Jack,
The place I'm talking about is the leading folk club in the area. The concerts are only one part of their program. They do a lot of other good stuff including having made a grant to DT. So, not paying is not the issue, consider it a freebie that comes along with the other good stuff. It does not make any difference to the quality of the performance whether I have paid for it or not. I have complained to 'the management' and they didn't have the courtesy to reply. So I complain here, 'cos I can.
I still see it as an issue for all of us if poor quality perfomances are accepted as the norm then things will only get worse. Also it degrades the good artists to be lumped in with the crap. It isn't good for them to say I performed for 'The folk club' if 'The folk club' get the reputation for supporting mediocre performances.

You say... Its a direct cause and effect relationship.... It sure is. Accept crap and they'll shovel it out to you as fast as they can.

Don't forget this is not some low talent place I'm talking about. These guys are supposed to be the best.

They have Peggy Seeger booked for next season and I'll take a bet that she meets every one of my 'not so stringent' requirements above.
She'll sing at least a couple of traditional songs.
She'll sing more than one or two good or 'entertaining' ones of her own.
She won't sound like anyone else.
And she'll leave us humming a tune.

I just hate to have the likes of her, booked in the same series as some of the mediocre acts they've had in the past.

I know places to go to hear 'low talent' songwriters, there's plenty of them around and I do support them now and then. But when a series of concerts is touted as 'good' I don't see anything wrong in expecting them to be at least 'reasonable'.

Bert.