I have read pretty much all of the posts on this thread (not in one sitting I hasten to add!) and there is nothing here that changes my mind that context is all.

I go to a lot of clubs and they are all pretty different. The 2 I attend most often are Buneston Folk Club and Kirkby Fleetham Folk Club (which I run). These clubs are 5 miles apart and couldn't be more different.

Burneston is a weekly club completely about participation. Anyone can pretty much sing or play whatever they want as well or badly as they are capable of..... no guests are ever booked and no money ever changes hands and everyone gets a warm round of applause. Long may it continue, it is a great place to learn and to have some fun.

Kirkby Fleetham Folk Club is a monthly concert club (with 2 full weekend events each year). The club is aimed at providing entertainment to a largely passive audience (though we do have a singaround after the "gig"). Excellence is what is expected from the main (paid) guest and a high standard is expected from the 1 or 2 support acts each evening...... I have had complaints from the audience on the one occasion when a support act failed to meet this standard. I would be unlikely (though it does happen on occasion) to book anyone for either a main guest or support slot who I had not seen live. On the few occaisions where I have booked without having "auditioned" the acts I will insist on hearing good quality demos of the line-up that is actually playing..... I reject full production CDs with multiple backing musicians where I am being asked for a gig by a solo performer or duo. I think this approach is correct.... I am asking the audience to part with (usually) £5 of their hard earned cash..... I will try hard not to put anyone on who fails to meet a high standard. So though everyone else seems to be avoiding the "audition" word I think it is a good thing........in the context of a professionally presented evening of quality folky "entertainment".

I'll get me banjo.........

Paul