Worst things seen in a Folk Club

Subject: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Y_Not
Date: 02 May 07 - 09:54 AM

I thought this might be a constructive thread.

1. A Folk Club which is in an L shaped room where they discourage the use of P.A.
Half the audience can barely see who is singing and even worse they can't hear a word.
And the organiser bemoans the fact that his audience is dwindling.

2. The residents who have done a healthy spot earlier in the evening; but decide that after the main guest has finished their last song, the residents go back on to finish the night.
Was the main guest that you booked not good enough to finish the night?

3. A breakdown in communication where the main act doesn't realise that they have just done their last song, and they and the audience are informed by the organiser that there is no time for anymore.

4. A floor singer who was told they had 3 songs and after their 2nd song the organiser walks on stage and takes them off.

A light hearted look at some amusing things seen in clubs, I'm not out to have "GO" at clubs.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Leadfingers
Date: 02 May 07 - 10:12 AM

1 - The room shape is not good , but surely better than NO room at all !

2 - Would never happen in a club I ran ! The Paid Act is the High Spot (after the Raffle) and should finish the evening

3 - As (2) Totally BAD organisation !

4 - Done it myself - Floor spots were told Ten Minutes ! Run over and you get Hooked !!

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: concertina ceol
Date: 02 May 07 - 10:22 AM

Someone borrowing the "main act's" instrument and singing a song that the "act" is known for, then doing a very poor job of it! Unbelieveable!

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Y_Not
Date: 02 May 07 - 10:29 AM

Concertina, I agree that is bad, but it might be my sense of humour it also makes me laugh.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: concertina ceol
Date: 02 May 07 - 10:32 AM

I wondered if there had been some "history" between the two of them in the past. I'm laughing now thinking back on it!

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 02 May 07 - 10:33 AM

The organiser/M.C. introducing you, as a floor singer, with "I've never heard of him, but here he is"

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: stallion
Date: 02 May 07 - 10:35 AM

Turning up to a gig to be told that they were up to their limit for fire regs and having to wait in the bar to go on, then they threw two people out whilst we performed, then threw us out when they had finished and let the other two in!

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: stallion
Date: 02 May 07 - 10:36 AM

oh and I forgot, for petrol money and beer money!

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Y_Not
Date: 02 May 07 - 10:41 AM

DaveS! similar to that "He's not been here before, I don't know what he does, but we'll give him a go anyway". Priceless!

Years ago someone asked Jeremy Taylor if they could borrow his Martin special edition guitar, Jeremy said "Yes, but first can I have the name of your solicitor". the guy just walked away.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Y_Not
Date: 02 May 07 - 11:16 AM

Do you let the audience dictate what time the night starts?
For example;
A folk Club that started at 8pm for years now starts at 9pm and some times it can be later, because the resident doesn't want to sing to just a few people, the start time has got later and later.
I think that the resident should go on at the set time even if they are singing to the four walls.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 02 May 07 - 11:19 AM

I always try to start our club at the advertised 7.30 start time, sometimes it may be 5 minutes out, due unavoidable delays (setting up guest etc) bur never more than that. If you don't then the audience just start to come later as you suggest Y Not.

It helps to have a "house band" as we have at Walthamstow since you can always have music playing as people arrive, similar situation at Islington. Bit of a tradition in these parts.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 02 May 07 - 11:21 AM

Hello,

I agree Y Not....the show must go on!

(If a folksinger sings in a folk club and there's no one to hear them....are they still a folksinger?)

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Y_Not
Date: 02 May 07 - 11:22 AM

Kevin I totally agree, it is better for people to arrive and find something has already started than to sit waiting in a dead room.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Y_Not
Date: 02 May 07 - 11:26 AM

And going back to pete, if nobody turns up and nobody hears you, you can still tell yourself you are a Folk Singer.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: GUEST,Yeti
Date: 02 May 07 - 11:29 AM

I'm the worst thing ever seen at any Club

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 02 May 07 - 11:30 AM

Live it for what it is at the time...not for what you wanted it to be or thought it should be....life's too short!

