You're never to old to sing!
Often rest homes or retirement villages as they are now called are an ideal source of income for the Karaoke operator. You can often do more than one party in an afternoon or evening and doing senior citizen's parties can be fun! The great thing about these parties is you don't need a lot of gear or sound as they are often held in a cafeteria or meeting room!
You must be very careful to run sound low, because older folk often have hearing aids that are turned all the way up. Avoid feedback at all possible costs as it's particularly painful with hearing aids. The staff are generally very good about helping you set the level of music and sound. You also won't be playing very long usually an hour or two at the max. Don't forget these folk normally go to bed a lot earlier than us!
There are several very important aspects to successfully entertaining seniors. The MOST important aspect is to play and sing the music that they know. For the most part, that means learning to sing some of the older crooners like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby etc. For lady singers, Ella Fitzgerald and Judy Garland were some of the staple singers of that era. This also means purchasing Karaoke discs with these performers on them. Often, you can get specialty discs that have the big band singers from the 30s to the 50s on them. For example, Sweet Georgia Brown CDGs have a lot of these selections. Start out your show with a couple of instrumental hits like In the Mood, Take the A Train, etc. Introduce yourself over these songs, and get your singing hat on.
Another very important aspect is to understand that some of these folks haven't (sadly) had much attention from their relatives, and are often starved for affection. Don't worry if a sweet old lady takes your hand for the whole singing session! Get right out there with them, and sing to them. It's helpful if the place has a big screen TV that you can hook into, so you can help lead the audiences in a sing-a-long. Remind them of the days of Mitch Miller and the bouncing ball in TV, and explain that when the words change color, that’s the cue to sing. There is also a good VCD called PUBTASTIC which has lots of old melodies on it and these folk love this type of sing-a-long.
It isn't necessary to have music running non-stop for the hour either. You can talk about a song or an artist or ask your audience a few quiz questions that are really easy - even give out a few chocolates! Pace yourself and don't be in a rush. If you have a routine for telling jokes, tell a couple of jokes. The Home you play at will often determine the level of participation. Don't be surprised if you get places where everyone is bed ridden and wheeled in. You won't get a lot of reaction, and some of the seniors will fall asleep (take that as a positive). In other homes the residents may be recycled teenagers and up to all sorts of no good! However it's great to see 70-somethings crowding around the TV screen and singing and their friends giving applause!
If you don't charge a huge amount for your show you are likely to get booked back on a regular basis. If you can do two shows on a week night it could certainly boost your income and give something back to YOUR community.
Senior Karaoke is very rewarding, whether or not they actually sing. You can use your Karaoke collection and entertain in a way you never thought possible. This is a type of event where you end up being the focal point of the show, but they like it that way! This type of entertaining will sharpen and hone your overall entertainment skills. You will leave with a feeling of satisfaction of having touched these lives that club work will never give you. You need to be very patient and run your show at a slower pace so that you are clearly understood and appreciated.
