At The Plough session we have a number of standard ensemble numbers that have just kind of evolved as such over the years as we've all gradually began to contribute bits and pieces to each other's songs. There is certainly no set list.

As for song books, I'm totally guilty. I'm a crap singer and a crap player. awareness of this saps confidence to the extent that I need the cheat sheets in case my mind goes blank. I try to play without looking at them, but disaster invariably ensues.

If people want to ban books at their sessions then that's fine; I won't inconvenience them with my presence. At my session, however, things are TOTALLY informal. Apart from a couple of rules that are there for the sole purpose of provoking people into breaking them, people can do whatever makes them happy and allows them to have fun. Ours is not a "performance" session, it is an inclusive, fun, having-the-craic-with-mates session. If people chose to sing without books then we even tolerate that.

As for iPads etc, I see no real difference between reading from paper and reading from a screen. If anything, the screen means less shuffling of paper and dropping of loose pages. It's not for me, but good luck to anyone who is not too anal to actually apply technology for something useful.

Enjoy your rules, dislikes, proscriptions and set lists. We'll just carry on having fun and spending more time singing and roaring with laughter than tutting at other people's insecurities. It may not be an approach that works for everyone, but it's kept my session going every week for the last 8 years or so.