There are times when it might help to introduce some things to break up the monotony that can occur at a typical karaoke show. Offering props for the singers to use is commonly implemented by karaoke hosts. Below are some other suggestions.
Karaoke Contests These have gained an unsavory reputation. The absence of competent, impartial, judging is the main reason for this. Accusations of cheating and hurt feelings are very often the result of these contests. It's my recommendation that you should avoid contests altogether.
If the previous statement failed to dissuade you then at least try to follow this advice. Do plenty of advertising ahead of time. Nobody likes to show up for what they think is a standard karaoke night and have a contest sprung on them. Obtain judges who are not regulars of the establishment where the contest is to take place.
Make sure that the judges are prominently placed together in front of where the singers will be performing. Make it clear to the contestants precisely what the judging criteria is and the type of rating system that will be used. Display a list of the rules in several conspicuous places.
Karaoke Roulette This is undoubtedly the most popular game played at karaoke shows. The purpose of the game is to have the participants sing songs that they would never ordinarily sing. The songs are usually chosen by "luck of the draw".
Commonly the karaoke host will have tokens, with song titles on them, in a sack and each person must pull one out. They must sing the entire song to move on to the next round. Another option is to have all the players write the title of a song on a piece of paper and put it in a sack. Sometimes audience participation is used to obtain the song titles. This game is played entirely for its amusement value.
The Gong Show This is a good way to hold a contest while avoiding the hazards of a typical karaoke contest. Since the goal is to sound terrible the participants are unlikely to take it to heart. Costumes, props, and song parodies are all part of a gong show. After a minimum of one minute into a performance a judge may gong a contestant at which point they are escorted off the stage with a huge hook. The trick to winning is to make your act so interesting that the judges will not gong you. The eventual winner will be the most interestingly terrible performance.
Karaoke Contests These have gained an unsavory reputation. The absence of competent, impartial, judging is the main reason for this. Accusations of cheating and hurt feelings are very often the result of these contests. It's my recommendation that you should avoid contests altogether.
If the previous statement failed to dissuade you then at least try to follow this advice. Do plenty of advertising ahead of time. Nobody likes to show up for what they think is a standard karaoke night and have a contest sprung on them. Obtain judges who are not regulars of the establishment where the contest is to take place.
Make sure that the judges are prominently placed together in front of where the singers will be performing. Make it clear to the contestants precisely what the judging criteria is and the type of rating system that will be used. Display a list of the rules in several conspicuous places.
Karaoke Roulette This is undoubtedly the most popular game played at karaoke shows. The purpose of the game is to have the participants sing songs that they would never ordinarily sing. The songs are usually chosen by "luck of the draw".
Commonly the karaoke host will have tokens, with song titles on them, in a sack and each person must pull one out. They must sing the entire song to move on to the next round. Another option is to have all the players write the title of a song on a piece of paper and put it in a sack. Sometimes audience participation is used to obtain the song titles. This game is played entirely for its amusement value.
The Gong Show This is a good way to hold a contest while avoiding the hazards of a typical karaoke contest. Since the goal is to sound terrible the participants are unlikely to take it to heart. Costumes, props, and song parodies are all part of a gong show. After a minimum of one minute into a performance a judge may gong a contestant at which point they are escorted off the stage with a huge hook. The trick to winning is to make your act so interesting that the judges will not gong you. The eventual winner will be the most interestingly terrible performance.