This week I am putting a toe in the water to return to doing karaoke at Finn's. They have more square footage for our crowd than some smaller venues still limited by the state phase one reopening. Some of you are anxiously awaiting the return of karaoke, others may feel it is too soon. Many want to know what will be different and what protocols will be in place in "the new normal". This has been a CONSTANT subject on my mind since the quarantine. I have read up on the science, studied the CDC protocols and recommendations, and networked with other karaoke hosts in regard to placing protocols upon the return of karaoke. This is the plan I have come up with, based on your questions:
IS IT TOO SOON?: That is up to each individual to decide. Some people are more diligent about social distancing than others. Some folks are more susceptible to illness and germs than others due to situations that may affect them such as having a compromised immune system, pre-existing issues, age, etc..., so one rule will not fit all. Basically, if you are worried or feel it is too soon, you may not be a candidate to return to social public karaoke.
IS IT SAFE...WHAT PRECAUTIONS ARE YOU TAKING?: The venue will be following state protocols at the time, so when phase two arrives, things will open up further. Until then, for phase one, the venues will be adhering to phase one state protocols. SAFETY IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GUARANTEE...YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR WELFARE. Do not rely on others to protect you. Based on your individual needs, conduct yourself accordingly. If that means wearing a mask, or carrying hand sanitizer, or visiting the rest room regularly to wash your hands, that is incumbent upon you to do. While the host and the venue take steps to limit infectious contact, it is not guaranteed. The venue will have certainly stepped up cleaning methods, as has the karaoke host, but these are not guarantees. There ARE steps YOU can take to put the odds solidly in your favor.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO AVOID GERMS AT KARAOKE?: The best way to avoid germs is to really understand, scientifically, how they spread. There are methods that some people recommend that are NOT effective, and in fact, more dangerous than not using them. These include the usage of foam mic covers or other microphone covers. They look like they are doing something, but the science does not agree. Ground zero for potential infection at karaoke will be: In the atomized breath of someone yelling, laughing, sneezing, singing or talking loudly close to you, on the microphone, and on any surfaces that may be holding bodily fluid such as spittle, saliva, mucous, etc... The safest thing for you as a singer to do is to limit your exposure, but even if exposed, take 2 simple steps.
THE COMMON THREAD IN ALL PROTOCOLS is that if you are a singer concerned with germs of any kind, it is INCUMBENT UPON YOU to sanitize your hands or wash with soap and water immediately following your performance, before contacting food, phones, or face.
FIRST: Always just assume the microphone is dirty even if it has just been cleaned, has a cover etc... That is not a deal breaker, but what you NEED TO LEARN TO DO now and forever is to NEVER ALLOW THE MIC TO TOUCH YOUR FACE, LIPS, MOUTH, NOSE, etc... Have no contact with the top of the microphone.
SECOND, always assume at the end of your song that YOUR HANDS ARE DIRTY. Once you return the microphone to the host, IT IS INCUMBENT ON YOU THE SINGER to use a hand sanitizer or otherwise head to the bathroom to wash using soap and water before touching your food, face or phone or other personal belongings. That will effectively handle any germs you have come into contact with. Now keep in mind, these protocols are born of the COVID-19 coronavirus issue, but, germs have been around as long as people, and people have been doing karaoke, and eating, and touching other people, kissing, inhaling air in close proximity...etc...for DECADES. Karaoke did not just suddenly develop germs, it is just the effort of trying to avoid this one particular NEW germ that is causing the panic reactions. GLOVES could be effective if used properly, meaning throwing them away and washing your hands afterward...but in that regard, save the money on gloves and just wash/sanitize your hands anyway. CDC guidelines have been fluid, changing as research reveals more information. There are mixed reports regarding transmittal of COVID-19 from hard surfaces, as well as discussions about when and how masks do or do not work. Do your research and take your actions according to your personal needs.
SHOULD I WEAR A MASK?: Again, a personal decision based on your needs. Singing on a PA system will not work with some to most masks, as the amplified sound would be muffled. If your level of caution requires it, we can try it, but it may be too soon for you personally if that is a deal breaker. (Each Halloween I deal with people singing in costume, and it does not sound good with a masked voice). If you are in the crowd as a spectator, a mask may be prudent if you are at a table or group talking loudly or breathing in each other's space.
