I was at this concert and thought it a wonderful event on several levels.

First - the music was excellent.
Second - having an openly gay event is a good measure of how far we have come in recent years. I think that this was particularly important to Roy Bailey who was instrumental in the early Gay Liberation movement and it was wonderful to hear him talk so movingly about what it meant to him. Let us remember that folk music has always had a very important role in political history
And thirdly - as an ordinary gay man (and perhaps only gay men and women would understand this) that also happens to like folk music this event was very important. It is a truism that for the majority of us gay folk (excuse the pun) 'coming out' is something we have to do not once, but time and time again. For me, a quite person who prefers to keep his private life private, this is often embarrasing, but quite necessary. Inevitably when you join any kind of social group at some point people ask about partners, kids etc. and I have to have 'the conversation' again. Friends have often asked why joining a gay walking group, or attending a gay event is so important, but for me it is one of the few times where I can be with a group of people that do not expect me to be heterosexual.

It was a great evening of great music. Did it matter that those on stage were gay or straight? Not in the grand scheme of things, but I'm bloody glad that I live in a society that such an event is possible, and that we can have a healthy discussion about it afterwards.