The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #112462 Message #2382775
Posted By: theleveller
07-Jul-08 - 03:33 AM
Thread Name: Can folk clubs get any better?
Subject: RE: Can folk clubs get any better?
"Guest - But their parents are NOT already there. In fact very few people are. I'm simply saying that the next generation of folkies are the ones that should be made to feel as though they would belong in a folk club. Raffles, shit singarounds and inadequate performance ain't gonna be driving them through the door. Maybe a few decent new singer/songwriters and quality musicians will though. "
TBSOMF - anonymous guest was me - sorry. I'm not as pessimistic as you about this. I stopped going to folk clubs when I moved to London in the late 1960s - after Yorkshire I found them very unfriendly - and didn't start going again until about six years ago. Amazingly, the clubs were still there, albeit the people were older. Wouldn't you say that the folk scene in general is more vibrant than it's ever been - lots of new (young) bands and singer/songwriters who appeal right across the age spectrum and they ARE appearing at clubs (Paul's club is a good example - Doghouse Roses; brilliant!)? So why aren't the youngsters coming to folk clubs? Maybe they just don't want to be seen out with their parents. mrsleveller suggested that we should be getting schools involved in some way; there was a fantastic group of kids performing at Beverley FF last year, recruited from schools in the area.