I am not sure who or what the "Critic's Circle" is. However if you mean the Critic's Group which is referred to a number of times in this thread then there is an article here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Critics_Group

I don't normally take Wikipedia as gospel - but in this case it covers my understanding of what the Critics Group was about.

They were simply criticising each other with the aim of improving their own performances and thus needed no credentials to criticise anyone else. So really the last two paragraphs are just based on a mis-understanding. (Does no-one ever look in Google before asking questions like this?)

I have eventually found the one remaining copy of the New City Songster I have, which is Volume 9 and dated October '73. There were twenty-one eventually. Because of a printing problem no's 4 and 5 were combined. A number 22 was written but never published. This Volume 9 will be going up on ebay (blatant plug) around the end of October.

Here is what is says in the introduction:

"Over the past year we have had many many songs sent in - the production is prodigious. The editors have spent long hours listening to tapes, pouring over hand-written texts have importuned every singer or writer to 'please send us everything you write'.

To such a request, some people say "O you wouldn't be interested in the stuff I write". Or "I have lots of different kinds of songs, they're not like the one you just heard" Or.."The NCS has such a particular song in it..........". Our reply is that we are interested in every song anyone ever writes. We have found from experience that a writer is not always the best judge of his material, that in a tape of a dozen really bad songs you can find agem. So the tapes and letters come rolling in anywhere from 10 to 25 songs per week".

Later on they say they are willing to make tapes of the songs for those who do not read music, for the costs of the tape and 10-15p towards the Songster Fund.

I think this bears out very well what Jim was saying about them both being willing to share their time and expertise.

As for them not liking festivals, Peggy will be doing the Shepley Spring Festival next year (second blatant plug in one reply).