We went to the Room at the Top folk club last night for a fantastic evening, which welcomed all comers. As Mark Dowding said earlier in the thread we did have a couple of people, who couldn't read, come in during a song despite his very legible sign on the door.

A very well behaved audience, without the need for Mark do resort to his whip to bring them to order. It was a treat to hear people in such silence.

There was all sorts of performances, but all were enjoyable (mine might not have been, but I wasn't listening). I got the impression from everyone that they hadn't put their all into the performance.

One guy with a lovely tenor voice and a sweet guitar picking style performed two songs, he has only been singing regularly since March, so much potential you just know he is going to get better and better. It took him at least a couple of years to work up the courage to sing, because of attitudes like those exhibited by some on this thread.

Many people need lots of encouragement, not only to start singing but to continue working at it. People like Mark Dowding and Joan Blackburn to name but two locally are great at this, but we all need to take some responsibility for encouraging our fellow performers.

Artificial rules about paper, capos etc simply end up being hurdles for someone - everytime you get on you high horse someone takes a step back, someone with potential take it no further and we all loose.