eMobile DJ

Sound Choice Sues Local Phoenix, AZ Bars and Disc Jockeys

2009-08-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

by Andrew Johnson - Jul. 22, 2009 04:01 PM
The Arizona Republic

An East Coast karaoke-disc producer has filed a federal lawsuit
against 15 Phoenix-area karaoke jockeys and bars for alleged trademark infringement and unfair competition.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Sound Choice Studios Inc. could potentially seek millions of dollars in statutory damages, lost profits and attorneys fees, but has not served the defendants yet because it is seeking a deal where they would buy legal copies of the discs.

Sound Choice claims the businesses infringed on its trademarked logos that appear on its media by using pirated copies of its discs or computer hard drives preloaded with illegal copies of Sound Choice karaoke music.

The alleged piracy has nearly forced Sound Choice, other disc manufacturers and some karaoke jockeys in the Phoenix area out of business, according to the lawsuit filed July 14 in U.S. District Court in Phoenix.

Kurt Slep, chief executive officer of Sound Choice, said his company became aware of the defendants' alleged activity through tips from karaoke businesses and by sending "investigators" to karaoke venues in the Phoenix area.

Statutory damages for willful copyright infringement can cost up to $150,000 per act and up to $2 million for willful trademark infringement.

Slep said the number of alleged violations depends on how many karaoke systems each defendant uses. He estimates there is about $1 billion of pirated Sound Choice karaoke music in use across the industry.

Music industry executives have complained for several years that digital downloads and online file-sharing programs have made it easier to violate trademarks and copyrights. Karaoke business executives say they have been affected, too.

Slep and others say such hard-drives loaded with thousands of songs are readily available for sale on eBay, Craigslist and other Web sites. He estimates 90 percent of karaoke jockeys and venues are using some pirated music.

Some business owners disagree with methods used by Sound Choice and other disc manufacturers.

Sound Choice in the past has sent threatening letters to bars saying they could face hefty fines and lose their liquor license for allowing karaoke jockeys using pirated music to operate in their establishments, said Ernest McCullar, a Valley karaoke disc jockey.

McCullar's business, Wired for Sound, has lost clients as result of Sound Choice's "scare tactics," he said.

McCullar is one of the defendants named in Sound Choice's lawsuit, which alleges the manufacturer observed his business infringing on its trademarks in March at the Purple Turtle Sports Bar & Grill in west Phoenix. The bar is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

McCullar disputes the claim.

Debora Verdier, an attorney with Sanders & Parks P.C. in Phoenix who specializes in music copyright and trademark law, said venues that host karaoke jockeys using pirated content can be found liable for infringement.

Under federal law, a business can be found guilty of "contributory" infringement if it provides a forum in which infringement is allowed to take place and if it has control over the equipment or discs a karaoke jockey uses at its site, she said.

Verdier added that determining such liability requires a "highly fact-intensive analysis" of a venue's knowledge and typically is decided on a case-by-case basis.

The bars and restaurants Sound Choice names in the suit are ones that allegedly were operating their own karaoke systems as opposed to venues that were hosting karaoke shows put on by other businesses.

Sound Choice's suit alleges only trademark infringement, but Slep said the company also is considering pursuing copyright infringement of the actual music it produces.

Eric Godfrey, owner of Starz Karaoke, which puts on karaoke shows at mostly East Valley establishments, said he hopes Sound Choice's lawsuit will raise awareness about infringement, which has hurt his business.

"I am hoping that the impact will be that some of the companies who are doing business illegally will go out of business," said Godfrey, who helped start the Mesa-based United States Karaoke Alliance in 2007 to combat piracy, among other things.

Godfrey, who is not named in the suit, said it is hard for legally operating karaoke shows to compete with disc jockeys using pirated music.

Why Deejay Schools Are Thriving in a Recession

2009-06-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Jun. 06, 2009
By Sean Gregory

To Koma Gandy, the folks who mix her favorite tunes were always like the Wizard of Oz. "You go out to this party and the deejay is this mysterious entity behind a wall, where all this magic happened," says Gandy, 34, who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. "I've always wanted to see how the magic was constructed." Thanks to the recession, Gandy and many others are finally getting a chance to connect with their inner-MC. After she lost her hedge fund job in December, Gandy, a Harvard undergrad who also has an MBA from Georgetown, made a list of the things she's always wanted to do, if a lifetime of work and achievement and climbing up the corporate ladder don't get in the way. Near the top of the list: learn to rock a party with a turntable. "I figured, now is better time than any to do this,' says Gandy. "It might be my last chance. And I don't want to be one of those people, at the end of life, who says, 'I wish I had gone for it."

So Gandy enrolled at DubSpot, a New York City deejay school. She has already taken two introductory courses, and just signed up for three more. Thanks to the many young professionals like Gandy whose careers are now at a crossroads, DubSpot's enrollment has doubled this year, to around 250. "We've heard from students, time and time again, that they're feeling it's no longer just about money," says Dan Giove, founder and president of DubSpot. "People are longing for happiness through being creative." (Watch TIME's video "Hip-Hop in China: Busting Rhymes in Mandarin.")

