Tickled Pink at a sane volume were quite enjoyable at a recent Exeter ceilidh. Their recent interview by Joan Crump in EDS made clear they like to be known as the loudest - so hence they are, for me, confirmed as generally one to be avoided.

Others I avoid because the music is just not very danceable. I could give you an opinion on Toothless Mary but you'd get annoyed about that too. Florida I avoid because they do jazz (simply don't like it, matter of choice) and they are rather loud too.

Musical tastes differ, but levels of sound sufficient to cause hearing damage are more a matter for some effective regulation. There are precedents of course for protecting people from their own stupidity - crash helmets for example, discouraging smoking, but the State should not interfere too much.

Just seems a pity to me (and others) that Sidmouth has moved so far away from danceable ceilidhs and towards what I would term just a bloody loud noise in overcrowded venues. Just too much emphasis on yoof as the target market, but here we are going over old ground.

It occurred to me recently why I enjoyed the recent IVFDF ceilidhs so much (excluding TP of course) - excellent sound and yet you could still talk to people in the hall. Quite a novelty. Maybe Sidmouth should try it - break new ground, be innovative. A ceilidh used to be an event for dancing and talking to people after all! It would have to be marketed as trendy of course.