Obviously hit a sensitive nerve with this thread. At one club where I sometimes play they have a sort of Beginners workshop night where people can sign up, they get three numbers (two if one of them is Matty Groves) and then get a critique. You have to go through the beginners night if you want to get to the open mikes. Everyone does at least one beginners night .... (yes, Virginia, it is actually an audition, but with some helpful hints for the shy, the true beginner, and etc).

I remember the very first time I stood up to sing solo as a folk musician and how scared and unsure I was. If I'd been slammed instead of encouraged a lifetime of music might have been missed.

A little compassion and/or empathy would not be amiss.

the Coyote