You guys should all do what the Asylum Street Spankers (Austin TX) do -- play absolutely acoustic, no mikes, no amps, no PA.

Their membership has varied over the several years I've been seeing them periodically, but they usually have about a dozen pieces, not all of whom play on every number -- there will be as few as three and as many as everybody on stage at a give time. Most mmbers double or triple on different instruments: 6-string, 12-string and tenor guitars, ukeleles, banjo(s?), mandolin, bass fiddle, sometimes a clarinet. (I'm probably omitting something.)

Their all-natural approach works pretty well, except that sometimes the vocal gets somewhat buried in the instrumental sound. Most of the singers have become quite strong (loud) with their long experience working in these unique conditions, and one vocalist uses a megaphone, a la Rudy Vallee. Also, they use multiple voices rather than solos as much as they can.

Their "no electricity" stance is near-religious in its intensity and seriousness. One of them usually gives a short speech about their dedication to natual acoustic sound, sometime early in the performance. Of course, they had to make some kind of compromise to start recording CDs. On at least one of their albums, they used a *single* microphone, strategically positioned in the hotel ballroom they chose as a recording venue due to its superior acoustics.

QUESTION: Are any of you acoustic bands able to get by without owning a PA because you play only at venues equipped with in-house sound systems? I would imagine this would be possible when playing exclusively in bars, clubs, coffeehouses, etc., but of course impossible when playing nursing homes, churches, etc. I also wonder if the own-no-PA option is more feasible on one side of the ocean or the other.