I don't think we need to get into places with poor service. There are plenty of them that do not offer entertainment.

I am surprised to think that some place would charge $16 for someone to play. That is excessive and uncalled for unless the person is getting a full set. That sounds risky. The nice thing about the coffeehouse setting is that the unknown person is only up there for a few minutes and the audience is polite and patient enough to wait for a poor performer to finish.

This takes me to the first statement you made, Reggie, that some performers cannot afford to pay to play. I have been in that position and I know others who have been there too. It boils down to the sacrifices you make for your music. Of course, if the venue is charging an exorbitant amount then you would have to ask what is that venue's intent. The Side Door is a fundraiser for the Unitarian Universalist Church in Brunswick, Maine. The admission is $5 at the door. The Mocha Cafe is intended more for the benefit of the people who want an open mike format for their performances. As such the admission is by donation. We don't check to make sure everyone contributes but we do point out the bucket at the beginning of the show.

Somewhere in this discussion we've lost sight of one overarching consideration. THERE AIN'T NO MONEY OR GLAMOR IN FOLK MUSIC. Anyone who says otherwise hasn't tried to raise a family on the power of his/her guitar strings. The money is in country and rock. Folk music is about the music, not the musician. Those musicians who think they deserve special consideration because they can perform are just plain wrong.