The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #113071 Message #2414308
Posted By: Big Al Whittle
15-Aug-08 - 03:22 AM
Thread Name: Where have the audiences gone?
Subject: RE: Where have the audiences gone?
I bet you could still get two hundred (more even) to see Martin Carthy most places.
Really that's largely irrelevant.
If we are to pinpoint the reason the audiences have pissed off. The common theme seems to be this - singers (that's us) seem to be making unfair demands on the audience.
1)We lure them to folkclubs where too often they don't hear any traditional songs - just whining self indulgent singer songwriters
2)We play instrumental medleys too long and not well enough
3)We sing long traditional ballads that we don't know well enough to sing in public
4) We have no shame and should stick to playing our banjos in the shower
There are a lot of people saying these things. Perhaps they have a point. Perhaps there are too many of us doing it. Perhaps we should leave it to the pro's like Martin, and do something else - car maintenance, ham radio, DIY, study for a degree in forensic psychology or renaissance art.....