"It's a poor show by the the session organisers. If it put Charley off, how many other people did it put off? It can put people off entire festivals, as they'll go away with the idea that the place is unwelcoming. Because at the end of the day, if the session organisers aren't going to bother their backsides, no one indvividual will feel as if they can say anything either. There isn't much else you can do but walk out."

this is what I was trying to convey earlier. The nature of a festival like Big Session is that it provides space for people to start sessions, and may prime a few musicians to get things started, but it tends to be a more spontaneous affair than the organised or "led" sessions you'll find at many festivals with a less high-profile and commercial line-up. So there probably WASN'T a session organiser.

"No word from the big session rotters to whom this thread was about, stand up & be counted!!!"

That's a bit of a hiding to nothing, Jaques. It isn't like the whole of the folk world reads this forum. I'm pretty sure I know who the group of young musicians were - and know they wouldn't be caught dead on Mudcat.