Thanks for the explaination Les.

FWIW, I will give you my experience. I have been to a couple of local (as opposed to festival rather than meaning where I live) sessions that have felt very cliquey but on the whole, I have found local sessions very welcoming. I have read many reports to the contary but my feeling is that much bad feeling is more likely to be rooted in lack of session etiquitte and that sort of missundertanding than anything else.

With regards to bigginners, I think some sessions would be very difficult for an out an out starter wanting to play out. The one I attend most frequently is one such session. It is tolerant and helpful (I'd never be able to play there if it wasn't), people will lend you CDs, etc. but I doubt for example that more than one set slowed down would be appreciated. Part of the attitude is "we will help but do your homework as well and as you get to learn more join in more".

Maybe that sounds hard and I find it sad that in some quarters such a session could be considered hostile but it's the way I and plenty of others learned how to at least make some contribution. I think both ways have good and bad points. With the way you would like, the everyone can join in everything is a clear bonus but I think it can, on a regular event at any rate, carry the drawback that rather than progresing there is the danger that as joining in is possible the desire to move on is removed. With the other way, if you want to parcipate, you have to learn but you can feel quite inadequate (I still do) along the road and dispair at times.

Anyway, enough of my rambling. I think there is room for all types of sessions and hope that some organisers do take up on your ideas.