Hi PoppaGator - Yeah, I understood how Mike's worked.... down here we do it differently - all names go in the same hat, so you could get 5 banjo players.   Each way has it's merits. Down here, we all have a good time and you never know what you're going to get - you could end up with a percusion ensemble! Everyone has fun making the most of what they get. I imagine with the instruments in a hat approach you might get a slightly more professional band set up, but each group would be similar.

It sounds like you're talking about a bluegrass scene where the instruments would be fairly standard. Our folk festivals down here have to accomodate pretty much all styles which might call themselves folk - so we get bones players, bodhran, bluegrass banjo, irish banjo, hammer dulcimer, Maori nose flute, vocalists, guitar (pickers/strummers), fiddle, uillean pipe players etc etc. I don't think we'd have enough hats!!!! ;-)