Don't stop being a capella!!!

Curious-- do any of the mic-ers direct these accompanists in any way-- set up the tune and changes with them first, or discuss alternate tunings, or lay out the pattern (like A-B-A-B vs A-A-B-B-A), or disucss tempo changes? Is there a tacit signal when the song is about to end? Do the accompnaists tend to NOT play much for any of the better-quality regulars? How do they handle songs the mic-ers have written, themselves? Is there ever any discussion about what KIND of backup will be useful to the mic-er?

In other words, do they treat each other like colleagues at this place, everyone peers to get the song to go well, or is it more like "We know you are going to need lots of help so we make this palatable for the audience because you just can;t cut it." Or somewhere in between? How did it FEEL to you?

Did this evolve as an improvement from something else, and what, and why? Or have they just invented this form because they were not familiar with usual open mic form?

[aside, AKA Thread Creep to Sorcha-- I thought Indihio and Ohdiana were the only combined state. (It's Indihio driving east, and Ohdiana going west.) The unbroken flatness these names convey... So I really liked [Wyobraska]; but is there also Neoming? And where does Montana fit in? My geography is awful. Could there be a Coloradoho and Idarado? Kanswas and Iowas? Missibama and Alassippi? BTWE, our part of PA is called Pennsyltucky (abbr. PY), although our border with KY is purely in the mind.]

~Susan