"Shimrod must have an awful time of it being driven to distraction on such a regular basis. How embarrassing for performers to feel the sheer hate emanating from him, at times like this."

Hang on! Who said anything about "sheer hate"? Irritation, perhaps (but then I am an irascible old git). Nevertheless, I'm entitled to my opinion - even if it happens to be contrary to that of other people (what are you, 'Hesk' - some sort of 'heresy hunter'?).

MikeL2 informs us that "Performers need support". Yes, I don't deny it - but they also need honest criticism - otherwise they don't develop. What some of them may want (but don't necessarily need) is slavish adulation - as happens in the infantile world of popular music. One of the things that attracts me to the folk world is that it tends to me to be a bit more grown up than that.

And, ML2 I am a (modest) performer myself and I've always valued honest criticism - I've occasionally been criticised by other performers who I greatly admire - and always ended up the better for it!