Collapse of the Folk Clubs

Subject: RE: Collapse of the Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,It was the the raffle
Date: 01 May 07 - 05:14 AM

Why did the Folk Club scene collapse?

Simple answer is that it didn't.

Subject: RE: Collapse of the Folk Clubs
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 01 May 07 - 05:07 AM

No 3, then No 1 for me. But all of those have surely played their role, with different people.

The biggest single block for the future IMHO is still the generational thing; I mean, that it is viewed as a pastime for a certain generation, by many. Sort of like knitting or baking. This gets exacerbated by many club organisers simply wanting to preserve what they are used to, and are resistant to change or moving outside their comfort zone.

Old clubs that have broken the mould, and new ones inventing "new moulds" for the younger generations, stand the better chance, I think.

Subject: Collapse of the Folk Clubs
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 01 May 07 - 04:53 AM

In the late '60s through to the late 70's thousands and thousands of Folk Clubs existed. Almost every town and city and lots of vil-lages had clubs.

Then they started to close - many never to re-open. Why did the Folk Club scene collapse?

I offer:

1. The quality of some, many?, was low
2. Their is a limit to the number of times anyone can enjoy the cannon of "popular folk songs"
3. It was a generational thing - we all went off to have children
4. The climate of 80s Thatcherism was running elswhere
5. Punk was much more exciting and then them New Romantics?

Things are looking more promising at the moment but what can we learn from last time?