I'm with John P entirely on this.

I'm not sure what point Steve Shaw thinks he's making when he puts certain of his words in quotes. Who's he quoting? Himself? He's spouting crap anyway. But his wouldn't be the first session to be restricted to a bunch of self-important prima donnas.

The point about those who play exposed, penetrating instruments (please note, Steve, no quotes) is that they need not only to play well but also to exercise good judgment about when to come in and for how long. This applies across all music. Imagine a symphony in which the triangle played in every bar.

Thanks for the link Vic Smith. That's an impressive website, and Jo is obviously an accomplished musician (if not quite up to Steve's standard), though I'd have preferred a shorter burst from the spoons in the Flop-eared Donkey - maybe a switch to bodhran for variety. The Royal Oak session looks different and well worth catching when I'm down that way. Is it weekly, and what night?

(I suppose everyone knows where there are no bodhrans in Star Trek?)