New York is not the only city enjoying a deejay boomlet. In San Francisco, the D4LIFE Academy's student registrations are up 40% over the last 12 months. Sasha Tosic, founder of DJ4LIFE, also says enrollment has risen in Los Angeles, Chicago and Las Vegas. Robb Smith, owner of Central Florida-based FAME training school, has seen a 20% jump in deejay certifications this year. Aspiring deejays are flooding the schools, and flooding the market. "It's a lot easier to find a deejay these days," says Mark Rankin, who trains deejays in Chicago.

At these schools, students learn the technical aspects of the trade, as well as the basics of, say, running a wedding. One lesson from Rankin's classes — if you're going to announce a cake cutting, make sure the photographer is in the room. "You'll be surprised how many beginners forget little things like that, and these little things make a big difference," says Rankin. Smith actually compares deejay school to medical school. "Just because you have all the surgical equipment doesn't mean you're ready to do surgery," Smith says. Er, playing music isn't quite like a brain operation, correct? "If you have ruined the biggest day in the bride's life, to her, it's like screwing up brain surgery," Smith responds. The instructor says he does not offer a course in bridezilla management. "If I did, I'd be a millionaire," he says.

What's the appeal of being a deejay? For one, the occupation can stroke your ego. "To see everyone having a good time, to get a reaction from them, that's the thing I like," says Sean Williams, 29, who lost his postal service job in July and now deejays in the Bay Area (stage name: DJ Padd). "You can control everyone.' You can also pick up the basics in a month or two, and schools aren't ridiculously expensive: Rankin, for example, charges $600 for a month-long class in Chicago. A five-month intensive course at New York's DubSpot goes for $1,695. Not cheap, but perhaps better than a $100,000 graduate school tab for a career that is evaporating.

Some people, like Gandy, take these courses for therapeutic, rather than practical, reasons. "It's really nice to have someplace to go to forget about all that other stuff," says Gandy, referring to her layoff and search for another full-time job. Others play tunes for the extra income. Tony Colvin, who lives in Aurora, Colo., lost his job at a Dow Jones pressman last August. "Deejaying was a pipe dream," says Colvin, 44. "But once I got out of Dow Jones, I really wanted to give it a go." He bought $5,000 worth of equipment, and spent another $150 or so on a class. The problem: as more people look to deejaying for extra cash, the oversupply will drive down the number of work opportunities for aspiring MCs, and the fees they can command. "Business is a little slow right now,' says Colvin, who also suffered a neck injury from an auto accident last month, making the job tougher. He has yet to make back his deejay investment. "I'm like a fireman waiting for a call," he says.

And though Gandy doesn't envision her career path veering from hedge fund worker to full-time club deejay, she's not writing anything off at this point. "Stranger things have happened," says Gandy, who has also launched a small business strategy firm since being laid off. "I never thought I'd lose my job, and I did. All these people out there are now reinventing themselves. Why not reinvent yourself as a deejay?"

DJ school enrollment rises in spite of recession

2009-06-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

Zac Bissonnette

Jun 9th 2009 at 6:30PM

The deejay business would seem to be as vulnerable to the recession as anything: When people are short on cash, isn't clubbing one of the first things to go?

Maybe, but apparently quite a few Junior Vazquez wannabes are hoping that the market will turnaround. Time reports that enrollment at NYC deejay school DubSpot has doubled in the past year, as laid-off financial wizards realize that money isn't everything, and take a shot at a dream career.

According to Time, "New York is not the only city enjoying a deejay boomlet. In San Francisco, the D4LIFE Academy's student registrations are up 40% over the last 12 months. Sasha Tosic, founder of DJ4LIFE, also says enrollment has risen in Los Angeles, Chicago and Las Vegas. Robb Smith, owner of Central Florida-based FAME training school, has seen a 20% jump in deejay certifications this year. Aspiring deejays are flooding the schools, and flooding the market."

And there's the problem: Demand for deejays is stagnant at best and the supply is increasing. And while the DJ courses are surprisingly affordable, the equipment needed to start your own business can be expensive.

If it's something you're passionate about, it might be worth a try. But as a way to make ends meet after you've lost a job, deejaying is pretty low on the list. It just takes too long to earn a return on your investment.

But if you're still interested in exploring a career as a DJ, there are a number of resources out there including the obligatory DJing for Dummies. But like most glamor jobs, there's too much of a disconnect between supply and demand for it to be a lucrative career choice. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Median hourly earnings of announcers in the radio and television broadcasting industry were $11.52."

If TV and radio announcers earn so little, how much can you possibly make playing "American Pie" at weddings?

Source

Mega Karaoke Event - April 25, 2009

2009-04-27T22:12:00.001-07:00

A few pictures from the event - sent in by Mike Powell "Elwood Blues"

Key To More Gigs

2009-04-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

There are three things that will get you more business in today's economy.

