"disregard the nature of the folk scene today."
I'm not "disregarding it" Howard, I'm saying it's a poor substitute for what we had
I refuse to believe that there aren't pubs some parts of the country that aren't screaming out for mid-week custom and wouldn't be more than happy to let (or even give) a reasonably quiet corner or side room for a monthly session
The Irish scene is thriving on such places at present
If push comes to shove, dry sessions in non-drinking venues wouldn't be too much of a big sacrifice for anybody but the most dedicated drinker
Jim