G'day harmoniclive,

Working musicians should always be paid (even if that doesn't always happen!). The St Albans Festival has about 30 acts listed on the flyer and I'm sure they are getting paid. There will also hundreds of people who are paying to hear them ... that's that's the only way that the musicians are going to get paid.

A lot of those paying to attend the festival will be musicians who are well worth paying, when they perform. One of the hallmarks of good musicians is the way they learn and grow - including listening to their peers. There are also those who may have realised that having weekends to their own purposes can be more satisfying than chasing another gig - and never hearing anyone else.

Then there are those like the proverbial Irish* (* replace with any other appropriate subgroup) folkie ... who was only in for the money.

Regards,

Bob Bolton