Oh, I don't know. East Saxon Sword managed to dance in a few pubs this year, we just had to ask permission and get the muzak switched off or dance while the band was on a break.

It seems to me that the High St is now a 'circuit' and rather than try to take over the town the festival has opted to put on folk(ish)-based bands that are likely to appeal to non-folkie youngsters. I have been told that the Rochester area is one of the liveliest in the country in terms of live bands. So what are the organisers to do? Ban all folkies from the town centre for the weekend or just put on music that won't appeal to them thus leaving the pubs (relatively) empty and losing the publicans' good will?

I think the best thing to do is to research the pubs in advance of next year and find one (perhaps out of the town centre) that would be receptive to having a singer's session and then ask Gordon to publicise it.