Agreed, Riponden/Ryburn 3 Step is brilliant.

Just earlier this evening, I had the pleasure of attending one of my favourite folk clubs -- at the Red Deer on Pitt St in Sheffield (S1). It's a lovely sing called "Raise the Roof!" every 2nd Thursday (except in August) at 8.30. Basically it's a singaround (you may sing or pass when it's your turn) -- but the idea is to sing songs with choruses, so even those who don't like the spotlight get plenty of singing in. We usually manage to get 'round the room twice.

There is a good mix of experience and confidence levels amongst the regulars, and it's a friendly, welcoming group.

We rarely book guests -- once or twice a year at most (the December do always has a guest(s)), but when we do we favour wonderful harmony singers like Dave Webber & Annie Fentiman; Coope, Boyes & Simpson, & The Wilsons, to name a few -- and ask them to indulge our liking for chorus songs.

There's also a good sing in Barnsley on Monday evenings at the Shaw Inn (Shaw St & Racecommon Rd); would like to get there more often than I do (but that's when the Sheffield Folk Chorale has its practices, as Sod's Law would have it). Can't recollect whether or not it's no smoking -- maybe someone reading this will know.

Cheers,

YY