Hi Noreen !!

Of the Jug I know nothing, but here is a little about the music last night in the Dog and Partridge
Only a few were people 'performing' as many are on holiday at the moment. Its in an irish pub and the music is also usually irish
A visitor from mexico (i think) gave us a very nice tune on Brian Howards Harp, a very nice rhythm and a nice change
At the end of the evening Bob and Suzie, who also run a folk club elsewhere, played some tunes in a more english style on instruments borrowed from the other players
The usual suspects played a range of tunes and sang songs all night and I played along where possible
The night started off quiet in every sense, few musicians or audience, and got louder as the room filled up. All the problems mentioned about sessions have occured at this one I think and it really is hard to play anything when you can't hear yourself over the conversation
In fact the evening began with a couple of people discussing session etiquette after two people fell out the week before over one drumming along while the other tried to play a tune
The people chatting last night were not trying to be rude, they were making friends, having a good time and regularly applauding . It was the first visit for one man and he enjoyed the evening so much he is bringing his mum next week
The fact is that people like nice background music/singing in the pub but aren't there to sit in silence like they would for a performance
I have been guilty of this myself when people I wanted to talk to arrive and there wasn't a break in the music

From now on I will try to share and learn a few tunes early in the night before it gets noisy, a kind of musician gathering, and just join in with whatevers being played later

I was put in my place for being out of tune too (which was fair enough though I think I was playing the wrong tune/repeat rather than being out of tune),and got some requests to play (though I think the requests were from people who had not heard my playing and who were fairly drunk)

I ended the night by waiting for the bus on West Street, I often see a fairly drunken Jim McDonald there.........I think he posted on the other thread ( does he always wear the same jumper??)
I still haven't heard him sing perhaps one day he will give us a song at the D&P?

Roger