Yes, you said it. What you want is to rip off people who make the music rather than are bums on seats passively consuming what the great and the good like you hand down to them. Drive the fringe out of festivals and what you have is FMCG trade in music that's a bit like folk music. Make the music maker pay to make the music.

But there again, that is what you do at your club too, isn't it? Auditions to be a floor singer. You must be so wonderful, I bet you polish your dick before you fuck.

Reminds me of Chester in the late 60s and 70's - there was a "club" like that called the "Mucky Duck". I wrote an add on verse for "Martin"

"Sought folk at the Mucky Duck (fie, etc)
Seems that I was out of luck"

It's why you won't see me at your "club" but you will see me at true festivals like Miskin.

It's as bad as the "Pay to play" ripoffs at the electric venues.