If you are a DJ or KJ, mostly likely it is your reputation. You're known for a great selection and a large variety of music, great attitude, and you're reliable, your phone is probably ringing off the hook. Be as it may, not all DJs have the knack to keep their clients happy. When you slack off by not arriving to a gig on time or you just make singers unhappy because of preferential treatments, you've got a long way to go to achieve a good reputation.

2nd thing is your website. If your website is outdated, and very plain, potential clients will steer clear of you. They see this as a no no. Being a DJ is artistic and creative job. By presenting that on your site, you come across as professional and "reputable." Yes, back to reputation.

Lastly, you won't believe what will drive traffic to you. Business Cards. Yup. But not any plain jane BC. Get awesome ones with popups or in metal. Presentation is the IT factor. If you WOW clients with a cool looking BC, it will keep you in their minds for a really long time. It's called the shock factor.

Check this list out: 74 Unique Business Cards

Vocal Mic Battles...

2009-03-24T11:18:00.000-07:00

Contributed and Written by Jorge Delaflor

So everyone is always claiming which microphone is the best for the buck. Well the truth is it all comes down to personal preference, and not only personal preference but its also gonna depend on your voice. Not everyone has the deep strip club DJ voice so we're all gonna sound different on every mic. As we all know the popular Shure SM58 is probably one of the most durable and best sounding when it come to singing either with a live band or simply karaoke, this of course includes both wired and wireless. However as most of you KJ's will agree that you probably don't wanna use a wireless SM58 or AKG for karaoke, not unless you're rich and love throwing money away. What I have found out is that AKG makes a wired microphone called the D5 which is in the same price range as the SM58 and sounds just as great if not better in my opinion. I don't have a very deep voice and I do notice that on an SM58 I have to add a little bass on my mixer board just to get a fuller voice. Unlike the AKG D5 it sounds alot fuller without sounding muffled and without having to make adjustments to the board, not to mention the head seems to be a bit more solid than the SM58. If you go online and see the specs you will see that they are roughly the same but again, if you wanna have a fuller sound on your voice whether its singing or just announcing then AKG D5 is the way to go.

Humorous Karaoke Word Play

2009-03-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

Auxpareoke - Getting caught with your girlfriend by your wife at the local karaoke bar.

Barelyoke - When someone sings into the mic but you still can't hear them.

Bareoke - Singing au naturel (in the buff).

Blareoke - When the music is WAY TOO LOUD!

Bloodymaryoke - Any show that lasts until daylight.

Brokey-oke - Singing withdrawals suffered the weekend before you get paid.

Buryoke - Any song that has been done to death and is pulled from the lists.

Carry-No-Key - A description of bad singers.

Chairoke - A person who sits to sing so they can hide behind the monitor.

Cherryoke - A first time karaoke singer.

Dareoke - A "friend" picks out a song that you have never tried.

Derrieroke - Randomly pulling a song title out of your butt and trying to sing it.

Fairoke - When a new song turns out to be OK and you'll try it again.

Fareoke - A venue that charges you to sing or makes you pay a cover charge.

Frustrateoke - Trying to hear the singer on the mic above the off-key person next to you.

Gerioke - Karaoke for the elderly.

Glareoke - Unable to read the monitor because there is a spotlight in your face.

Guessaoke - When you thought you know a song by heart and mess up the words.

HariKari-oke - Equating the fear of singing with suicide.

Holyoke - Gospel music at a bar.

Impairaoke - When dancers on the floor block your view of the monitor.

KA (Karaokians Anonymous) - A recovery group for Karaoke Junkies.

KDT's - What a Karaokian goes through if unable to sing karaoke once a week.

Karaokia - A planet where Karaoke Junkies are born, live, and prosper singing karaoke 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Karaokian - A resident of Karaokia.

Karaokian Follower - Believing there "really" is a planet named Karaokia and your "Mother Ship" is coming back for you.

Karaoke Junkie - One who "must" sing karaoke at least once a week or they'll "die".

Kamikazi-oke - Sliding your finger down the catalog list and diving into it unprepared.

KaraChainSmokie - A nervous condition that occurs before trying out a new song.

Karachokie - Having to end a verse short due to saliva going down the wrong tube.

Karanookie - What every guy prays for after any given night of singing.

Karaslowpokie - A KJ who takes forever to get the next song up.

Karasmokie - A KJ who abuses the fog machine, making it impossible to sing.

Karateoke - When a singer does an Elvis song with leg kicks, arm thrusts, etc.

Karayuckie - The song that makes you run for the bathroom or a smoke break.

Naryoke - A town that doesn't have a karaoke venue.

Nearoke - You set up the show and no one will sing.

Not-there-eoke - When the next person you call up has left without telling the KJ.

Prairieoke - Too many country songs in a row.

Retalioke - When you laughed at a singer and he waited out back to kick your butt.

Scaryoke - Attempting a song for the first time and you're pretty sure it's gonna' suck.

Scateoke - The uncontrollable urge to improvise during musical breaks.

