Personally, I prefer charisma to virtuosity - if there is virtuosity as well, then all to the good - but I also find that virtuosity brings its own kind of spell-bindingness, if you see what I mean. I have seen several so-called' classically trained musicians who understand traditional music - and its traditions - very well and, for me, they are equally capable of expressing the soul of a piece. Probably easier for an instrumentalist than a singer, I would think.

But they don't have to be virtusos for me to find them spell-binding. Competent, definitely. With something indiviual about them. And I know some (many) people will have a go at me for saying this and I know people have to start somewhere - but I will wander off to the bar, or go out for a fag, if I get bored. I don't feel any duty to stay and listen to someone, just because they are 'giving it a go'. I get little enough free time in my life and spend enough of it already committed to doing stuff for other people. Some of my free time is for me to enjoy and if I'm not enjoying, I'll go somewhere else.