I am really intrigued with WYSIWYG's comment - like we haven't got that sort of folk club over here. I've heard something like it a few times from our American friends. I wonder why not. You'd like it - you really would. It's fun.

Of course you sit through some real rubbish (in fact we all go the stage of being the real rubbish!) but you can always concentrate on having a drink til the next one comes along, and if that ones rubbish as well - you can go and get yourself another drink and a bag of crisps from the bar. And if the one after that's rubbish - well its obviously time to go an have a wee. then they raffle some small object of desire that you don't really want and you can have a wander round and chat to every other musician in the area who hasn't got a gig. And then its the second half of the evening. And most of the people are REALLY NICE. And even from singers and artists, you don't enjoy all that much - you often hear what other people are listening to, and you learn......about all sorts of things, how you are going to present your music, different ways of playing your instrument, etc.

I mean what else are you going to do.........for most of us its too late and too much to hope for that we improve our minds. However most of us have improved our music and performing technique in folk clubs.

and while I'm at it, three cheers for blokes like Les the Villan who spend their time. And there so many blokes like him who give us so much. i almost said three cheers fo all the Les's - but you know what I mean.

be a Les, you know it makes sense!