Different clubs have different approaches for different reasons. When I (ok not a Name, but a regular guest) pop over to York (fc of the year) I never expect a floor spot. There are plenty of VERY good regulars/members, and they don't need me. If I did want to sing there I'd ring Roland first, and fully expect to be told no thanks.

Most other local clubs do usually ask me to chip in, but I don't expect it, and they don't always. They'll usualy want to strike a balance between the loyal people and someone like me who's probably playing there soon-ish and who they want to promote. There are even times when I'll have a quiet word and ask to be excused if I have a really good reason - but it's their call, not mine and I'll usually sing if they want me to. Truth is that though I feel 'at home' at three local clubs including York (and a couple of singaround/sessions), and a 'local' at another half dozen, I don't go to any of them often enough to count as a regular (I'm away too much).

There are so many different models, and those models are applied in so many different ways, in clubs that have a such different characters, born of different environments, personalities, philosophies and standards, that it's impossible to generalise. What works perfectly in one club rings the death knell in another, and vice versa.

I'm becoming more and more convinced that it's not what you do, it the way that you do it. That's what gets results!

Tom