I just checked a couple of websites, and apparently New Folk Concerts is for singer/songwriters, not for people who are primarily performers. This may be something different. I presume the main idea here is to promote your songs, and promoting yourself as a performer is secondary. Well, I guess presenting your songs in the venue like this is not much different from paying to have a demo tape or record made. Since my song repertoire is made up almost entirely of traditional material and I do not write songs (I have such a huge list of traditional songs I want to learn that I doubt I'll ever live long enough to learn them all), I can't say that I'm all that familiar with the hungers and ambitions of aspiring songwriters — so on this matter, I reserve judgment.

But what I said above about straight auditions, I still hold with. There are sleazy promoters out there will try to charge you for the privilege of audition for them. Their next view of you should be buttocks and elbows as you head out the door.

Don Firth