John M., that lady had been coming to the singarounds for years, and had received nothing but encouragement from us, and sang both with guitar and unaccompanied. After the occasion of which you speak, I told her, I hope in a nice and positive way, that it wasn't really appropriate in what was essentially a live music session, since when she has never darkened the door of our singarounds again, nor I think of the festival until this year. She apparently recently told someone who attends the singarounds regularly that she thinks I'm an evil old bag, or words to that effect, although I was pleased to see that she has this year come back to the festival (and not using recordings!).

Anahata, I think you misunderstand Broadstairs Folk Week. It was from the very beginning primarily a festival for the public, and it has grown to include more and more for 'folkies'. It is true that quite a lot of what goes on is not everyone's idea of 'folk', but then nor is Cambridge, and there are others one could quote. The 'pub gigs' and the free shows have encouraged many locals and holiday makers to get involved in folk, and to try other things in the festival, and Broadstairs doesn't become an invasion of a holiday town just by folkies as, for instance, does Sidmouth or Whitby. It's a great festival to be involved in, and there is lots of 'real' folk.

As to Rafflesbear's initial posting, yes, I'd heard similar and I think they were actually booked for the pub gigs, although I doubt that Kim knew they were going to be using backing tracks. I don't believe there is any place in a folk festival, however broad it may be, for using anything other than live music.

I've seen Jo Freya doing something akin to what Bernard describes above, but wasn't very keen on the whole idea - I like to be able to see performers actually performing at the time I'm hearing it. The fact that it has been recorded by the same performer in front of me a few days before or a few minutes before is not the same.

Barbara