There wasn't any feedback during Don MacLean's set (or at any time. In fairness, trying to sing to an out-of-tune guitar can be very difficult, but I've no idea what he was doing with the vocals in the frst song - it sounded very strange.

What surprised me most was that he didn't immediately retune - it seemed to be almost an afterthought when he tweaked the worst string just before starting his second song, which was better but nothing special.

I don't see why he shouldn't be criticised. He's just been given a Lifetime Achievement Award, and then delivers a performance which would have been embarrassing from a floorspot in a second-rate folk club. All the other performers were spot-on. Apart from DM, it was a brilliant show.

There's a theory that the Folk Awards have to include a Famous Singer to attract attention from outside the folk world. My theory is they're there to show just how good the real folk talent is.