Author Archive
Bye Bye Bye – to 2017
by tuneup on Dec.31, 2017, under info
Hi Guys,
What a year! – I know we say that every year but that’s because it’s true!!
Every year all of you give us more reasons to laugh, smile and plenty of stories to tell to our ‘normal’ friends that don’t work in a karaoke bar. I would like to start off by saying a big thank you to everyone who has graced us with their presence this past year. I see more and more familiar faces as every year goes by and it’s so good to get to know you all better – even though the alcohol can cause the conversations to get a bit TMI – but that’s what makes Tune-Up unique.
Since this year is drawing to a close we have all come together with our favourite moments from the last 365 nights.
- We started the year off with adding some new songs to our collection. And still you people are not satisfied, insisting we should have ‘Horses’ and ‘Mr. Brightside’.
Mr. Brightside I get, but Horses? Let it go, it’s not going to happen. - Tune-Ups 8th birthday celebration where we themed the bar as ‘R&B’ for the night and had a great time hearing you all join in and perform the most neglected genre of karaoke music, anyone who tried to perform Valerie or Bohemian Rhapsody was quickly evicted!!
- We FINALLY got a new till, we were never happier to say goodbye to the dinosaur that was occupying the bench prior!!
- Long time Tune-Up babe Maddi left us for greener pastures after three and half years of suffering through all of your singing and being given countless phone numbers – we still miss her terribly!!
- Endless Facebook posts where we tried to give you a glimpse of what it’s like behind the scenes here at Tune-Up, if you haven’t seen them yet we suggest going through our page and having a laugh at our expense.
- Kats thinking he’s hilarious and constantly buying toys, nick naks, plants, signs, you name it he bought anything to make sure there was no spare space on any bench or balcony.
- A favourite moment was watching a customer do a knee slide on our floor and realizing that the carpet is definitely not soft- we later heard that his pants were completely ripped at the knee and the scrapes were infected!! I still laugh every time I think about it!!
- We have single handedly skyrocketed the sales of Pringles to heights previously unheard of.
- More stories have been relayed to us of how you and your friends use ‘Good job’ as your own personal joke within your regular everyday lives, and we love it!
- You might have seen her gracing the bar and stage already but we had a new girl join us! For those not introduced yet her name is Courtenay and she’s been the latest addition to our Tune-Up family! She’s bubbly, friendly and heaps of fun to have a chat or sing with so if you haven’t yet come in and say hello!!
- When Kats decided that we would no longer have unhealthy snacks, which was followed by months of unhealthy snacks. He can pay my gym membership!
- Izzy has joined our team as the latest guard, he’s had heaps of fun signing with you, and getting to know you all. If you need a duet partner look no further he is definitely not shy!!
There are honestly too many funny moments that we haven’t included in here. Have you got a favourite night that you have had with us this year? I hope we can all look to the New Year with positive thoughts and aim to make next year even better than this one- which will be pretty hard because 2017 was great!! May 2018 be kind to you all and I’m sure we will see you all again very soon, stay safe on new years and enjoy your Christmas!!!
Love from all of the Tune- Up girls – Kris, Chantelle, Rhiannon and Courtnenay
…..And Laura
BAD GIRLS
by tuneup on Dec.29, 2016, under info
Hi Guys
So recently we’ve all been reading through the old blogs which is always great fun! Back from the team I originally started; Carly, Bec and Kelc, all the way through till now. This year is almost over and its been an absolute whirlwind for Tune-Up! We’ve had a few staff changes and a few operational changes (some which Kats may not actually be aware of…). There was a blog written just over 3 years ago by Bec that went into some behind the scenes conversations at Tune-Up so we thought we’d create a new version.
This year we all went to a Chinese restaurant for our Christmas dinner. We decided to order a plate each to share and this is how the conversation went…
KATS: “Who here is a veggie?”
MADDI: “Nope!”
LAURA: “Nah I tried it last week but it was too hard!”
RHIANNON: “I’m slowly re-introducing meat”
KRIS: “Says nothing, we all know she’s our token vegan”
CHANTELLE “Sure am, the only meat I eat is DICK!”
Now nobody feels like eating and thankfully Kats doesn’t understand why
we’re all laughing.
Now enough about the stupid things we all say, everyone that comes through our doors always leaves us with something funny to remember them by!!
THINGS CUSTOMERS SAY:
STAFF: Are you paying cash or card?
CUSTOMER: Yes.
CUSTOMER: When do you get up to sing??
STAFF: oh we don’t sing we’re dancers
CUSTOMER: If you could hear any song what would it be??
STAFF: oh there’s this really great band I like called silence….you should sing one of their songs….they’re our fav.
