In my experience a session was a gathering of instrumentalists and a sing around was exactly that. There has been language drift so that session means anything and everything (and yes I know that to some people session can mean somthing else entirely but as we are talking music....) so now we need to be more precise. The trouble with some (and I mean some) mixed sessions is the prevelance of bad manners. Vocalists expect to be listened to and talk over people playing tunes - that really pisses me off ok when there are a lot of people playing but not ok when people are playing slow airs.

Also a session is a gathering at which you can learn new stuff, be it tunes or songs and I for one try my best to encourage beginners at sessions - its the only way to keep the music alive.

So I guess I'm with Pied Piper on this(to a degree) but at the same time am realistic enough to accept that things have now changed.

And why havn't we met yet Pied Piper?