Shareoke - When you and some friends "tag-team" through a song.

Shareoke(2) - Wandering around with a cordless mic to get others to sing with you.

Stareaoke - Waiting for the gal in the super-low cut blouse to take a bow after her song.

Solitaireoke - When the KJ is forced to sing 'cause there are no sign-ups.

Sorryoke - Events that make you wish you had stayed at home.

Speedaroke - Getting as many singers up as possible in the last hour of the gig.

Stumbleaoke - Tripping while going up on stage to sing.

Swearoke - Someone who changes the lyrics in order to cuss for the hell of it.

Swearoke(2) - Any song sung deliberately to offend.

Tokoyokie - Walking into an all Japanese sing along.

Unfairoke - The person who always complains after losing a contest.

Waryoke - You get up to sing in a group song but no way will you get near the mic.

Wastoidoke - Someone who is too drunk to sing.

Wearyoke - The third time you hear the same songin a single night.

Whereoke - Frantic search for a singing fix when a karaoke junkie visits a new town.

Whoreoke - A person who offers sex for an extra turn in the rotation.

from dogandpony.com

Local Bars & Pubs Doing Well in spite of Bad Economy

2009-03-07T20:56:00.000-08:00

Everyday we hear of layoffs, bankruptcy and other bad economic news. The one thing that remains constant and even seen improvements are the local bars, pubs and brewery.

Are bars recession proof?

It is a given that people are going out less, but still beer sales have increased. Some have even increased in the double digits.

Chip McElroy — president of Austin’s Live Oak Co., said "People are not giving up their quality beer..."

Paul Gatza, director of the Brewer’s Association, said Southern and South Central U.S. brewers have seen about 16 percent growth over the previous year.

There is also a Texas bill that could be passed later this year. If passed, sales could sky rocket even more. The proposed bill allows Texas craft breweries to sell ale directly to patrons, a change that brewers say could boost revenues and allow breweries to more fully develop tourism as part of their business models.

source: http://rss.msnbc.msn.com/id/29382588/

100 Self Promoting Tips for the DJ

2009-03-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

We all have been feeling the effects of this down economy. People are in a tizzy as a "Don't want to be named" rapper told me. Most DJs and KJs are grappling for any jobs that pop up. Now if you're one of those people that are fine and have people waiting for your service, props to you. This list will probably be beneficial to you also - so Read on. This article is from hypebot.com

100 Free & Affordable High & Low Tech Music Promotion Tips

Never leave promotion to the other guy. Depending on your point of view don't count on the label, band or publicist to do their jobs. Do it yourself or it may not get done.

Know your niche market(s) or hire/befriend someone who does.

Always think of the fans first when making decisions.

Start early. Pre-promote. It allows time for viral buzz (aka free promotion) to build and ensures you’ll get you a larger share of a discretionary spending.

Take the time and spend the money to get a great publicist to get free media.

Produce great promotional material and send it out early and often. Don’t wait until they need it.

Email lists must be your new religion. Make sign up simple and easy to find. Put it visibly on the top half of the front page and watch it grow.

Segment your email lists (genre, location) to fight email burnout.

Produce and send great e-cards. The best ones get forwarded to others

Make your web site a destination by keeping it updated and including news, giveaways, polls and things to make it worth visiting.

Put your promo online in downloadable form for easy access by the media and your fans.

Enable and encourage others to do your promo for you. Ask fans to put up flyers and send out emails. Put a poster online as a free downloadable PDF for fans to use.

Create, utilize and reward a street team. Here’s a short article on the subject.

Talk to people and take informal polls. Have they seen your ads? Where? Did they grab them and provide useful information? Survey your audience via email, on the web and at shows.

Add a free poll to your web site or blog via http://www.yourfreepoll.com.

Get every free listing everywhere you can no matter how obscure or far away. Maintain an extensive “listings” email list and use it.

Enhance the value of press releases by always attaching a photo or graphic file or a link to one.

Aggressively seek sponsorships. Big sponsorships are great, but no sponsorship is too small to consider even if its just cross promotion in ads or free give aways.

Always think yourself as a brand that needs to be defined, marketed, and protected.

Try local cable TV. Some local spots on Fuse or other targeted channels go for as little as $7 each. Check out Spotrunner, dMarc or your local cable company.

Try local internet advertising via Google Adsense, Facebook or local web sites. MySpace is adding targeted advertising early 2008.

Advertise on internet radio and blogs that serve your market.

Create consistency by creating ad mats and radio spots beds.

Sponsor non-commercial radio and get mentions. NPR is great, but don’t forget college radio.

Think out of the box with radio tie-ins. Rry talk radio for a classic rock or jazz radio for a fusion. Radio stations want to expand their audience too.

Co-brand. Celtic Music with an Irish bar or specialty shop or metal with a tattoo parlor. Worry less about money and think more about exposure.

Sponsor somebody else’s event. Consider trading sponsorships.

Create your own affordable net radio station on Live 365.

Add a blog to your website to keep content fresh. Blogger.com has free tools.

