Is it any wonder why young working class people are not drawn to Folk and Traditional music. I often frequent folk clubs in and around London and they are not the most comfortable places to be in. There seems to be an air of complete intellectual snobbery (or attempted intellectualism!!!!) amongst the people who attend these sessions. Most are middle aged (like myself,) who I think have a responsibility to pass on this music to the younger and also disadvantaged generation. No, this does not seem to be the attitude of many (not all) at all. Whilst singing the songs of earlier working peoples, gypsies, sailors etc, they seem to be oblivious to the songs/music's origins. Or perphaps, they disdain the origins because of their privilidged white middle class background.

I recently attended a folk festival in London, and I have never experienced such snobbism and patronronising attitudes in my life before.

Perhaps us lower down the social scale need to set-up our own clubs to retain what is (maybe) rightfully ours. I hope not, as music is suppossed to break down barriers, not erect them

Most intelligant post on the issue i have read.

I agree, the snobbery is incredible. It is as you say, 'attempted intellectualism!!!!', and it is off-putting. It comes down to ego, everyone loves to be a character at the end of the day, so everyone is pushing their character as much as possible. Everyone is the folk scholar. I have been put off by a lot of folk clubs like that.