Jim,

Fortunately things are not that bad. In fact there are some great singers and some wonderful musicians. And there are some terrific youngsters coming through. Generally speaking they tend not to bother with folk clubs but go dancing and to festivals.

Many of the clubs that remain have good standards - they may give people floor spots having seen them in sessions at festivals for example. Also in my experience people who come to a club organiser and hope to get a booking (or at least their faces and music better known) tend to be able to do things to a good standard.

I was at an occasional club last week. They run when there is an artist on tour they can reckon to get a audience for and the artists is prepared to work for (I guess) 80% of the gate.

So, no advertising, except at the pub itself, no attempt to take email addresses for future gigs. The organisers themselves were the support act and played four songs using a variety of instruments. Then they wondered why it took so long to sound check. They left the door open so noise from the pool table came through.

When they got around to checking the artists (Frankie Gavin and TIm Edey as it happened the lines were crossed and Tim Edey had to sort it out. It was as bad an organised gig as I have ever been to.

And people wonder why folk clubs collapse?