Oh Declan..you're talking "jukebox". The level of converstaion dropped because they weren't talking over your noise. I had this last week at a special gig in a hotel for a fan who'd been asking me for years. Eventually I gave in but insisted it had to be in a separate room, with a sound system and theatre style seating. he persuaded 60 people to come along (this is a small seaside village in Wales) most of whom had never heard of me.From the moment I started I knew I had three audiences. Those who could concentrate and were on my wavelength, those who were trying hard and beginning to enjoy something different, and those who couldn't concentrate and were fidgity. At the interval a group came and bought cds and said they were enjoying what I was doing but not the seating arrangement. They wanted a cabaret style with tables etc. I suggested this was because they wanted to talk as I sang and they agreed that this is what they always did. For them music of any sort, yours or mine, will always be background and there's nothing we can do about it. They probably have the TV on all day without looking at it. Silence is their enemy, challenge their nightmare.I explained to them that every performer has to control their environment to give of their best and that theatre style seating was my way of control in the case of an audience not knowing what I did. The group stayed in the bar drinking and the rest came back to the room and had a great night.Then one more of the group bought a c.d at the end!There's nowt queerer than folk!!