all of these things tend to occur on licensed premises (in bars) but often in a back room with no bar there (you go to the bar in the other room to get drink) to limit noise. there is usually an entry fee (or a hat is passed round) and often a raffle to aid funds. Sometimes teh landlord charges for the room, but I have always refused to organise a club at any place the landlord wanted me to pay him to give him extra customers.

an "open mic" club implies a mic - ergo it is less acoustic and tends towards contemporary and blues rather than traditional, and of course it implies a featured performer (or set of performers) at any given time. It may also imply a more forgiving attitude towards conversation and crisp packets.

a "singaround" implies that the performers are not called to the front to perform, but perform where they are and go in rotation, usually one song or set of tunes at a time. singarounds do not usually exclude instrumentalists, but as a result of the geography tend to excude electricity.

a singers' club usually does not have paid guest artists, but performers will be called to the front to perform. THey may do one song, or a batch of three. Other numbers are not usual. a set of three short tunes is treated sa equal to one song.

a folk club will usually have paid guests, sometimes all the time, mor e usually about one week in four, other nights being singers' nights