The main club I help run is concert style, stage, pa and up to 120 tickets available. Usually 50-60 sold although the likes of Jez Lowe, Martin Simpson / Carthy etc fill it.

We try to book young talent gaining reputations such as (recently) Rowan Piggott and Rosie Hodgson, Trials of Cato, Ninebarrow and many more, with some heroes over the years such as Steve Tilston, Dave Burland, Rick Kemp, Archie Fisher etc.

Our support acts are our club members, and whilst not wishing to comment one way or another on my own set, the standard of our supports is (otherwise!) very high. This is because people are spending £10-£12 on a ticket so we have a responsibility to our supporters. We have the occasional club night where we are delighted to find future supports and indeed one who came this route has his own main act booking this year. Two teenagers who started with us now have agents and are entertaining on the folk and roots circuit.

Conversely, I help run a club elsewhere which is more inclusive of people wishing to sing and hear others at all levels.

It's horses for courses. If we booked Dick at the former I'm sure his observations would hold true here but if he popped in at the latter, he would hear something very different.

I never compare my two clubs. They are both very different. Yet both loosely called folk clubs although neither fit a general description.