Much good stuff there Joanie and Villan, with which I won't argue. But reading it, a question crept into my head: What ages SHOULD we be trying to attract to a folk event (club or single event as opposed to a festival)?

I put forward the argument that we waste our efforts and meagre resources with the majority of 15-to-25s. Not that we don't want them to come to the clubs, but rather that we are trying to herd cats. That age is too fickle, more likely to be affected by the commercial channels vying for their attention, too interested in things like getting their leg over (a purpose which folk clubs can no longer serve, though we did OK back when), less likely to park their bum in one place for 3 hours, and too self-absorbed to listen to others - they've discovered life and they want to tell the world, not listen to the world (one of the reasons, I argue, for the kind of - mostly young - artist who does a floor spot and then disappears). No, leave it to the festivals to battle for their attention, they are much better equipped for that. Just be grateful and nurture whatever audience you can grab in that age bracket. But if we focus on them, we skip a whole generation at our peril.

Instead, folk clubs should be focussing on the 25-to-45 bracket. More settled in themselves (and therefore more likely to go for club membership), with more spare income, perhaps a need to get away from the little ones for an hour or two in the evening but not necessarily wanting to traipse to the nearest city for a major concert or play; and with at least some exposure in their past to folky elements.

Focussing on a target age group will probably also guide us as to the media and places we should use for our promotion. Sure, put up some posters at the local college or schools, by all means. But concentrate more on the local supermarkets, gyms, sports clubs, restaurants, Mothercare and like shops, nurseries etc. When it comes to media, the usual suspects (local papers & radio) are good - but the internet is increasingly usurping their role in informing the generation that follows us; I noticed a couple of clubs getting their pages up on MySpace, perhaps more clubs should follow the example. Focussed eMail campaigns might help (no scattergun spam please) - that means using someone with the nouse to create specific distribution lists from the jumble of email accounts you have collected at the door.

Of course, the focus on a target group may also mean changes to the material allowed in the club, in order to become attractive to them. Some clubs may need to relax their rules on that - if a newbie wants to sing "Maxwell's silver hammer" because that's what their Dad used to play to them when they were little, they shouldn't be shown the door, but encouraged, and then they might be more willing to listen to the more "mainstream folk" material to widen their experience. And perhaps one day they might sing "London Danny" or "She walked through the fair" to THEIR little ones.