I know the stock answer is, "But I need to try out a song, and there's nothing like performing it in front of an audience," but that's daft. How often do you come across professional musicians 'trying out' new material?

Put simply, just practise. In the car, in the shower, in the middle of a field; anywhere but in front of an audience. When you've got it nailed, then trot it out in public. Put some work into the material and make it work for you, and don't expect the audience to be your 'sounding board.' And I've noticed that the terrible singers are the ones who never bloody improve. They turn up, time after time, and are indulged, and yet their performance shows no sign of even nudging the heights of the mediocre.

I agree that singers who haven't properly learnt a song shouldn't give it a first airing in front of an audience, but you have to sing it in public for the first time somewhere, and I suggested a singaround is a good place for that, rather than (say) as a floor singer on a guest night.

As I said, however well you think you know a song, there's nothing like singing it in front of other people to confirm whether you do or not. And an informal singaround seems to me to be an ideal place for that.

I agree that it's not good for a club to indulge a crap performer more than once. Mind you, it's a good chance for the rest of the regulars to visit the bar, the toilet, etc. :-)