Go viral and post on related list-servers and discussion groups.

Can't find the right discussion group? Start your own discussion group for free at Yahoo or Google Groups.

Get on both MySpace and Facebook and stay active. Don’t just
set it up and forget it. Update it and promote it. Make it worth
visiting. iLike and others are creating services to help you keep track and update more than one site at a time.

Make everything you do an event. What holiday is near? Is it a band member birthday? An anniversary near?

Consider the internet your new best friend. Study it, learn from it, explore it and use it

Run contests for best poster design or homemade video. Share all the entries on the web.

Produce monthly or even weekly podcasts. Consider having it produced cheaply or in trade for tickets, etc, by a local college DJ.

Do anything you can think of to enhance the consumer experience.

Give stuff away – backstage passes, seat upgrades, seats on stage, tix to the sound check, mp3’s of live songs.

In the entertainment business perception can be reality. Is your show
the biggest, best, loudest, “most talked about”? Then be sure to tell
the world that it is.

Enhance and monetize the
hard core fan experience with a Platinum level fan club that offers
exclusive downloads, pre-orders, insider news, preferred seating at
shows, etc.

Go old school and cut through email overload by also faxing calendars and press releases. Use a free computer based fax broadcast service.

Don't just send announcements to the main stream press but include bloggers, internet radio, record stores, colleges and even large offices.

Make your faxes look like mini-posters worth hanging up.

Fly a plane with a banner over someone else’s event.P

Park a van or truck with a banner on a main street or across from a show by a similar act.

Buy a billboard for an event or series of shows. Place it strategically near a competitor or across from a college campus.

Use one of the cheap automated phone answering services advertised in the classifieds to set up a special phone line for your schedule.

Pass a clipboard(s) around before a show to capture emails or do a survey.

Meet your fans face to face and ask them for feedback but how you can serve them better.

Try the good old fashioned US mail occasionally. It actually gets peoples attention.

Promote “After Parties” that are cheap or free with a concert ticket. This allows you to extend your brand or even tag onto someone else's at low cost.

Hand out flyers on the way out of the live shows.

Capture info from any one who make a purchase particularly ticket buyers.

Ask your web visitors questions. Polls are free and easy to set up with sites like PollDaddy.

Sell merchandise at affordable prices. It’s branding that someone else pays for.

Get creative with your merchandise – don’t just sell shirts. Try flip books, for example

You can add variety to your merchandise with no upfront costs using CafePress or Zazzle.

In this age of too much info and media, work to make yourself a trusted gatekeeper for your genre(s) of music. Use newsletters, blogs, tips, links, internet radio, and more. Don't just write about yourself. Write about things people who care about you also care about.

Carry a video camera everywhere and post short videos on YouTube.com and elsewhere of live shows, interviews, backstage, etc.

Create your own related niche blogs or web sites (for example MidWestmetal.com or NightlifeDetroit.com or FansOf____.com). You can make yourself the only (or primary) advertiser, but keep it real with info and news from others.

Send thank-you notes. Not emails; written notes. No one says thank-you anymore. It will be remembered.

Ask for the purchase. Never forget that you are in sales.

Market to the niches. Market to bartenders in Irish pubs for a Celtic
or motorcycle shops for a heavy metal. Try tattoo parlors, coffee
shops, book stores, niche clothing shops.

Make
your emails and web site useful to the reader. Add info and links to
things your audience might find interesting or useful that you have
nothing to do with.

Share your best promo ideas
and avenues of promotion with other stakeholders: bands, promoters,
labels, publicists, and sponsors.

Share media lists with others highlighting things you think will work best for each project.

Sell a series or combo. This works for recorded music and live tickets.

Surprise people. Give them something for free that they did not expect.

Create and use banners. Don’t have time or $ for Kinkos? Try Avery Banner Maker.

Trade others occasionally for targeted email lists, but don’t overuse them.

Hire or befriend a geek who will help you keep up on new technologies and internet promo opportunities.

Partner with a charity. Build good will and get more free media. Maybe you're giving a small % or maybe it’s auctioning off or selling the seats on stage or tickets to the sound check.

Consider unusual places on the internet like Craigslist, sBay and StubHub as promotional tools…Try selling tickets and other stuff there.

Musicians want to be actors and actors and athletes want to be musicians. Think about how you can cross promote so everyone wins.

Always make available a hi-resolution color photo available for easy download and you’ll get much better placement in print Sunday editions and calendar sections.

Some fans travel so try cross–promoting with another show (by the same band or just a similar band) in another city 50 or 100 miles away.

Create a special “Insider” email list fof a few fans, key media, tastemakers and bloggers for pre-announcements who love to know things first…and like to tell others.

If the there is going to be a meet and greet after show make sure that it's advertised. Fans always want a chance to meet the musicians.

Consider offering a student discount or senior discount.

List all your tour dates online on Pollstar, CelebrityAccess. MusicToday, Live Nation and elsewhere. You never know where people will go looking for a show.

