The comments made so far have been very representative of the British folk club, and you won't go far wrong in absorbing these comments. So in order to consolidate your ideas, you really could do with getting some hands on experience of the British pub. Sadly continental replicas just don't hit the spot. ie, you really need to come to the UK to soak up the ambience.

I've had the benefit of attending a US house concert, but not a song circle, and have also been to the Press Room in Portsmouth. Many of you will have been to the Press Room. If you were able to take the people and music out of the bar and put them in their own private room, say above a bar (so long as there is access to beer) and then you would have something close to a British Folk Club. Just to add to the earlier comments, there is usually, on "singers nights" a mixture of accapella singers, instrumentalists, and often some poetry (usually humorous) thrown in too. And it is run on song circle lines by all would be performers being given a chance to do one "number", then going round again if time permits. The idea is to build up a fund with which to pay a monthly paid guest. Underpinning the British Folk Club seems to be the ample availability of beer. There may be one or two folk clubs that run without beer, but not that many, (modest -usually)insobriety seems to add to the develpoment of the club atmosphere. There is often public transport for those over the limit to get us the short distance home.