Folk clubs are about people listening to each other

My orginal comments were not designed to alter the discussion but were designed to give some sort of historical perspective to the "Collapse of Folk Clubs".

In the great days of the sixties and early seventies - folk clubs did not have to compete with sessions - there weren't all that many apart from within the Irish community. Not all that many people played instruments. We had the odd singing session at festivals for example, but it was mostly chorus songs so everyone could join in, not as you suggest people listening to each other. They were often led by two or three people only.

As for people listening to each other - whilst I do not deny there is a place for this - I have been to such sessions. I went to one of around 40 people in a room there were twenty-nine guitar players, that people were given two songs whether they could sing or not and most were not very good. Since they were singing to each other and that was what they wanted to do fine and I have no complaints.

But it hardly does a lot for folk music IMHO.