Work to make it easier and cheaper for fans to buy tickets online. There are always going to have to be some fees, but some services like InTicketing charge much smaller fees than Ticketmaster.

Find ways to your regular ticket buyers.

Enhance your gatekeeper status by creating your own free Pandora or Last.FM “radio station” and linking to it from your site.

Create free custom Pandora or Last.FM for each concert event…”Get in the mood for the Al Green concert with this classic soul stream…”. It’s a free way to make the concert an event and keep them talking about it to others.

Start a short term blog for every big show or series. Post when it goes it go on sale, when an opener is added, when the front rows are sold out, news about the bands, everything.Link to it from our wen site.

Produce and sponsor a cable access show.

Utilize free interns. Try to make sure they are getting college credit so they are motivated to work.

Use cell text messaging to communicate instantly. Try Nightlifetexting.com or Google to find other companies.

Flyer - It’s the cheapest form of advertising. Clubflyers.com even offers free flyers every month or a try local printer.

A good flyer promotes more than one show and is also worth of being hung as a mini poster.

Flyer someone else’s show in a related genre.

Make sure all important info is on the front page of your site: new gigs, news, latest photos/songs/videos, etc. Make it easy as possible for fans to see the site is update and to get to stuff quickly.

Make sure everywhere you are mentioned (club listings, others bands you are playing with, etc) links back to your site. If they aren't linking, ask.

Encourage fans to "tag" you and your content on other sites like flickr, blogs, etc. Then aggregate that data on your site.

Do the same using recommendation sites like Digg and Stumble. See example links at the bottom of every Hypebot post.

As Tip #7 stated, email lists should be your new religion. A few sites like scriggleit.com offer free mailing list and text messaging solutions. There's no excuse.

Finding the time to keep up with all of this is hard but essential. Take advantage of new free services that offer the ability to manage content across platforms: > Nimbit enables mp3, CD, ticket and merchandise sales on MySpace, Facebook and elsewhere from a single integrated widget. > ReverbNation provides email sign-up, street teams and web promotion tools. A new addition allows multi-artist tracking. > iLike has made its fan communication and community building tools instantly compatible on both its site and Facebook and provides tracking tools and stats.

If you hear about a good promo idea, go online and research it RIGHT NOW. Try it before it becomes over used. You can drop it if it doesn't work.

Up your promotion Karma. If you try something and it's a hit, tell others. Then they will be more likely to share ideas with you.

Read Hypebot regularly. We'll help you keep on top of what's hot in music marketing.

RIP Circuit City

2009-03-03T06:56:00.000-08:00

03-02-2009

Ahhh, Circuit City. Where service is state of the art! The chain of electronics retailers -- currently liquidating at a furious rate -- will be all but defunct as of Sunday, March 8. The "bulk" of the stores still left open are targeting this as their last day.
Although the chain very nearly ruined one of my favorite songs (The Cars' "Just What I Needed") by employing it as their jingle, I have a soft spot in my heart for the red-themed Big Box location. I frequented it long before Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) was in my world, I bought my first laptop there, and it was my CD shopping destination of choice in the late 1990s. Thank you, Circuit City employees, for never laughing at my purchase of the latest from NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, Mandy Moore, or others.So, for the remaining few days, you can traipse through the skeletal shelves of your neighborhood Circuit City, reflecting on times past, scooping up a copy of American ! Pie for six bucks, or hoping that big-ticket item is still waiting for you at 70% off. Many stores are even selling their industrial shelving equipment. After all, everything must go.
Meanwhile, Best Buy stands alone, but does it matter? Last week, Brian White asked whether Best Buy will surge to renewed prominence with its last true competitor in the dust, or if it will continue to suffer at the hands of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT).
Beth Gaston Moon works for WeSeed.com, "The stock market for the rest of us." The above comments are not intended as trading or investment advice.

Mega Karaoke DJ Center – Buy 1 DJ Player Get the 2nd 50% OFF

2009-02-24T15:29:00.000-08:00

Insane deal, that’s what I think! The most I’ve seen it 10% off MAP. Or a refurb. But confirming with Mega Karaoke, it’s all brand new, factory sealed.

Pioneer, Stanton, Numark, and Denon are all display at their 14037 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX showroom. Check it out for more information.

Link www.shopmegadj.com

LED Lighting – Burnouts are History

2009-02-19T15:50:00.000-08:00

What’s so special about dots? That’s the signature of a LED light. The combinations of RGB dots don’t sound appealing but when the designs start to swirl, the look seems normal and even exciting. And as a DJ or KJ you don’t have to worry about a duty cycle or buying a new bulb the very next day.

What’s a duty cycle? Duty cycle is the amount of time you use a light. The standard duty cycle is 15 minutes. If you use the light for more than 15 minutes at a time, you risk the chance of a bulb or bulbs that go out or a burnt fuse.

Usually a light that uses a bulb will be turned on for 15 minutes, rest for 15 minutes, on for 15 etc. With LED Lighting, you do not have to worry about it.

