I suppose I was trying to allude to the difference in potential fees between an arts centre (say £600), a village hall (say £350) and a club (say £150) for EXACTLY the same act (I'm not making those numbers up).

The difference being of course what the booker is prepared to pay based on what they believe punters are prepared to pay for the experience of seeing that act at that venue.

We read above about people preferring the 'more reasonable' door charge of £4 at a club - which is understandable. (For some that'll be all they can afford - though even that's subjective ,according to how keen you are on that artist - plus there's the important proviso that club guests are actually 'guests' - and all that that word implies (understood fully over here, natch).

But there are people out there who are happy to pay £12.

Though they may not be happy to pay £12 for the folk club experience - hence most guests are content to accept the lower fee for a full room. (But then sometimes the regulars don't turn out for the reasons they don't turn out - which is another issue).

Tom