We try to do this as much as possible as it makes for a more intimate social evening - absolutely nothing against the big all-electric bands, just aiming at something different.

Advice or experience? Well ...

Always amplify the caller(s). Their job is quite hard and tiring enough without having to shout over even the smallest of bands in the smallest of rooms. If you don't want to amplify any of the rest of the band, get a practice amp or a small combo and put the caller's microphone through that.

And if your audience or venue get a little larger, or you've got a range of instrument volumes, amplify the quieter instruments to the volume of the louder instruments. For example we've two saxophonists, and even playing quietly they can completely drown out the concertina and the guitar - so give the quieter instruments a hand with a subtle bit of reinforcement. Not only does it give a better balance, it means that the quieter instruments don't always have to play at the top of their volume range, which makes for better listening and dancing over the course of an evening.

I love playing amplified on a big PA with monitors and a real amplified ooomph to the sound .. but I also love driving home after a great semi-acoustic gig without my eardrums embedded in the middle of my head. Audiences tend to respond to the quieter volume by being quieter themselves - no less enthusiastic in their dancing, but somehow less wired and frantic. We regularly get people thanking us for allowing them to enjoy the evening in their own way!

The only other advice I've give is to talk to the booker beforehand. And if it's likely to be a rowdy aled-up crowd, take the full PA rig and maybe you won't need it when it comes down to it.