I do not berate volunteers I criticize the musicians for tolerating a system that exploits them for profit taking. What other industry gets away with such nonsense?

Yes amplification also costs money glad you noticed helping to make the music less accessible. It just makes things louder and ruins the folk experience. If you can cram more people into a session then you make more money thats why its there not for quality.

Folk music is no longer the same when forced into large venues that degrade its basic qualtities simply to make money. That people go is not relevant they are being manipulated. Sometimes you have a responsibility to the music that is more important than satisfying or entertaining people.

The value of the music is found in much more than the notes heard but in the cultural setting associated with the music and big festival venues ruin this for profit taking. They exploit volunteers and this is all supported by professionals.

It would be refreshing to see a movement "folk musicians against exploitation of volunteers" Lets see profit sharing and or a decent wage.

Conrad