CAN I BRING MY OWN FOAM COVER AND PUT IT ON THE MIC?: If you want to yes, but, not only will this not be an effective deterrent to infection, it may also increase your chances by carrying mic germs back to your table via the infected foam you are now putting in your pocket, purse or case. They do not work in this manner, they are designed to stop wind pops, not germs.
WE WENT TO ANOTHER SHOW WHERE THEY GAVE EACH SINGER A LITTLE COVER FOR THE MIC THAT THE SINGER TOOK WITH THEM AFTER EACH SONG: And they make singers feel safe, but they do not work effectively. Your hands are still contacting the mic, even with a cover on it. There is no guarantee that the cover has no germ on it, and certainly, when removed, could have germs on the interior. Even with covers, you would need to wash or sanitize your hands afterward...so, save the money on covers, and simply plan on washing/sanitizing your hands. A false sense of security keeps you from cleaning your hands, and that is the key at karaoke.
CAN I BRING MY OWN MICROPHONE?: Maybe. I may be prepared to accept singers microphones on my cable provided they are XLR connected, NOT 1/4" or any connector other than an XLR. You cannot bring your own wireless mic as it would be too cumbersome to connect and dial in between singers. There are no guarantees your microphone will be compatible with my system either, depending on quality, specifications, and what shape of a pick up pattern the cartridge has, which all affect sound, and feedback, etc...
Here is a link to a blog entry, State of Harryoke. I put this up earlier in May during quarantine and it covers some of this and delves a little deeper.:
STATE OF HARRYOKE BLOG
The takeaway from all of this is...be safe, be responsible for your own safety, be smart, know the enemy and come back and have fun when you are personally ready!!
Hope to see you all soon. State protocols will dictate whether this is a short term return or permanent, but I am hoping for the best.
All the best to you all! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND FRIENDSHIP!
Friday, May 29, 2020
Sunday, May 3, 2020
THE STATE OF HARRYOKE May 2020
Hello everyone! I hope my note finds you all well. I am just checking in, and wanted to say a few things about the state of Harryoke in the face of the new reality. There is a lot to say, so warning, this will be a long essay, but I will attempt to keep topics categorized as best as I can. I do have a ton of things on my mind, but will try to condense the topics most asked about here, in a FAQ type of format.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?: I am doing great compared to some. I have been biding my time, doing stuff around the house and largely trying to stay safe, healthy and sane. I have been trying to stay active by walking, biking and using the exercise station at the park. Been organizing the office and house, and using online auctions and sell sites to sell off some excess stuff.
I used to joke about alternative jobs, and would always say "...if there ever came a day when karaoke was either illegal, outlawed or prohibited, I would...". That seemed like an outrageous enough scenario that would never occur. These days, I am not so sure. Mentally it weighs on me that what I have built up over so many years has stopped, virtually overnight, and while I am cautiously optimistic things will normalize one day, I also worry about the new reality, and how it will affect people and their social habits.
I have always planned for a rainy day, and am currently living under my umbrella. Many who do what I do for a living are in a similar pinch, and as an industry, we are networking ideas to prepare for the new realities of the future. Hopefully the new normal will allow me to pick up where I left off. If not, I will be open to Plan B's if you have one to offer.
WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK TO WORK TO DO HARRYOKE SHOWS?: My last show was on Monday, 3.16.2020 and was show #5670 since May of 1999. I am just short of my service anniversary which will see me finish my 21st year of Harryoke shows, and start of year 22! My start back date is very ambiguous, and will be based on state guidelines and regulations, as well as some common sense. Although closures have been loosened in phase one of the state reopening, the guidelines are not loose enough to effectively allow karaoke and the crowds that result at karaoke shows.
My weekly return will be based on when crowds can come back safely and when it makes financial sense for the venues that hire me to have me back to attract crowds for them as best as I can. Ultimately, THAT is my job description. It could be some time down the road before social distancing measures make sense to those who hire me. Stay tuned.
