"Where do people get the initial experience to reach that level of confidence and experience nowadays ( University courses or sheer talent and determination)."

mikesamwild,

I don't think it is quite as black as you paint it. My other half (Wendy Arrowsmith) had her first "main guest" gig at a folk club 2 years ago. She'll do about 25 - 30 folk club gigs this year (and a similar number of other gigs at Festivals, support slots at bigger concerts, "acoustic" venues and assorted others). She'd spent a couple of years before that doing floorspots, open mics etc.

The circuit is still their, if reduced, and a lot of clubs can be conservative in their bookings. But if you are prepared to work hard at contacting clubs and floorspotting, you can get somewhere (helps if you have a partner in steady employment as well!!!).

As detailed above these might not be to massive audiences (30 - 70 range) but it is viable...... as long as you sell plenty of CDs along the way!

She's done this without an agent, record company or professional PR. These things undoubtedly help artists get onto club and festival organisers radar though.

We also run a club in our village hall, again audience size varies but we run a bar when we think it will pay and the club's bank balance is very healthy. Profit from the bar keeps the club going, ticket money (sometimes subsidised from the bar takings!) pays the artists. The Raffle (hooray!) pays for the hall hire.

It really doesn't all seem in too bad a condition to me..........