South Florida’s economy has been hard hit this year, especially during the off season. Tourism has been down due to worldwide economic worries and poor weather forecasts locally. Businesses large and small have been forced to make budget cuts in an effort to survive. While some companies have cut business hours or staff others have cut entertainment. Karaoke venues have had their fair share of cuts either with shortened shows or outright cancelations.
Hurricane warnings and repeated rainy forecasts may keep tourists away but many karaoke singers who can still afford a night out continue to support their favorite karaoke shows. History has shown that entertainment has often been used to stimulate business, and karaoke being one of the most reasonably priced forms of entertainment, seems to be a wise choice for bars and restaurants.
One innovative karaoke host has developed theme nights where singers are asked to sing songs based on specific musical periods or styles such as surf songs or doo wop classics, and some venues are offering karaoke contests, or special pricing for food and drinks.
While the off season is a difficult and unpleasant time for venues, it offers karaoke singers more opportunities to display their talent. Tourists aren’t crowding karaoke shows and adding to the number of singers waiting to perform, and college students have returned to school.
Karaoke shows that normally have 40 to 45 singers now may only have 15 to 20 singers and this allows true karaoke fans to sing more times in an evening even with some shows having been cut to 3 hours.
Smaller crowds at karaoke venues seem to bring the singers and spectators closer together as well because the atmosphere becomes less formal. Audience participation increases and singers enjoy the added appreciation and participation. Non singers often get up and dance to their favorite songs, and this gives kudos to the performer on stage.
If you’ve never had the opportunity or the courage to sing karaoke, now is the time to step into the spotlight. The smaller and more appreciative audiences will encourage you to come back for more. And for all the true karaoke fans who feel they never have enough opportunities to sing, this is your time.
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