Try again - I just tried to get some chat going on this one, but maybe the "NZ" in the thread title put people off. Anyway, it would be great if this thread could turn into a definitive list of the best folk clubs out there..... worldwide..... as you will see, I'm in NZ, but I travel a lot and would be particularly keen to hear of any clubs in British Columbia, Colorado, the UK and France..... Here's my original post, nearly unchanged ...

Seems there's an awful lot of chat bemoaning the fact that folk clubs are not great. I've just been reading about 3 people turning up to Hull FC.... which I have to agree is piteously poor. So, I thought I'd take the time to tell you about a thriving club...

The Bunker (a real WW2 bunker) on Mt Victoria (a volcano) in Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand has a regular attendance of about 100 members on a club night. Since it only holds 100, often on a guest night, it's tickets only. People nearly always have to sit in the windowsills or stand in the doorway. The standard of music is fantastic. Everyone is encouraged to perform and many a newbie turns into a regular and visibly improves over the weeks. Guests come back year after year (often from Europe or the States) - so much so that Roger (the MC) has trouble fitting in the locals for guest spots. Though many of the members are older, there are also a number of younger members - lots of 30 somethings and quite a few younger.

So, why is it so popular? Well, Roger Giles, the MC is a character who everyone would be happy to see performing in his own right - he does, often. Then, there's the venue.... a cosy hole in a hill overlooking the south pacific.... magic on any night, the free coffee, tea and milo and banter in the interval, the big open fire in the winter and .... oh yes, and the music. The format of a club night is floorspots (2 numbers per performer), break, floorspots. Guests get either the full night or the second half depending upon.... I'm not quite sure what - seems to be largely dependent upon how far you've travelled i.e. if you're not from Auckland you get the whole night, if you are you probably only get the 2nd half unless you're a big AKL star.

Any musicians passing through, this is a must visit folk club. Every Monday night 8pm.

I am from London, and I never found anything like it in that town.... but if anyone knows of such a place there, I'd be happy to make a trip on my next visit.... (I won't expect a view of the south pacific ;-).