It's very interesting to read everyone's opinions of how Folk Sessions, Jam Sessions, Singarounds and open mic's should be run. There is never really a right or wrong answer. Arrogance is, of course, completely unnecessary but sometimes these so called twentysomethings will come across that way just by having a good time.

FYI People: The group of "Twentysomethings" at the Big session Festival 2008 were invited by the festival organizers to keep the momentum of the sessions going during the weekend. They are a professional or semi professional musicians who work with some of the country's leading traditional ensembles. There were some self penned tunes played over the weekend but, on the whole, that material was deliberately kept to english trad tunes. Hell they even played the Shepherd's Hey for a fuck of a long time too!!!
I think there was a slight conflict of interest throughout the weekend due to the fact of the majority of people wanting to play the session were guitarist/singers who were enjoying playing with each other. The Twentysonethings were fully aware of this and, by the Sunday, chose only to play when invite to by the gentleman running the session (loved the A-min version of "Get Back" by the way. Cheers for the break!!).

Maybe it's easier when a session is better defined to start with. I know if I go to the Cooperage in Newcastle and rip into a set of morris Jigs they'll rend me in twain but if any of those chaps were to play a kicking set of Scottish tunes at the Kelham in Sheffield then they'd be equally poorly received.

I suggest that, if the big session wants sessions, they should define them in the program better. "Open Session" is a dangerous thing at a festival as it causes this kind of conflict in the first place.

There. Had my say.

T x