An appropriate, short-and-to-the-point intro to a tune or song can enhance the listeners' appreciation of it, if done competently. No harm in that. That's quite a different matter from the time-wasting exercise of shuffling through a wodge of papers in plastic sheets inside a ring binder which is coming apart on a music stand which is not quite opened properly... and you know the rest.

The issue, to me, is to ask yourself why you're where you are as a performer. Surely the prime reason for being there is to entertain or enlighten, and to bring some joy or reflection to the audience - not just to put yourself in the spotlight for your own personal amusement?

My own session/singaround welcomes everyone of whatever standard and with music and mini-stands but, for those who are worried about music stands, music, etc., in public performance, I offer this:

1. You know that you're going to get probably two - at most three - songs for a floor spot at a folk club, so ...
2. Concentrate on learning only those two or three songs and getting them as fixed into your head as possible.
3. If you can only do two, or even just one, without getting worried - then just elect to do two, or even one.
4. Don't repeat the same stuff at the next session - learn two more new ones.
5. If you can't learn two new ones - don't elect to do a floor spot until you have learned some more.

Many of us of a certain age learned these quite sensible rules - in my case fifty years ago - and the discipline of that approach has stood the test of time.

Here's a little story: Everyone who attends my monthly caper knows that I always encourage people to put aside the paper and sing and play without it. A friend of mine who attends my session always sings and plays from typed out sheets. He has a nice voice and is a competent, if basic guitarist. When we discuss playing from paper or memory, he asserts that he just finds it difficult to perform in front of people without paper there as "the words disappear". I can understand that fear. In conversation recently, I set him a challenge: the next time he attends a particular local folk club (which I don't attend as they all shuffle paper around on music stands), he has to get two songs under his belt to perform without benefit of paper. I will go along with him as his backing guitarist and - if need - word backup. If he fucks up, it won't matter because I'll be with him to keep us going. To my delight, he accepted the challenge and seemed quite bucked by it. And, hopefully, I won't fuck up either!

Now, might it be a good idea if those who feel happy and confident without music can help those who do have a difficulty - by teaming up with them now and then and boosting their performance confidence.