WyoWoman, you have hit it right on the head, if you tell someone to shut up in a fuck you tone of voice, then you have lost them and may even end up with your tyres slashed in the carpark afterwards (at least it is only your tyres, I've heard worse threatened by a drugged up lout at a festival). It goes back to what I've said elsewhere about my daughter. She will never learn the rules of the game, unless she is allowed to play. Telling someone rudely how not to do it, is the prime way to alienate people. John Kirkpatrick was paid to do his gig, he has a right to ASK the audience to be quiet if they are getting out of hand, but it should have been the job of the stewards at the venue to do that. If he continues to DEMAND silence during his gigs in the abrupt way that he does, he will rapidly go the way of June Tabor, and lose festival bookings. Just because someone is at the top of the profession, does not give them a right to be rude to or about their audiences. Even being the session leader does not give you the right to be rude to anyone. I've worked with the public in many situations over the years, and politeness always wins. In the library we started with a gentle sssssh, moved up to a loud shush and only then, if the noise increased, asked politely to keep the noise down. It took about 5 stages before the offenders were asked to leave. Most venues are public places, like libraries, you cannot ask for silence. If your audience is not silent, then try a different tack. A quiet tune, a slow air or similar, on a solo instrument that musicians have to strain to hear. They will soon pass the ssssh around.

LTS