WHY NOT DO ONLINE KARAOKE?: Lots of reasons...largely and most importantly is that, while I understand the outlet of online "karaoke", I do not feel it is the same as what I offer as traditional karaoke. I personally think the karaoke experience is more than singing...it is the crowd, the live interaction with an audience, the applause and laughter and reaction...and even more importantly, it is the human interaction off stage. It is the conversation and joking, the clink of glasses and sharing of a drink, or a hug. It is the interaction and listening to each others life experience and offering a compassionate ear or shoulder. It is meeting new people...or meeting old friends. It is the silliness happening off stage, as much as the singing and performance on stage.
While I can post videos of singers, or of myself singing, I cannot recreate the experience of true karaoke, virtually, and have had little desire to try. The variables of meet up times, poor connections, inferior sound or video connection, and the fact that video karaoke is SO visual, while real karaoke does not rely as heavily on the visual element. There is also the issue of the sound on a stage, compared to singing into a phone or computer. It does not compare. While I miss those interactions with the public, I do not think a virtual karaoke environment fills the void well enough.
There is also the realistic matter of how one would replace their income doing it. For someone like me who relies on karaoke performance to make a living, it would be difficult to create a virtual presence online and figure out a way to, or to justify monetizing it. If there came a day when I was FORCED to do that, I would consider it...but I am more optimistic some level of normal is coming back. I enjoy standing in front of a crowd and winging it...and cannot bring myself to sing into my phone or sing into the computer. It just feels unnatural, and acoustically foreign to a live stage. I have toyed with the idea of doing a live mini concert for fun and live streaming it, and that would be closer to reality if I had my sound system set up...but, that is performance, more than karaoke.
I think how I feel about karaoke is best expressed in how I run my live shows, and by those who attend them, who need that outlet on my stage, and that outlet cant easily be replaced virtually online. It can substitute, but it fills a different void. I am thankful to FaceBook for keeping us all in touch, despite not being able to meet or sing in person in public.
HOW WILL HARRYOKE BE DIFFERENT WHEN YOU RETURN?: That is the million dollar question. Much will depend on what the state guidelines are, and if and how it makes sense to comply with them, if possible. I will say this...and I offer this candidly and with full honesty: There is a discussion among karaoke hosts about what to do to protect ourselves and our singers upon our return. MUCH of what is suggested is an illusion. Things we can do to MAKE IT LOOK like it is safe, but in reality, it is an illusion. There are suggested hygiene steps that, not only are ineffective, but could actually increase transmission of germs.
SO HOW WILL HARRYOKE SHOWS BE DIFFERENT? I am hoping they won't be. There will be steps I can take in regard to microphone cleanliness that I can be more diligent about. That will be the biggest thing. There is no way to do karaoke in a mask. Spit guards...hands free microphones...foam covers...fabric mic condoms...plastic mic covers...UV or ultrasonic sanitizers...all ineffective voodoo as helpful as just wishing. They LOOK like you are doing something...but they are not. That is just being honest, folks.
WILL IT BE SAFE TO DO KARAOKE IN THE NEW REALITY?: That is entirely up to YOU. There are steps YOU can take to protect yourselves, over and above what I can do, and effectively, regardless of what I do on stage, there are steps you all can take off stage that will be far more effective. The key is...that YOU understand how germs are transmitted, that you determine your tolerance for exposure to germs (based on health history, age, level of compromise of your immune system, etc...).
SO FIRST...if you are concerned about germs, understand how they transmit and take the appropriate steps based on YOUR personal tolerance. For some folks it wont make sense to come out in public...for others it will.
THE MOST IMPORTANT SUGGESTION I CAN MAKE FOR EVERYONE IS FOR EACH OF YOU TO TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN HEALTH AND HYGIENE AND NOT RELY ON OTHERS TO DO IT FOR YOU! That is the MOST important thing I can say before continuing. If you are simply an audience member, the rules will be different than those for singers, who have a greater exposure. I would say the greatest topic in regard to exposure to germs at karaoke, aside from human contact, is MICROPHONE CONTACT. There is no magic wand to wave to guarantee safety, and anyone who claims their mics are safe or sanitary is lying. You must always assume, correctly or incorrectly, that the microphone is NOT SANITARY, and handle yourself, and the microphone, accordingly. This is not new news...it has always been this way, and people have been singing karaoke and carelessly using no hygiene protocols for years! We are all just hyper aware now in the face of COVID-19. Karaoke will be just as safe now as it was before...and actually more safe in the face of heightened protocols and awareness. Your reaction should be commensurate with your tolerance.
IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT GERMS, you can safely survive exposure to germs on a microphone or elsewhere on stage by following some protocols. Most importantly are the following:
1) do not touch the top of the mic...the wind screen, and especially, do not touch the mic to your lips, mouth or face in any way. Keep the mic about 3 inches away, minimum.
2) only touch the body of the microphone, and after touching the microphone, do not put your hand on your face, mouth, nose or eyes until you wash or sanitize.
3) immediately following your performance, sanitize your hands...ideally with soap and water in the bathroom, or in a pinch, with an alcohol based hand sanitizer...do this IMMEDIATELY after leaving the stage before returning to your table, or touching your food or drink or phone.
4) do not stand in close proximity to the host or other singers while they are talking or singing to prevent any droplets from falling on you or into your breathing space.
If you follow THOSE simple guidelines alone, you will be exponentially safer. The microphone and stage area are not the only places germs will be an issue in public...but we are talking about being safe at karaoke. There will be common sense things to think about, such as touching doorknobs, common publicly touched areas like jukeboxes, ATM's, menus, and more. BUT for the topic of this discussion, I am keeping it to my responsibility in regard to germ transmission and karaoke.
I am hoping to have plenty of aerosol spray disinfectant available before my return, and will do my best to stay on top of that, as well as trying to rotate mics during the show, and also by trying to identify singers who potentially may be sick or showing symptoms that cause concern, and either limiting their presence on stage or being sure to properly disinfect afterwards.
BUT EVEN IF I DID NOT DO THAT...and I will...BUT IF I DIDN'T...the recommended protocols above will still largely protect you if you implement them...not just against COVID-19, but common colds or any transmitted germ related malady.
There is some discussion about singers bringing their own foam covers or other covers. If you feel better about that, you are more than welcome to do it. The science however is NOT on your side. Bringing a porous item up and placing it on a microphone, you are just transmitting any potential germs to it, then carrying it back to your table or purse or pocket. Scientifically, handling the non porous mic as described above, and then washing your hands would be far more effective, but I will allow singers to do it if they like.
There is discussion about singers bringing their own microphones. There COULD be some merit to that, and it is something I am willing to adapt to if necessary. It is still not a guarantee, and there would be issues with the varying specs of different mics and how they would sound, or how their pickup patterns would affect feedback, etc...but I would be willing to adapt to trying that. I am currently 100% cordless. I would not allow people to bring their own cordless as that would be a nightmare for hooking up, etc...but I may have a cord with an XLR connector available if requested and let people try to use their own XLR connected mic on a cord.
THAT IS ALL FOR NOW...that is a lot to unpack, but it is part of what has been on my mind, and the most frequently asked questions from folks contacting me. If you have any questions, comment or concerns, reach out to me and I will be happy to hear them and address them. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the other side of all of this. I hope you all are faring well. ALL THE BEST TO YOU...and thank you for your years of friendship and support.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?: I am doing great compared to some. I have been biding my time, doing stuff around the house and largely trying to stay safe, healthy and sane. I have been trying to stay active by walking, biking and using the exercise station at the park. Been organizing the office and house, and using online auctions and sell sites to sell off some excess stuff.
I used to joke about alternative jobs, and would always say "...if there ever came a day when karaoke was either illegal, outlawed or prohibited, I would...". That seemed like an outrageous enough scenario that would never occur. These days, I am not so sure. Mentally it weighs on me that what I have built up over so many years has stopped, virtually overnight, and while I am cautiously optimistic things will normalize one day, I also worry about the new reality, and how it will affect people and their social habits.
I have always planned for a rainy day, and am currently living under my umbrella. Many who do what I do for a living are in a similar pinch, and as an industry, we are networking ideas to prepare for the new realities of the future. Hopefully the new normal will allow me to pick up where I left off. If not, I will be open to Plan B's if you have one to offer.
WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK TO WORK TO DO HARRYOKE SHOWS?: My last show was on Monday, 3.16.2020 and was show #5670 since May of 1999. I am just short of my service anniversary which will see me finish my 21st year of Harryoke shows, and start of year 22! My start back date is very ambiguous, and will be based on state guidelines and regulations, as well as some common sense. Although closures have been loosened in phase one of the state reopening, the guidelines are not loose enough to effectively allow karaoke and the crowds that result at karaoke shows.
My weekly return will be based on when crowds can come back safely and when it makes financial sense for the venues that hire me to have me back to attract crowds for them as best as I can. Ultimately, THAT is my job description. It could be some time down the road before social distancing measures make sense to those who hire me. Stay tuned.
WHY NOT DO ONLINE KARAOKE?: Lots of reasons...largely and most importantly is that, while I understand the outlet of online "karaoke", I do not feel it is the same as what I offer as traditional karaoke. I personally think the karaoke experience is more than singing...it is the crowd, the live interaction with an audience, the applause and laughter and reaction...and even more importantly, it is the human interaction off stage. It is the conversation and joking, the clink of glasses and sharing of a drink, or a hug. It is the interaction and listening to each others life experience and offering a compassionate ear or shoulder. It is meeting new people...or meeting old friends. It is the silliness happening off stage, as much as the singing and performance on stage.
While I can post videos of singers, or of myself singing, I cannot recreate the experience of true karaoke, virtually, and have had little desire to try. The variables of meet up times, poor connections, inferior sound or video connection, and the fact that video karaoke is SO visual, while real karaoke does not rely as heavily on the visual element. There is also the issue of the sound on a stage, compared to singing into a phone or computer. It does not compare. While I miss those interactions with the public, I do not think a virtual karaoke environment fills the void well enough.
There is also the realistic matter of how one would replace their income doing it. For someone like me who relies on karaoke performance to make a living, it would be difficult to create a virtual presence online and figure out a way to, or to justify monetizing it. If there came a day when I was FORCED to do that, I would consider it...but I am more optimistic some level of normal is coming back. I enjoy standing in front of a crowd and winging it...and cannot bring myself to sing into my phone or sing into the computer. It just feels unnatural, and acoustically foreign to a live stage. I have toyed with the idea of doing a live mini concert for fun and live streaming it, and that would be closer to reality if I had my sound system set up...but, that is performance, more than karaoke.
I think how I feel about karaoke is best expressed in how I run my live shows, and by those who attend them, who need that outlet on my stage, and that outlet cant easily be replaced virtually online. It can substitute, but it fills a different void. I am thankful to FaceBook for keeping us all in touch, despite not being able to meet or sing in person in public.
HOW WILL HARRYOKE BE DIFFERENT WHEN YOU RETURN?: That is the million dollar question. Much will depend on what the state guidelines are, and if and how it makes sense to comply with them, if possible. I will say this...and I offer this candidly and with full honesty: There is a discussion among karaoke hosts about what to do to protect ourselves and our singers upon our return. MUCH of what is suggested is an illusion. Things we can do to MAKE IT LOOK like it is safe, but in reality, it is an illusion. There are suggested hygiene steps that, not only are ineffective, but could actually increase transmission of germs.
SO HOW WILL HARRYOKE SHOWS BE DIFFERENT? I am hoping they won't be. There will be steps I can take in regard to microphone cleanliness that I can be more diligent about. That will be the biggest thing. There is no way to do karaoke in a mask. Spit guards...hands free microphones...foam covers...fabric mic condoms...plastic mic covers...UV or ultrasonic sanitizers...all ineffective voodoo as helpful as just wishing. They LOOK like you are doing something...but they are not. That is just being honest, folks.
WILL IT BE SAFE TO DO KARAOKE IN THE NEW REALITY?: That is entirely up to YOU. There are steps YOU can take to protect yourselves, over and above what I can do, and effectively, regardless of what I do on stage, there are steps you all can take off stage that will be far more effective. The key is...that YOU understand how germs are transmitted, that you determine your tolerance for exposure to germs (based on health history, age, level of compromise of your immune system, etc...).
