"...Rather than blaming the decline in UK folk's popularity on the media and Joe Bloke..." to quote from Gene's post a few back.

What decline? I'd say the incredibly healthy folk festival scene indicates that far from being in decline, the folk scene is in the ascendency.

I went to see Bellowhead last year who filled a packed and sweaty hall and played a blinder. Not sure how that translates as an example of a decline.

You don't see to be able to move for ceilidh bands these days yet none of them appear to be sitting at home moping about lack of gigs.

I'm not really interested in folk clubs, but I believe some of them are still doing very well. The last time I went to one, there weren't many empty seats. It was the Bothy in Southport though, which has an excellent reputation.

The 'folk scene' clearly won't be competing with the multimillion dollar excercise in Disnification that is the mainstream music industry but a)it never did and b) why should it anyway?

Cheers

Nigel