Music to the ears
Jukeboxes are part of the furniture in most pubs. And new technology means customers can choose a tune without leaving their seats
The humble jukebox has undergone a transformation over the past half decade, primarily due to digital downloads. Peter Butler, managing director of machine supplier Claremont Automatics, says there has been a continuous changeover, away from CDs to digital jukeboxes. "Some low-take sites still want CDs, but an increasing number are demanding digital because they increase revenue and the selection of music available is colossal, plus they are easy to use," he says.
According to Leisure Link, sites that have installed its The Music System have increased revenue by up to three times the figure recorded by sites with a traditional jukebox.
The system gives access to two million tracks, with around 1,000 new tunes added each week. Every number-one hit from 1952 is available and the music can be selected by genre, keyword, song title or album, and artist. Leisure Link has also teamed up with recording studios to offer pre-released music before it goes on general sale.
Gamestec's system is Five Music, unveiled a few years ago. It comes with a sharp picture definition and an advanced touch screen. Gamestec says Five allows licensees to profile the music to suit the time of day or ambience - for example, by blocking heavy metal tracks - if it doesn't suit the majority of customers in the pub at that time. Licensees can also adjust the pricing structure by, say, lowering costs during slack periods or increasing prices during busy trading sessions.
Claremont is trialing three sites where the music on its Sound Leisure jukebox can be selected by mobile phone. Butler explains: "When people walk into the pub with their mobile phone on, they will receive a message telling them that they can select tracks that will be charged to their phone bill. I think that it is going to be very successful, particularly among young people who love gizmos."
He says arrangements have been made with the mobile network companies so that Claremont and the venues receive their share of the phone bill.
Mediatheme's Entertainer Pro system offers not just a choice of more than 1,000 music videos and 5,000 audio tracks, but also 3,000-plus karaoke tunes. Operators can select from a number of play modes or create their own compilation of tracks to suit different moods or occasions.
In addition to music, the system offers a range of entertainment features such as quizzes, games like bingo and roulette, and hosts can stage race nights involving horse and greyhound races.
Sing-along time
There seems to be an innate desire among many pub-goers to sing once they have got a drink in their hands, a tradition that harks back to the old days when someone at a piano orchestrated a sing-along.
Modern karaoke systems may have replaced someone tinkling the ivories, but singing in pubs remains popular, no doubt fuelled by television talent shows such as Pop Idol, Stars in Their Eyes, and the like.
Brendan Whelan, licensee of the Black Bull at Folkestone in Kent, has staged a karaoke night every Saturday for the past five years and remarks: "It works for me a treat." Whelan introduced karaoke after giving up on live music. "We tried live music for a year, but the acts were so inconsistent. People were crying out for karaoke, so we hired a good local DJ, who brings all his own equipment with song sheets displayed on a screen."
The evenings are enjoyed by a wide age range. "We get the younger crowd earlier before they move on to the clubs. Then, it's the older customers singing Elvis or Tom Jones numbers."
On an average night, around 20 customers will perform and Whelan says the Black Bull has established itself as the place to be for karaoke on a Saturday. The Punch outlet used to stage karaoke on Sundays, but Whelan says other pubs in the area "jumped on the bandwagon, which meant it wasn't worthwhile".
At present, Whelan's customers perform
just for fun. However, he is considering
re-introducing Bull Idol, a karaoke competition he staged a few years ago, which ran over 12 weeks with £1,000 of prize money. "It was very successful and we're thinking of running it, possibly once we get March out of the way."
