The awful sound mix I can really sympathise with - you need to be a really good sound engineer to get a decent amplified sound in high-culture palaces built for orchestras like the RFH or Manchester's Bridgewater Hall; the desk jockey you've got clearly isn't, so that's a real shame. (The only half-decent amplified sound I've ever heard in the Bridgewater was the wonderful Penguin Cafe, and they take a lot of care on their sound balance, and are experienced in playing in all sorts of non-standard venues).

But as to your 'The BBC is racist' stuff - you went, presumably of your own volition, to a concert of the Transatlantic Sessions - and you're really *that* surprised and outraged by the Celtic and American content?

The publicity all hinges on the fact that it's a touring show of the television TS, and the artist choices made by the lead musicians (one Scottish e.g. Aly Bain, one American e.g. Jerry Douglas) have been endlessly and pointlessly bitched about on MudCat for years ...

Whether you personally agree with the TS artist booking policy or not, you can hardly be shocked to find that the content and artists on the tour are, oh no, much the same as the TV programmes ...