Concerts can be learning experiences- just look at seeger and ligning out of songs. He had people singing along most every song. That is imho a bit tedious and tears up the song. I prefer the hymnal method- a song sheet. Almost anyone can afford a half page handout on one page you can get about 4 songs and include promotional info so it helps.....

A group from DC handed songsheets out and did much much better than before. The people could take them home, learn the songs, buy the cd.
What is wrong with that?

So much better than sitting there being entertained.

Education can be entertaining so why not?

Good for you Don but I simply do not see many doing that.

Round here bands play at festivals and then depart immediately either for the company of other musicians in the hospitality room never to emerge or off to the hotel or on to the next gig conveniently scheduled for immediately thereafter.

When I turn up it is for the entire day, come early, stay late, teach a few songs, direct folks to my web resources havent charged anything to do a festival yet. But If I am approached by a highly commercial one again I will charge money as they arent all volunteering.

Just signed up to attend a local "house concert" turns out it is not a sort of sit around and listen to a musician between gigs but a "concert" in a house $15. a seat. So much for house concerts being anything more than same old. I remember a few in Knoxville which were just people sitting around with a musician who had done a concert earlier in the day and was staying over. I usually brought some beer and we ended up wandering to the local Christal burger place and closing it down. But this time it is a good cause.

Conrad