Gerry - there's no discrepancy in my wanting one style of performance in one venue, and another style at another. My session - as Stu has said above - is an opportunity for beginners to start to play, for people to try out a new song, to join in on perhaps unfamiliar material - in short to pick'n mix with each other. In the interests of community and fellowship, anything goes. We can giggle at each others' mistakes, joke about the music folder falling on the floor halfway through a song, and shout happy insults to those noisy beer swillers at the bar who demand "something by Genesis". Not quite domino players, but the next loudest best thing!

That's one venue. A folk club is another and, for me, (particularly on a singers' night) different attitudes kick in. We, as an audience, are expected to sit in respectful silence, listening as is required, to the best efforts of the floor singers. We, in turn, hope to be entertained for the 3 hours or so that we're there - and for which we've probably paid a small sum towards the club's upkeep. I can tolerate, and even sympathise, with perhaps one singer getting up, fiddling with the music stand, shuffling through the song folder, and droning through the song with eyes fixed to the sheet. But a whole evening of this? God preserve us! I'm by no means (to use the old jazz term) a mouldy fig, but I do like a few bangs for my buck.