Blimey Anahata, I coudn't have put it better myself.
Quote
The truth is that a club organiser has conflicting requirements:
- to encourage new performers
- to keep the regulars coming back
- to keep standards of music or entertainment reasonably high, especially for those who come to listen but don't perform (and pay for it)
End Quote.

With setting up the Market Rasen Folk Club, that is exactly the criteria I am having to apply. I am a listener with dead enthusiastic desire to make a success of it. Its a chicken and egg situation.

I am not auditioning, but recomendations are critical for me. I don't want my listeners walking away after the first night. They are the people who will provide me with the extra money to bring in guests. I want them to have a nice experience and a desire to come back again and again.

Having said that, without the enthusiasm of the Artists supporting me, there woudn't be a club. That is one of the reasons I am allocating floor spots so that whoever performs knows where they stand and roughly how much time they will have. I am very grateful for such wonderful support.

At the same time I am involved in talking to music teachers in the hope that I can give a couple of floor spots each club meeting for youngsters to perform (under 21). This is at an advanced stage.

I am hoping that new talent will start to come through the door, and I will be the first to help and encourage them.

Finally, I still want to encourage people who are not able or don't want floor spots to have a jamming session with other same like musicians.

I will make mistakes and I will have artists possibly having a whinge at times, but I will always try to be honest and up front and always try to think of the artist and the listener.

I have listened to a lot of very helpful artists and listeners and have hopefully taken on board their ideas and recomendations.

At the end of the day, I know everybody will be giving their best shot to make it succesful. What more can I ask.

Les