Thank you Countess.

Even closed lists leak, so people tend to be guarded.

Those who want to post here are probably already doing so, but I'd surmise that, of those few who have made a contribution in this other place, most would appear to agree with the majority view here.

That said, there are plenty who say nothing, and for all I know they may hold quite the opposite view.

For myself I think things have come to a pretty pass when professionals, who put themselves on the line night after night for this music, do not feel able to contribute openly to what should be a healthy debate about a very pleasant, worthwhile and noteworthy event.

But then I'm one of them, and the truth is that a tiny handful of people have managed to effect a stranglehold on the single dedicated media outlet for this industry, and in so doing have acquired massive power, without - it seems - much of the responsibility that is supposed to go along with the spending of public money, or the separation of personal gain from public promotion.

And some of those people, it has to be said, do have a reputation for vindictiveness (which may be unfounded for all I know, but who wants to take the chance)?

Dave - are you planning to go back to Feeback, to make a rebuttal?