“How do you work here?!”
“Where’s Kats, you know the Asian that owns it. He’s a really great friend of mine and says I don’t need to pay entry”.
CUSTOMER: Hi James.
TYLER: I’m not fucking James!
“What’s a private room aye ;)”
Cue Chantelles entrance with above dinner comment… 😉
*Maddi and Laura standing at the bar talking*
CUSTOMER: Are you done yet?!
MADDI AND LAURA: Nope, not after that comment!
CUSTOMER: I’m a really good singer, you guys should really be paying ME to sing here.
STAFF: oh you’re a good singer? Have you heard our guard James?……..
KATS: Refer to blog from Aug 2013 because he stills says the same shit!
To be fair though one thing has changed about Kats, now instead of buying the worlds worst junk food every night he’s gone on a health kick and started buying ‘Kat food’ which includes organic apples and vegan muesli bars (maybe after all of Kris’s vegan lectures everyone is being converted!!).
Final thoughts! Despite all of this years changes there’s always one thing in Tune-Up that stays the same! Can you guys guess what it is??
The sticky carpet?
The song list?
No!!!!! It’s how much much we actually fucking love each other! Never before has coming into work felt like not actually coming into work. All of us girls feel so lucky to be able to spend every night together, it makes work feel like being in high school again – heaps of alcohol, someone always telling us to do our work (Kats) and always having a friend to spend the time with!!! But as much as we love each other, we love and appreciate everyone of you who helps make Tune up what it is! So thank you to our regulars, our new comers and all those far and in between! You all really and truely make this shitty little bar the best shitty little bar in Surfers Paradise!!
So from our little family to yours; Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year! We hope to see you all in the new year for a catch up (after you’ve all broken your “I’m not drinking this year” New Years resolutions of course)!
-Laura (and all of the girls at Tune-Up)
Team Tune-Up
by tuneup on Jul.07, 2016, under info
Hi Guys, It’s Kats here.
It’s just turning July and the second half of 2016 has started. Well time is passing so quickly and things are always changing to new.
Lately I feel that running my own business is like managing a sport team. New York Yankees for Major League Baseball in USA, apparently Yankees fans can be so tough and sometimes so mean to even their own Yankees players if their performance doesn’t meet what they want; but then if his performance is great, they love him crazily. Every season some players go and some join. If he’s a great player in this season it doesn’t mean he will be great again in the following. It has never always been the same team, but the management, players, and fans have been always one as Yankees make their 115 years history.
We, Tune-Up in our 8 years history is not like the enormous New York Yankees, but we probably are like the Brisbane Bandits. (I know most of you even don’t know Australia has a professional Baseball league ABL and we have Bandits in Brisbane) Bandits are a small market team but that’s fine and they are still cool. We call ourselves “A Little Shitty Bar in Surfers” but we are also still cool and funky!!! We do things in our way and it doesn’t matter what happens. Myself as an owner of this little shitty bar is trying to always have a good working environment for my staff. It lets us perform better and makes sure us, regulars, and customers are having a great experience together. That is all we are aiming to do.
I know some say that producing money is ultimate purpose of running the business… Yes money is always important for all of us and we want always want more money. But I am not a good business minded person at all…. Now lets say the most important thing for us at Tune-Up is our people. Customers, bar staff and all people involved in Tune-Up should have a great time as one like Yankees!! Guys, I don’t mind if you are tough to us and say “Booooooo!!” if our performance doesn’t meet what you want. But I’m not asking you to like us, but what we are trying to do is being a team that you guys can’t help but love like crazy!!!
Thanks Guys for reading my blog message and hope to see you soon in the bar. Let’s keep on going until next time!!
Tune-Ups Crazy Fans
HOTTER THAN EVER
by tuneup on Jun.22, 2016, under info
Wow so it’s been a while since you’ve heard from us here on the blog! Lazy I know!!!!! We do have an excuse though it’s been a crazy couple of months!!
We said goodbye to long time Tune Up girl Georgie recently and wish her all the best for the future, you will be missed!! (Don’t worry though she still visits, after all you can never truly leave Tune Up! haha)
The whole crew including our security boys James and Tyler joined us for a staff dinner this month. It’s always great when we get to all catch up together outside of work, did any of you spot us out for drinks that night too?? Hahaha we felt sorry for Maddi and Emily who had to work the night after! Big thank you to Laura for making sure we all got home safe and put up with us in her car! Guess what? We even got a rare photo of Kats actually OUTSIDE of Tune Up! Would you believe it? Haha!