Get American DJ, Chauvet, and even Irradiant lighting for your shows. Ask for Vinh or Kassim at 281-988-7988.

And if you don’t like dots, they have cool lasers that will blow your mind at what it can do. Mix different lights up with a timer or even better a DMX controller to make your show like a New York or L.A. club feel.

KIAA – Karaoke Industry Alliance of America

2009-02-17T22:09:00.000-08:00

If you’re a DJ or KJ, BMI and ASCAP agents could be watching your every move. These organizations control music licensing when the music is used for public or professional means. If you are paying them money, you have a license to use the music. If you do not, you could be charged a fine. What happens when you are a KJ or DJ trying to make a living but you’re handed a monetary fine notice from BMI or ASCAP?

The KIAA protects you as a DJ or KJ. This organization acts as a member’s only club that you can join.

There are many issues that the KIAA are working towards solving:
Piracy
Unfair use of karaoke music
Inability to get new or older music

For more information how this organization can help your DJ or KJ business contact them now.
http://www.thekiaa.org/

RIP Laser Discs

2009-02-15T16:30:00.000-08:00

Oh you thought they've been dead. Well they're definitely dead now that Pioneer have stopped all laser disc player productions as of January 14, 2009. Laser Discs were the predecessor of DVD Players. These were heavy duty machines that uses 12 inch discs. Those babies were priced at over $1300.00 MSRP and people were buying these like mad crazy.

We can hear all Asian people screaming "NOOOOOOO!!!!"

Pioneer is stopping the production of their LD players, the DVL-919, DVK-900, CLD-R5 and DVL-K888. Pioneer sold over 3.6 Million LD players in Japan from 1981 to 2002.

Sources:
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/01/14/all-laserdisc-player.html
http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news_details.php?id=17346
http://i.gizmodo.com/5130944/pioneer-stops-making-new-laserdisc-players-finally-concedes-to-vhs

Vocal Speakers are NOT Home Theater Speakers

2009-02-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

Watching movies or listening to music is always great with a home theater system. This system specifically makes you feel right in the middle of the concert or movie action. There is only 1 problem: Those surround speakers are not meant for KARAOKE or DJing.

Actually it’s not made for vocal singing. It sounds great but majority of the time your home theater speakers were meant for just music. When you add your developed voice to the mix, this can cause distortion and even feedback and there’s a chance singing will speed up the wear and tear of your equipment.

There is also a difference between Vocal Speakers and Loudspeakers too. Loudspeakers are made for large spaces such as a restaurant, arena, or ball. Loudspeakers are made by Mackie, Yamaha, and JBL for example.

Vocal Speakers are made by VocoPro, APi, and BMB.

Pioneer – No More Plasma - Lets Go 10,000 Jobs

2009-02-14T12:50:00.000-08:00

The big news on February 13, 2009 hit the TV world by storm. Pioneer Corp, one of the first Plasma brands, is stopping all plasma production. They will no longer manufacturer their quality driven plasma TVs. Due to the lack of demand for plasmas, Pioneer let go 27% of its workforce, equally to about 10,000 jobs globally.

It shut down 2 overseas plasma assembly and distribution centers in California and Britain. Its Japanese factory was minimized by 6,000 workers. With a net loss of $1.4 billion US, its operating revenue declined 38.8 percent.

Not only did the reduction hit Pioneer’s TV division, the cut affected throughout other departments such as Pro DJ and car audio. "Since the U.S. financial crisis and ensuing global downturn, our sales of car electronics products and flat-screen TVs plunged worldwide. We were severely hit by battered consumer sentiment," said Michiko Kadoi, another Pioneer spokeswoman.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090212/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_pioneer

AFTER BLACK FRIDAY EVENT

2008-11-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

AFTER BLACK FRIDAY EVENT
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2008
10AM - 6PM

MASSIVE SALE

FOOD
MUSIC
KARAOKE
PRIZES

3 PRIZES
RAFFLE @ 5PM
Must Be Present to Win

Karaoke DJ Store Opens in Houston, TX

2008-10-05T09:20:00.001-07:00

About Us

New Orleans

Houston

Phong Le Company started in 1979 as a local music store for Vietnamese immigrants in the New Orleans, Louisiana area. We began to distribute Vietnamese and other Asian karaoke Laser Discs in the 1990s. We are now an established business with a 10,000 square foot store front. As technology has enhanced, new forms of karaoke discs appeared on the market such as DVDs, VCDs, and CDGs. CDGs has become a staple in American karaoke music. Over 250,000 American karaoke music songs are currently available at our store. This new wave of entertainment brought forth a generation longing to sing like their favorite singers. That is what we have to offer - a chance, A SELECTION to be your favorite singer, from Britney Spears to Faith Hill, from Nickelback to Elvis. People of all ages, races and genders never tire of singing, especially singing karaoke.

We also specialize in karaoke hardware such as karaoke players, karaoke microphones, amplifiers and mixers, and DJ equipment. We have a certified technician who can help anyone configure a fabulous karaoke system. Everyone at Phong Le Co. is here and ready to help you, the customer, with anything that you need. Just give us a ring at 1.800.535.4232 or click on the LIVE HELP icon to chat with a live customer representative.

AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA:
We have moved to Houston, TX. Please visit us at our new location at

Phong Le Co.
Mega Karaoke DJ Center
14037 WESTHEIMER RD.
HOUSTON, TX 77077
(281) 988-7988

Our Philosophy about Karaoke
Music has and will always be part of everyone's lives. Whether it is classical, rap, hip-hop, reggae, pop, rock, you will never meet anyone who has never sung, or hummed a song. Everyone can sing love songs, sad songs, rock songs, and popular songs. Our philosophy comes from this revelation.

Our philosophy involves the family. Families before had entertainment game nights. Well they should have KARAOKE NIGHT. By having these nights, it brings the family closer and connects generation gaps between children and adults. Karaoke can bring relatives and friends together by throwing parties or reunions.
Furthermore, karaoke is a great learning tool. Little kids can sing children songs to learn how to read. Cultural kids will able to learn how to read their native language better by singing their native songs. Ethnical adults will be able to learn English easier.

Press Release

Your Karaoke Specialist

Singing is a favorite pastime for most individuals whether you can sing or not. The invention of Karaoke brought forth a new wave of performers and fun, nightly entertainment regardless of age.

Phong Le Karaoke (95 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, 366-5758) is a retailer of Karaoke music and equipment for over 25 years. Specializing in professional Karaoke setups for business and home entertainment systems, this Westbank family is supplying Louisianaians and Mississipians.

“We have a philosophy about karaoke. We believe that by bringing karaoke home to your family, you’re not only creating a fun and lively atmosphere but you’re also bridging the gap between the young and old. You can enjoy today’s music with your kids and your kids will be able to like the music you grew up to. The idea of bringing your family closer together makes karaoke a big hit,” says Phong Le, owner. “Karaoke is also a great learning tool. We have customers teaching their children learn to read by karaoke. Put in their favorite song and have them follow the lyrics on the TV. It’s that easy.”

Karaoke originated in Japan and made its way to the United States in the 1980s. Karaoke is an abbreviation of Japanese words: "kara" comes from "karappo" meaning empty, and "oke" is the abbreviation of "okesutura," or orchestra. Karaoke is now in a form of compact disc aptly named CD Graphics or CD+Gs. The graphics are the lyrics that appear on the TV screen. Most CD+Gs are instrumental versions of popular songs with background vocals during the chorus of the song. Guide vocals are offered for certain songs to help singers learn the song.

We do not have a small corner of karaoke music. The whole store is filled with karaoke music. Over 200,000 songs are available in our store. All our songs are on computer databases that we access or customers can access to look up songs and artists. Furthermore, our website is completely updated with the newest releases on karaoke and has a shopping cart. Online ordering and phone orders are taken at any hour of the day,” explains Le.

“Service is a big priority in our store. If our customers are not happy, we’re not happy. We will go to lengths to provide the utmost service and courtesy. We take pride in our service.”

Along with the extensive karaoke brands and CD+Gs, Phong Le Karaoke retails karaoke, players, wireless microphones, amplifiers, mixers, speakers, professional Pioneer DJ equipment and all sorts of devices. In addition is courteous service, Phong Le Karaoke’s prices are competitive to national karaoke companies. Great service and great deals are mottos at this specialty store.

“Karaoke music is not complete without proper karaoke equipment. Our technicians are able to help anyone configure their dream singing system. We are authorized dealers for industry leaders such as Pioneer, JVC, VocoPro, Shure, Crown, Cerwin-Vega, and many more. We want our customers to know that they do not need to go anywhere else for their karaoke needs. We are here.”

IKEY-Plus Product Info

2008-05-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

Introducing the iKEY Plus Portable USB Recorder, the second in a generation of products providing a more versatile platform for portable live audio recording. The IKEY Plus makes it easier than ever to record audio directly to a digital audio format by eliminating the need for confusing recording software and additional hardware. Designed to work with an Apple iPod® or any external USB storage device, the iKEY Plus can record live audio to MP3 or WAV format directly to a USB Compatible storage device - in real time! With endless professional and consumer applications, the iKEY Plus Portable USB Recorder is the most convenient real-time recording tool.

NOW with Mic Input, Phono Preamp, VU Meter Display, and Headphone Output!

The IKEY Plus is capable of a wide array of applications!
- Record a vinyl collection to MP3 or WAV

- Record live DJ and Karaoke performances

- Record speeches, seminars and interviews

- Record and play back recorded audio on an iPod
- Record a live gig or individual performance.

CitySearch.com VideoShoot

2008-05-10T07:52:00.000-07:00

Citysearch is coming to Mega Karaoke DJ Center on May 10, 2008 for a video shoot. Citysearch.com will be interviewing the staff at Mega Karaoke and will always interview in store customers. Video shoot begins at 12 noon and will start with interviews and end with a professional overview of Mega Karaoke DJ Center.