JC "Is that really what people want? If so, let's all pull stumps and go home."

SO'P is describing the kind of music *amateur musicians* might play when gathered together under the rough tag of 'folk club' but what is more rightly the singaround cum pub session, rather than the type of professional performer/performance that a proper folk club might offer up to it's paying audience.

I think some amateur musicians just want to gather in a sociable manner and make music together for fun. And it is fun. Whether they be playing their own compositions on electric keyboard or singing unaccompanied traditional songs. It's democratic, home-made, good-natured fun. The 'folk club' tag may be something of a misnomer in places, as what is played or sung might bare little or no resemblance to any kind of 'folk music' other than what may be found in the spirit of communal participation in (as opposed to passive consumption of) self-made entertainment. And as a participant in such affairs, I'm all for them.

Otherwise, I think it more likely that someone new (presumably young?) wanting to 'dip their toes' into folk, will hear a song by Bellowhead on the radio or telly and think about going to a Bellowhead gig or a folk festival as a consequence, rather than seeking out a folk club. That's my guess based on the types of thing young 'uns into music tend to do. I'm invariably the youngest bar the children at any club I've gone to, and I'm no longer young by general standards. So I think the liklihood of someone being turned off folk music as a consequence of attending an amateur music session is fairly remote IMHO. It may happen sometimes, but I'd be very surprised if it was a common enough occurance to make any difference to the demographic of those interested on folk song proper.

Having said that, clearly from what's said here at least, I think there is a dedicated band of traditional enthusiasts who would probably like to be able to go to an amateur folk clubs/singarounds and hear more traditional material played and sung. If they are frustrated with the status quo of the average amateur session however, then it's them as has to organise something to more specifically suit their tastes and wants rather than impose restrictive conditions on others - even if the 'folk club' tag has become a shorthand phrase synonomous with 'amateur acoustic music club in a pub' when used in some contexts.