My answer again would be that it has varied. I have gone out just for the music, just to meet others and some combination of both.

In my current circumstances, the opportunity to get out of the house for a night out is a motive and one that doesn't exist for me with other things.

I'm not sure how I'd fit that in with my otherwise non existent social life but I'm a bit of an odd one, enjoying talking to others but also liking a lot of time on my own. Sometimes it's just the "change of scenery" I like.

Of course I don't usually do a lot of talking when out for music, most of it is just get on with playing. My favourite situation is a session which I can just (mostly) drop in to or (if I feel like a break/short chat) out of with others always keeping the tunes going. It's unpressurised and adds relaxation to the attractions. Don't always get that of course, eg. as one of the few strong (by this event's standards - I'm not that good) players at a do I went to recently, you can feel an obligation to help add a bit of stability and start more than you really want to...