A couple of things: I don't get paid for doing this - in fact I subsidise the club up to hilt with time, phone calls and other stuff I loose the receipts for, like petrol driving about far and wide either promoting the club or sussing out acts within striking distance, printer ink, shoe leather slogging around town sticking up posters. We have a professional sound engineer who also donates his time and equipment for free, we have a doorman who hates folk music but does it as a favour to me and to local community ie., there is no other equivalent within 10 / 20 miles to play at. We have 100 quid in the kitty which we keep hoping we will increase to pay a decent guest with. Performers pay £1. The next nearest place to play is free to get in (if you can get a spot booked months in advance) and your supporters, last week, would have paid £6 each. The other nearest place charges £2 to everyone which subsidises guest nights - the other place charges £3 to everyone regardless. Or there is always karaoke.

Steve L Rich. In fact, altho' only this evening I was told that I have been 'blessed with a beautiful voice' I don't consider myself a musician (God knows why not then?) In mind, 'Real' musicians can sing unaccompanied and/or play an instrument - so running the club for those people who can do those things is my priority - because I think it's important. Is that arrogance? I get tremendous support and goodwill from most of the club but I AM getting ticked off with performers who don't co-operate or try and blag aggressively on the door about or whinge at £1 (when my phone bill alone for organising a special event was over £100) and then when being told "2 songs!" go on to sing Sir Patrick bloody Spense very badly in half time and then have a go at me because everyone's walked off to the bar or started talking amongst themselves.

Several solutions have been suggested: 1) the sound engineer pulls the plug after 10 minutes 2) I get REALLY Arrogant :) 3) I give it all up and run a Blues club instead with no open mic spots at all. 4) I get past my mid-life crisis of confidence (Why I am I doing this? What is the meaning of life, etc)

Actually - I'll post back later as I'm reaching a point where, well never mind ... I'll post back later (muse.. muse..) a guest MC, actually had one a while ago ... I think I need someone else doing that .. I think this is down to overwork ...