I love singarounds. I don't care how bad any performer is. The fact that they are willing to stand/sit in front of others and give it a go is enough to get my attention.

Singarounds take me back to the old pre TV weekend evenings in the local pub, when Uncle Charlie would sing his war songs when pissed, Bert would do his Al Johnson impression, Annie would do her card trick, and Wally would sing his remarkable song about the depression in the 30s... if pressed with a couple of glasses of scotch.

Singarounds are about community. Who cares how good or bad the performances are?

I attend six singaround clubs in Yorkshire. Two I don't often miss. Two more I get to occasionally, and two I get to rarely, but they are all good because we all appreciate the effort of performing.

OK, so some of us have memory problems because we're getting old now, and we read the words. Others do the same old stuff over and over again. One or two give up half way through because it is all too much, but nevertheless they are damned good evenings that everyone enjoys.

Now and again a young person will get up and do something that they have been plucking up courage to do for weeks. It might be alien to us, but that is a real bonus. The concept goes on.

Singarounds serve a great function. They keep up the interest in performing song live.

To go back to the OP's question, I would suggest that 'criticism' should be interpreted as 'giving friendly advice'. Those of us who think we have achieved greatness can feel free and worthy of helping those who would achieve it, but on the other hand, why don't we all just relax and enjoy each others' efforts, no matter how unaccomplished?

Tone (Just starting another singaround in York, Tap & Spile, 2nd and 4th Sundays).