This is THE most important point yet raised in this or the other thread:

"I don't see why we should guarantee an artist against their failure to bring in an audience"

countered by

"If sufficient people don't turn up, that's not the failure of the performer, but rather of the club organiser who made the booking in the first place, and who was in a better position to know who might draw in people, and to do the things that might help in ensuring that."

If there is one single factor in the decline of the professional folk circuit through the past ten years, it's this belief by organisers that it's down to the artist to draw a crowd. Yes, many artists will and that's great, but if everyone only relies on the draw of reputations that were built elsewhere, who is ever going acquire a reputation?

This over-reliance on draw, by people who - in fairness probably don't have the time, skills nor inclination actively to Promote (a dark art in itself) - has led to the current situation, where only well known names and local heroes can guarantee a full house in many - perhaps a majority of clubs.

It's entirely understandable, given that the average club organiser is an enthusiast for music, not a skilled promoter, that this situation has arisen, but it's still a terrifying prospect for the future of this wonderful institution.

For if it continues, where are the draws of tomorrow to come from?

Yes, some youngsters who've been (briefly) media darlings will bring in a few curious people, but everyone else - between local star and big name - will wither and die like so many have before.

I'm not saying that organisers don't promote. Most do - and some do it very well, but some don't relise quite how much effort is involved to do it properly.

Ok, if they did they might just close the club (eek), but they might also get stuck in, get their team motivated, and find that in itself promotion can be really rewarding.

You need three types of audience to make sure every club gig will work (apart from booking good guests, of course).


1) You need ALL your regulars to turn out every time. That will only happen for a new name if they trust the organiser's judgement and are willing to try something new (which far too many seem not to be).

2) You need your atists' local fans to come. That IS down to the artist, but even top qulity full time pros may not yet have as many fans in your area as you assume, and there may be other reasons why the fans they do have may decide to give your club a miss and see that artist somewhere else another time.

3) You need floating folk fans in your area to give it a try. For that you need a great website with links from places where these people surf. You need a presence in the folk mags and local papers, and if possible local radio, and you need a reciprocal leafleting arrangement withh all the other like venues in the area - including libraries etc.

It has to be a team effort - and if a good team is properly motivated and managed they can achieve terriffic results - there are plenty of places where all this happens all the time - God bless them!


FInally you need to make sure the environment is right - to make sure that 2) and 3) come again. You need comfortable seats, pleasant lighting (how many clubs have bare bulbs just above the stage? - people may not notice but they won't come back), a safe environment where they don't have to run the gauntlet of drunks or grim, dead pubs, a REALLY welcoming smile at the door, the right ticket price, and floor spots that are appropriate for that act. (Oh and good beer - and a snack in the break, a really easy way to create instant welcome)

It can be done, it often is, and when it is, you can book anyone you like - and get a full house. Every time