Thanks a bunch, Pip.

Calm down, Snail. I'm not saying I think the clubs are awful - I don't. I'm saying that some commenters believe they are - more specifically, some seem to be very strongly committed to the idea that everything's awful out there.

I'm not complacent - I don't think traditional music in England is doing nearly as well as it could. But I'm not convinced that much of the blame attaches to substandard performers in folk clubs. I've got two regular venues in walking distance. At one, about one in eight performers play traditional material and about one in ten sing unaccompanied; at the other, it's more like 7/8 and 9/10. At both, you'll sometimes hear people who haven't fully mastered the song they're singing (more often at the 'contemporary' club). On an average night they're both buzzing - neither of them needs any more punters.

I don't think either of them would be improved by stricter quality control. The 'contemporary' club would be greatly improved by a few nudges in the direction of traditional music, but that's by the way. (They've had a Canadian night, a Twelve-String night and two Dylan nights; one of these days they ought to have a Traditional Night...)