Although I'm another hardline unaccompanied singer, I do not think the Mudgather should cater purely for us.

I'm not really comfortable with 20-30 minute spots: I prefer the way it goes round the room, but when it's your turn you should feel comfortable to be able to sing (solo or chorus), dance, recite a poem, tell a story, play a solo tune, lead a session tune, perform a mummers play, distribute chocolate-covered celery, or contribute to the bonhomie in any other way you wish.

At last year's Gather in Banbury we had several superb singers who accompanied themselves, such as Les Sullivan and our very own El Greko: I wish we'd had more. There were also squeezy, bangy and blowy things, so there was also the occasional tune.

I think the unbalanced mix last year was perhaps due to there being a programmed tune session elsewhere at the same time, but no programmed singaround: the singers took the chance to combine both singing and catting; the musos maybe thought it was an either/or situation.