In college we would have groups that were "in between" (Chicago and St. Louis, for instance) come play. There was the Mitchell Trio (with someone named John Denver), Judy Collins, and others. All but one gave us the same quality of performance and attention they would have given a New York audience -- true performers and troupers.

The other one (and I think I've deliberately forgotten the group), they, well, they stunk. It was like attending the first practice of a group of musicians brought together by someone who said, "You guys ought to get together sometime." One fell off the stage, a guitar string broke and wasn't replaced (!), about half of their sound equipment worked, and they didn't tune to each other.