Greetings: Judging by what I have encountered in my admittedly limited travels through the USA and the UK, Leadfingers is essentially correct. The UK folk scene is based in pubs or other places (social clubs, veterans' halls, etc) where alcohol is served, while in the USA it is primarily based in coffee houses, many of them located in churches, where alcohol is not served. This is a generality, of course, so there are some exceptions. Here are some other differences: • When there is a featured guest performer, floor singers are common in the UK, but are rarely seen in the USA. • Unlike in the UK, where a folk club consists of a group of people who meet regularly a certain venue, a folk club in the USA is most often a formal membership organization that charges annual dues and elects officers. It is often called a folk music society rather than a club. • House concerts are rare events in the UK, but are very common in the USA. In fact, the house concert is fast replacing the coffee house as the center of the USA folk scene.
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