You picked out "Pub promotes sing-along event with pianist". However that is clearly being promoted as an event which will attract customers specifically for the purpose of attending the sing-along, and so is not incidental music. Where a pianist is simply playing background music, without it being promoted and with the audience free to listen or ignore him as they choose, that is incidental music.

I picked this out as it was the nearest to what my Licensing Authority would claim that a session was. They do actually still advise that any form of advertising would make a session licensable and not eligible for the incidental exemption.

However, the point you make about the licensing objectives is a good one. Should an event be licensable, by an advert stating the performer's name - when an advert which does not is exempt? The event could be pretty much the same event and be presenting the same risks to the licensing objectives. But being involved in organising one of them could get you a £20,000 fine or 6 months in prison!!!

The Guidance is full of such subjective judgements which place our licensing officers in really difficult positions and which give very little protection to the public.