Hrothgar's Hymn Singings are definitely a highlight of the National, as Sandra says.

Another set of events I experienced could also be described as a clash of traditions.

In the parts of the 1960s-70s folk scene I moved in (SE Oz) it was a tradition, when someone was going "away" for an extended period, to go with them to the departure point and give them a bit of musical sendoff, complete with dancing, if possible. I suspect this was a relic of the times when Australians went "OS" (usually to Britain and Europe) by ship, but we'd go down to Spencer St Station (the interstate railway terminal in Melbourne) or Tullamarine (the airport -as they're now termed) and sing. play tunes and, occasionally, find space sufficient for a set.

Most of the time these traditions didn't clash much with other people's notions of how such facilties should be used but occasionally they did. One Christmas a whole mob of singers had given an extended concert of carols in one of the local cathedrals and were being "sent home" at Canberra airport. The bar wouldn't allow us to sing (not even carols, to the amazement of patrons) and we weren't allowed to properly lubricate our voices outside the bar. Encouraged by most of the patrons, we stood outside the doorway, with our libations held in our hands inside the bar, through the doorway, and carolled everyone for an hour or so.

On another Christmas season farewelling, at Spencer St station, I was playing my Anglo (with a group of friends on other instruments) and singing a farewell. Also being farewelled was a troop of newly commissioned Salvation Army officers, on their way to their new ministries. After the train left the platform, one of the senior SallyAnns struck up a conversation with me about the concertina; he'd had some exposure to them many years before and mine was the first he'd seen in many years. As we walked and talked, his conversation gently turned towards proselytisation, as I'd mentioned that I liked singing traditional and other carols. He asked me to sing an example, as we entered the tunnel part of the walkway; excellent acoustics. So, thinking he may not have heard it before, I launched into "Shepherds Arise". I never thought I'd see a man of faith show embarrassment at a full-throated rendition of a song celebrating part of his faith in a public place but I suspect it was because a railway walkway isn't a venue frequently used for such things, even by the Salvation Army. But we parted on good terms.

Cheers, Rowan