Snuffy - umm, yes, I do see your point! not sure I'd want to listen to 83 (or even 6) solos from same group...

And I do see that other factors must come into it - like how many people in the room, etc.

But the thing is, that I and the particular friend that I go with sing totally different material, and we aren't a duo for most of the time - just at the odd open mic. If we are allowed just one song between us, it doesn't really work - because if it's my song, he's supporting me by accompanying me on a song he'd never otherwise sing, as trad folk isn't his thing, but then he wouldn't get his separate turn to do his own thing (he's a singer-songwriter). As I don't feel it's fair to ask him to sacrifice doing what he loves doing just to accompany me, this therefore means in theory my only option is to always sing alone, in order for us to get separate turns. Which is annoying because it's fun to sometimes be accompanied!

Do you see what I mean?

(This isn't so much of a problem if everyone's getting 2 or 3 songs each; then things tend to be more flexible.)