" unless it's performed by "artists" who are singing from behind a microphone or on recorded formats "

This is another thing which bugs me these days. Even in the folk and acoustic music scene, the trend seems to be towards "Open Mics" and "Stages". Less people seem to want to go to sessions and/or singarounds and sing or play in a less formal setting. It seems that they need to have an audience.

This is often unfair for both the performers themselves and their audiences. The former are often pushing themselves or being pushed into performing situations when they are either not ready or up to it. Audiences then feel obliged to sit and listen to mediocre acts although many of the actual singers don't even bother to hang around after they've done their bit. So, they can often be pretty sparse.

There is, of course, a place for live concerts even at amateur level but I prefer music and song as a sharing experience. Something you do with people and not "AT" them. By all means progress to something more formal when you are ready but, even then, it should be something you really want.