It IS disappointing when an artist famous for a particular song doesn't DO that particular song during a concert, but I think most folkies realise that someone like Ralph McTell did an awful lot more than just that one song. However, the artist should also remember that probably a third or a half of their audience is there BECAUSE of that one song and are not likely to come back again if they aren't given what they want.

The example I told of above involves someone who was fairly new on the scene the first time I saw her. Because of the way festivals go, I saw her two or three times that year, and heard the same spiel each time. That's OK, she was on tour, it's hard to prepare new stuff when you're living in a caravan for 9 months; even the best acts in the world start with a basic script for each show... but still to be using it 2 years later - that's too much!

LTS