The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #137325 Message #3141601
Posted By: Rob Naylor
24-Apr-11 - 09:24 AM
Thread Name: hosts who think they are IT
Subject: RE: hosts who think they are IT
Of the several sessions I go to, the ones that seem to work best are those that DO go round the room "like a clock hand". OK, you can end up with too many unaccompanied ballads or some other style/ type following each other, but I've seen this evened out by (a) hosts knowing most of the attendees and asking a couple to move around the room to mix it up a bit and (b) performers taking note of the "balance" themselves and adjusting what they sing or play accordingly. If I was planning an unaccompanied song and the 3 people before me have all done unaccompanieds, I'll pick up the guitar or mando and do somethign accompanied. It just makes sense.
I find it's usually MUCH more "patchy" where the "host" dodges about between performers...you never know whether (s)he's trying to achieve a balance or favouring mates, or whatever....and it doesn't work anyway unless it's such a regular attendance list (no newcomers) that the host can predict pretty well what each individual is likely to do.