Steve said
> One thing that can be done in attending a regular event is go along and see what is accepted for a few weeks before making decisions whether to take part or whether to decide what goes on is not for you.

The trouble is that there may be some really good performers whom one throroughly enjoys hearing, some who are not too bad, and some who (in one's personal opinion) are appalling. It then depends whether the positives outweigh the negatives.

Steve also said
> One would hope that if in a room full of people with folders one person fully competent gets a far better response, surely that should tell the others something.

One would hope that indeed: the trouble is that in some singarounds nearly everyone seems to get about the same amount of applause, regardless of how good or bad they are. I don't object to even the weakest performer getting some acknowledgement of their efforts, but I do wish that the better ones (in whatever sense of "better") would get due recognition.