Some of you may have noticed a few new things around the bar lately. We started to find lots of ‘artwork’ in the ladies bathroom recently so we thought we would save your lipstick and put chalkboards up for you all instead! Shout out to Chantelle for coming up with the idea, we’ve had heaps of fun things left behind for us to read when we clean up of a night time! And as far as the actual bar side of Tune Up goes we’ve been brought into the present and actually have CAFÉ PATRON! Come in and have a shot with us, your shout of course 😉 haha!
We’d like to say thank you to everyone who has been in lately because the last couple of months have been so much fun! (Or maybe we’re just drinking more?) Kats has even let us play some new background DVD’s lately but I think the Beyoncé concert is about to ‘mysteriously’ disappear, I guess we’ll have to pry the Bonjovi DVD out of his cold, dead hands haha!!
As you might know some new lockout laws are approaching on July 1st (Boooooooooo) but don’t worry in true Tune Up fashion we’re going to carry on no matter what and make sure you’re all getting your party fix every night of the week despite what the Government says!!! I guess you’re all going to have to get off your butts and start coming to see us earlier!!
There’s not many jobs where your only responsibility is to have a great time along with you all every night of the week! So thank you to all of our regulars and newcomers you make it so easy for us to do! Most of the time we even forget we’re at work until we have to start cleaning everything up!
That’s all for now! See you all in soon to make every night even better than the last!
Kris
Tune Up’s tale 2
by tuneup on Jan.12, 2016, under info
As some of you remember the last chapter of Tune Up’s tale found us without a manager after the most bossy lady in all the land, Laura, fell pregnant and Georgie was lost in Thailand.
Thankfully, the 2nd half of 2015 was a little less crazy for the little bar. The big bad boss was still infected with termites, however he refused to stay away from the bar, even for one night as he didn’t want the girls being naughty while he was gone! Unfortunately for the girls, the bossiest lady in all the land, Laura, returned to work after having her little monster as she couldn’t stand bossing everyone around from home anymore! This scared some girls and so they moved away from Tune-Up and it once again went searching for fresh blood. The new recruits, Emily #2 and Chantelle, were found and are doing well (thanks to Laura bossing them around). Soon after the new girls arrived Tune-Up was faced with the ‘battle of Schoolies’! With the help of the new girls and the previously seasoned soldiers, Kris, Tayla, Emily Blue, Maddi and Georgie they won the fight!
As always Tune Up owes their victories to all the loyal customers and are looking forward to a fresh and exciting New Year with them all.
Guess who’s back… back again… ♪ ♪
by tuneup on Dec.30, 2015, under info
The Tune Up blog is back… tell a friend! ♪
Well hasn’t the year just flown by! It’s been a while since you heard from us because we’ve been so busy having so much fun with you all this year that we’ve forgotten to post!!! We would all just like to thank everyone for making 2015 a year to remember….. well some of you might not remember much from all the partying, but now we’re here to remind you just how fun it all was!
So much has happened this year that it’s hard to pick 2015’s stand out moments….but if we HAVE to choose some it would probably be the 80’s night party where everyone looked fabulously tacky in true 80’s style. Also our comedy night that has made it’s weekly debut on Saturday has been a great new addition to the Tune Up week Or the revival of the deadly power rangers shots, if you haven’t been acquainted with our rangers yet we suggest you do soon!!! But finally I think the standout moment of 2015 has been all the amazing “good jobs!” given out by none other than your favourite bar staff!!!! Thank you to everyone that helped make 2015 Tune Up what it is, we love and appreciate you all!
Best wishes for the new year and be safe because we want you all in one piece for all the partying we’re gonna put you all through next year! Hopefully all of you don’t get sick of us rambling on and on in these blog posts because we’re coming back to stay in 2016! Feel free to come and have a chat to us anytime! We love messages and comments and if there’s anything you would like us to write about or you have any questions we’re always happy to talk!!
2015 has been an awesome year; let’s hope we can make even more memories next year! Thank you to all of our regulars, new comers and friendly faces, you’re all what makes Tune Up such an awesome place to work!!
Much love and best wishes for 2016 from Kats and all your Tune Up girls xoxoxo
My Journey at Tune-Up
by tuneup on Jun.30, 2015, under info
Hey everyone, Tayla here. I’ve been asked to write on the blog about my time here at Tune-Up so far, I also thought I’d take the opportunity to tell those of you who don’t yet know me a little about myself. I’ve been working here for a little over 6 months now and all I can say is I’ve had the time of my life and I am so grateful for this job. Every aspect of working at Tune-Up is brilliant.
