It is very important to check out a karaoke club before you decide that's the place to go for a work evening out, or stage a hen party. Check online via a search engine and see if there are reviews on-line, you can see what other people thought and see what they have said.

Karaoke clubs are basically the same as a nightclub, in terms of bar, dancing area, stage and DJ - the idea is to have fun. The biggest difference is that there is an entertainment aspect in a karaoke bar, because the people that go are the entertainment, when they perform in front of their friends. People can sing and dance as a group or give a solo performance of their favourite songs and sometimes the audience do join in. Sometimes the audience listen but they should applaud at the end to acknowledge the effort of the person singing, out of courtesy.

Karaoke bars like all nightclubs, do have their share, that allow the illegal activities of karaoke girls and even drugs, which is why you should check out any on-line review facilities before deciding to go to a particular bar.

This isn't to say every karaoke bar will have these types of things going on, this can happen anywhere when you are out at nightclubs, as many normal clubs and bars will have an occasional evening of karaoke, but this doesn't make it a strict karaoke club.

There are specific rules to adhere to when you go to an actual karaoke bar, which have been developed through the Japanese culture and are all based within the culture, where respect and fun go hand in hand.

Respect for all of the equipment used for the karaoke event and general DJ equipment is essential, as any messing around or fooling about with the technical aspects of the evening will not be tolerated by management. The other important aspect of respect is to respect the audience and people performing. It is a two way street as the person performing, you must not mess around, be calm and have fun but show you are taking it seriously and trying your best. The audience must try to listen to the performance and clap accordingly depending on how they rate the performance, without being too rude. Shouting abusively is not tolerated as a performer or an audience member.

The other unwritten rule is to respect the bar staff and DJ at all times and to spend money at the venue to support them, as they will have had to spend money on equipment and bills, so always have a drink on the go. Ordering food is also seen as polite. Tipping the bar staff again is not essential but is considered polite, especially if they are doing a good job and have served you the correct drinks in an appropriate timely manner. It is even considered a courtesy to include the staff in the fun of the evening and some will sing and perform but whilst being served it is polite to talk to them about the evening and be friendly.

A karaoke evening may not be exclusively Japanese but the culture it has come from should be reflected in a way as the evening progresses. Following these simple rules will ensure you have a great evening and lots of fun and the way karaoke was meant to be enjoyed.