I'm reminded of a truly surreal experience at the Keele Folk Club some years ago. For the Christmas Party, posters were put up advertising 'Acoustic Jam'. A large contingent of the regular folk club crowd turned out with their acoustic instruments, ready to party the night away.

Imagine the scene, then, as an electric band took to the stage and started hammering out 70s and 80s rock music to the accompaniment of a drum machine. The lead singer looked like a refugee from Spinal Tap. Their name, much like their performance, was evidently a joke.

The whole event swiftly degenerated into a row between two factions - the serious folkies who were all for kicking the band out and having a singaround versus the other half of the room who had evidently mistaken the Pig and Rat (or Barnes Bar as it was once known) for the Students Union disco. A riot was only narrowly averted.

Ah, how those memories come flooding back. Excuse me while I wipe the tears from my eyes...