Waddon Pete said:

"Whewn you sing for an audience sometimes you fly.....and sometimes you go down like a lead balloon.

Often it is the times when you think you have bombed that some-one in the audience gives you a lift by asking after the music, offering a chance to play elsewhere or by paying you a compliment."

This is true! It has happened to me as a performer, where I thought nobody was listening but was approached afterwards and offered a gig, and conversely as a sometimes booker I have done the same. Sometimes the audience is just not 'into' it, the venue isn't right, etc. but if the quality of the performer really impresses me and I think he/she will fit well into my venue then I would consider booking them even if they were not quite managing to 'bridge the gap' with the audience in question.

It is bound to be somewhat subjective whatever the case, and a balancing act for whoever is doing the booking - what they like weighted against what they think the audience will like. It isn't always the same thing.

Now that I see the topic was originally about floor singers I realize the above was bit of a thread drift....on the subject of floor singers I basically think everybody should be allowed to have a go, but in my forays to the UK folk clubs I have witnessed some floor singers who obviously WERE a problem and didn't know it. A very tough call !