Years ago - I discovered where the musicians at one ren-faire held their early morning "warm-ups". This was after gate opened, but before any of them had scheduled shows, and was off away from the heavily traveled areas of the faire. Being the music addict I am, I would go and sit and listen as they "did their thing" - which could vary from individuals performing something they were working on and asking for comments from the others, to full bore jamming on numbers common to the group as a whole. Mostly it was to ease them into their day gradually, but a heck of a lot more fun for everyone then vocal excercises...

Now mind you, I was a patron, regular enough that they did know me - by face at least, but still a patron, and these were all pro musicians. To my incredible delight, they started in on a song one day, and a few bars in, the leader stopped the entire group, turned to me and came out "And why aren't you singing? I KNOW you know this!"

Anyway, the result was that when i was able to be there (this faire was 500 miles from home) I was from that time considered to be "one of them" - told where the morning jam would be if it had moved, invited to participate, even lead a few songs. A few other patrons were in similair circumstances.

Obviously, given the situation this could not be an "open" session. (Among other things, it was not a "scheduled show" and the management frowned on impromptu...so they HAD to restrict size) However, the limitations were NOT based on talent or skill level. And I have never, before or since, run across a group of people who paid more attention to each others performances...