SO FIRST...if you are concerned about germs, understand how they transmit and take the appropriate steps based on YOUR personal tolerance. For some folks it wont make sense to come out in public...for others it will.
THE MOST IMPORTANT SUGGESTION I CAN MAKE FOR EVERYONE IS FOR EACH OF YOU TO TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN HEALTH AND HYGIENE AND NOT RELY ON OTHERS TO DO IT FOR YOU! That is the MOST important thing I can say before continuing. If you are simply an audience member, the rules will be different than those for singers, who have a greater exposure. I would say the greatest topic in regard to exposure to germs at karaoke, aside from human contact, is MICROPHONE CONTACT. There is no magic wand to wave to guarantee safety, and anyone who claims their mics are safe or sanitary is lying. You must always assume, correctly or incorrectly, that the microphone is NOT SANITARY, and handle yourself, and the microphone, accordingly. This is not new news...it has always been this way, and people have been singing karaoke and carelessly using no hygiene protocols for years! We are all just hyper aware now in the face of COVID-19. Karaoke will be just as safe now as it was before...and actually more safe in the face of heightened protocols and awareness. Your reaction should be commensurate with your tolerance.
IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT GERMS, you can safely survive exposure to germs on a microphone or elsewhere on stage by following some protocols. Most importantly are the following:
1) do not touch the top of the mic...the wind screen, and especially, do not touch the mic to your lips, mouth or face in any way. Keep the mic about 3 inches away, minimum.
2) only touch the body of the microphone, and after touching the microphone, do not put your hand on your face, mouth, nose or eyes until you wash or sanitize.
3) immediately following your performance, sanitize your hands...ideally with soap and water in the bathroom, or in a pinch, with an alcohol based hand sanitizer...do this IMMEDIATELY after leaving the stage before returning to your table, or touching your food or drink or phone.
4) do not stand in close proximity to the host or other singers while they are talking or singing to prevent any droplets from falling on you or into your breathing space.
If you follow THOSE simple guidelines alone, you will be exponentially safer. The microphone and stage area are not the only places germs will be an issue in public...but we are talking about being safe at karaoke. There will be common sense things to think about, such as touching doorknobs, common publicly touched areas like jukeboxes, ATM's, menus, and more. BUT for the topic of this discussion, I am keeping it to my responsibility in regard to germ transmission and karaoke.
I am hoping to have plenty of aerosol spray disinfectant available before my return, and will do my best to stay on top of that, as well as trying to rotate mics during the show, and also by trying to identify singers who potentially may be sick or showing symptoms that cause concern, and either limiting their presence on stage or being sure to properly disinfect afterwards.
BUT EVEN IF I DID NOT DO THAT...and I will...BUT IF I DIDN'T...the recommended protocols above will still largely protect you if you implement them...not just against COVID-19, but common colds or any transmitted germ related malady.
There is some discussion about singers bringing their own foam covers or other covers. If you feel better about that, you are more than welcome to do it. The science however is NOT on your side. Bringing a porous item up and placing it on a microphone, you are just transmitting any potential germs to it, then carrying it back to your table or purse or pocket. Scientifically, handling the non porous mic as described above, and then washing your hands would be far more effective, but I will allow singers to do it if they like.
There is discussion about singers bringing their own microphones. There COULD be some merit to that, and it is something I am willing to adapt to if necessary. It is still not a guarantee, and there would be issues with the varying specs of different mics and how they would sound, or how their pickup patterns would affect feedback, etc...but I would be willing to adapt to trying that. I am currently 100% cordless. I would not allow people to bring their own cordless as that would be a nightmare for hooking up, etc...but I may have a cord with an XLR connector available if requested and let people try to use their own XLR connected mic on a cord.
THAT IS ALL FOR NOW...that is a lot to unpack, but it is part of what has been on my mind, and the most frequently asked questions from folks contacting me. If you have any questions, comment or concerns, reach out to me and I will be happy to hear them and address them. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the other side of all of this. I hope you all are faring well. ALL THE BEST TO YOU...and thank you for your years of friendship and support.
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