First of all, I love love love the fact that my job means that I get to have awesome chats, sing-a-longs and dances with everyone and essentially meet people from all over the world and hear stories from all different walks of life. I think that making a connection with you guys is what makes this place so great and so down to earth, and I’m all about the good vibes. A lot of customers ask me if I get sick of hearing people singing every night, but I think it’s great that you all find the courage to express yourselves and strut your stuff on that stage! Plus music has always been a huge aspect of my life and copious amounts of karaoke won’t affect my love for tunes, even if I do hear the same songs over and over aha.
So I Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has made my long nights at work so enjoyable and if there is anything you ever need don’t hesitate to come talk to me. Which brings me to the need to mention that the staff here at Tune-Up are amazing and I can honestly say I’ve never met a lovelier team of girls who are so accepting and willing to help each other through the night, depending on what the crowd throws at us haha. They’ve made me feel so welcome and I’ve felt like part of the team from the beginning. So once again, thanks everyone for making my time here at Tune-Up a blast and I look forward to seeing your lovely faces xo Tay
Hello It’s Kris
by tuneup on May.26, 2015, under info
First of all I would just like to say a big hello and thank you to all of the staff, regulars, and new faces that have been so kind to me through my first couple of months! My name is Kirsten but everyone has taken to calling me Kris haha. I’m the new girl with the short blonde hair and big round glasses – yes they’re real!
people and your late night antics that make it so easy and enjoyable. Even though it is such a small venue I have never been in a place with such a huge amount of personality! It feels as though every person who comes through the door truly leaves their mark. You all never fail to make me laugh and feel like I’m just hanging out with good friends rather than being at work!It has been such an amazing opportunity to come on board and be apart of Tune Up.
I feel like Tune Up is unique in that I get to really know you all when you come in…..after all there really isn’t much left to bare after you’ve belted out your favorite song in front of the whole bar! I have noticed since starting is that everyone is so quick to apologise for their bad singing or silly choice of song, but in reality I just want to thank you for helping to make Tune Up what it is! Whether you can or can’t sing doesn’t matter, what does matter is being happy and having a good time! Nothing makes me happier than seeing other people with a smile on their face, so if you ever want to have a chat or need a song/drink suggestion, let me introduce myself! I look forward to all of the nights (and renditions of bohemian rhapsody) ahead of me, as well as getting to know you all better. If you come in on a quiet night I’ll be happy to sing musical theatre or rap for you ;)! I hope to see you all soon!
Xoxox lots of love and good jobs!
Tale of Tune-Up
by tuneup on May.10, 2015, under info
Tale of Tune-Up.
Once upon a time, there was a lovely little bar in the heart of Surfers Paradise called Tune-Up. Everything was going great for Tune-Up and there was never a care in the world! One day the big bad boss disappeared to have some of his rusty old screws replaced as they had stopped holding his brain together like they were supposed to. Unfortunately, the termites crawled in during this procedure and he had to return this year to have them cleared out.
Around the same time the lovely Georgie had to undertake some very serious training in far, far away Thailand. She had to consume copious amounts of alcohol and party the night away but fortunately she passed with flying colours. The most bossy lady in all of Tune-Up, Laura also fell pregnant around the same time and disappeared to take care of herself but was still telling the girls what to do.
With no manager Tune-Up was sure to close but the brave Maddi stepped up and took on the responsibility of manager (Laura told her she had to). To help Maddi Tayla & 2 new girls arrived at Tune-Up Kris and Morgan.
The goodness of people prevailed and crisis was adverted. Tune-Up remained open for all its wonderful customers; thank you to Charles, Nick and Kyrstal for making it all happen. Most of all thank you to our customers for keeping our fairy tale going!
Shake It Off
by tuneup on Jan.15, 2015, under info
Happy New Year!
I hope you all had a special New Year’s with your friends, family or loved ones.
I was lucky enough to spend my new year’s at Tune-Up with an old staff member KELC :). Who came back to help out, over the busy summer period. This time last year I was welcoming the new year with Kelc, Bec and Carly; and boy has a lot changed since then not just the staff but the customers too. I miss our old girls so much and our regulars who have moved away.
To them I quote, New Year is the time to remember all the memories we share, all the fun things we did, and all the secrets we poured out, for distance is the last thing that can create a rift in our friendship.
BUT! I’m very excited to be welcoming our fairly new staff Emily, Paige and Tayla and not so new member Maddi! It’s great having a new team to bring into the new year. They fit in so easily bringing this care free vibe, singing and dancing around the place(well Tayla and Emily). Paige is so sweet, always willing to help people. This year I’m also looking forward to our new books bringing some recently popular songs. I wouldn’t mind taylor swift shake it off 😉
Hope to see you all soon.
Georgie x