible and stay as late as possible. In my experience, the regular singers are usually outnumbered by new visitors. So in any event, there is still going to be a long queue. If the karaoke is a weekend gig and goes later than currently, there is going to be a big crowd till the end (once word gets around obviously). During the week, probably not so much, so that shift's KJ would not be particularly busy and the venue may not feel it worthwhile staying open so late for the money they would be paying versus what they would be making. (unless the second shift KJ received less pay than the first, perhaps). I don't know. I'll leave the logistics to minds better equipped than mine for nutting out solutions to that one.
I see you're still registered as a 'singer' here. Aren't you a host these days?
Submitted by Johnny Burrows on 18-09-2007

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