Tim,

I have to disagree with you on this, and I'll give you a couple of examples.

A few years go, when I was still fairly new to sessions, I went to a session for the first time and was included enough for the others to ask me my name. I remember that distinctly because, shortly before that, I had posted on Mudcat complaining about the proliferation of Punch the Horse threads and the amount of BS therein. Banjo-flower put two and two together and worked out that I was probably the Doug that had criticised him and other local Catters. Instead of giving me a poke in the eye, he bought me a pint. How much more welcoming can you be.

When I went to the Mudcat Eurogathering last month, we went to a session in Cork. The other Catters considered the skill level of the local musicians to be too high and left there instruments in their cases. As playing with experts was one of the things I had hoped for when visiting Ireland, I asked if I could sit in, explaining that I might only make one note a bar. They were most welcoming and some non-musicians even gave up their seat for me so that I could join the group. During a quite moment, two or three of us managed to form a mandolin corner for one tune and then joined back in with the others as the main session got going again The fact that the other Catters didn't join in was their choice and they were very happy to listen and admire.

Neither of these examples seem to indicate a clique at sessions that is unfriendly to newcomers. Perhaps it is not just beauty that is in the eye of the beholder.


DC