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Y_Not
Date: 02 May 07 - 11:47 AM

One of the worst things I saw in a Club was Brian McNeill of the Battlefield Band at Poynton.
The voice mic suddenly came out of it's holder and smashed through the front of his Sobell Cittern which he had placed on the floor next to him, Brian just sat in a daze and the audience were in a deathly silence for what seemed a lifetime, how he continued I'll never know.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 May 07 - 12:09 PM

bit of a negative thread.........like everybody else I've witnessed acts of rudeness from audience to performer and vice versa, but its not the general way of things.

As Malcolm Stent once said to me, most folkies are good eggs!

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Menno
Date: 02 May 07 - 12:11 PM

"4. A floor singer who was told they had 3 songs and after their 2nd song the organiser walks on stage and takes them off."

Grrrrowl. Happened to me. In a place in the Netherlands. I got three songs and was booted after the second. Cause was that organiser had just fallen deeply in love with my (admittedly very cute) predecessor, who rambled on for about half an hour with scraps of poetry before the Main Act came back on stage. And poor li'l me was sandwiched in between.

Needless to say, I was Not Amused.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: LesB
Date: 02 May 07 - 12:28 PM

One thing that annoys me is when all the floor singers are dooing 2 songs each & a person / group just carries on after their second song & it's then embaressing for the organiser to get them off without being rude.
Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Y_Not
Date: 02 May 07 - 12:33 PM

As I said this is not a negative thread it was meant to be constructive, and maybe have a laugh at the goings on, most "folk" I have met over the years are good eggs, most "Clubs" I've been to are friendly and go out of their way to make you feel at home.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: JennyO
Date: 02 May 07 - 12:57 PM

I can't remember who said this on a previous thread - I think it was something that happened in a UK folk club. The MC said something like "Next month we'll have someone even better!".

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: GUEST,Peter Stockport
Date: 02 May 07 - 03:36 PM

Worse thing Ive seen is people who make statements on here running down their local clubs.- Since you mention Poynton I take it you're in South Manchester.
L shaped room, I take it that's the Red Bull, singers finishing the night, I assume that's the Armoury
Late running club, I guess that's Bollington.
Some people on here don't half moan, if you don't like the way a club is run then run one yourself to your own rules.
Otherwise don't run a club down.
Support it.
Peter

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: PoppaGator
Date: 02 May 07 - 03:58 PM

Instead of a number of songs, performers should be allotted a number of MINUTES. Then it's up to the performer to decide whether to do a lot of short numbers or a few long ones.

At the Neutral Ground Coffee House in New Orleans, the weekly (Sunday night) open mike allows 15 minutes per act. The other six nights a week, it's one hour each for three, four, or sometimes even five pre-scheduled acts (8, 9, and 10 pm every night, sometimes 7pm as well, once in a while an additional 11 pm slot). There's a nice big clock on the wall, everyone is aware of it, and there are no arguments about running overtime, being cut short, etc.

The basket is always passed for contributions to the performer, at the Sunday 15-minute sessions as well as at the hour-long sets during the week. No guarantee as to how much or how little you'll collect, of course.

A decent 15-minute performance on a Sunday will get you on the monthly schedule. Most of the acts are beginnners, amateurs, or over-the-hill "returnees" like me, but there are a dozen or so well-established local acts who have real paying regular gigs elsewhere, but who maintain their relationship with the Neutral Ground and do a monthly show, if only as a "rehearsal."

With timeslots for 100 or more acts a month, this is a great local institution that encourages live music and continually nurtures new performers.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Ref
Date: 02 May 07 - 05:35 PM

The cute little girl who shows up with a twelve string guitar she can't play to perform a song she can't sing, while her dad gets the whole thing on his video-cam.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Surreysinger
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:17 PM

Never seen that one ......yet......

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:42 PM

Over the course of 47 years in folk clubs, most of the twelve year olds I've seen could give us lessons, Ref.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: stallion
Date: 02 May 07 - 06:51 PM

oops I did that once, after the first song the organiser held up two fingers, I thought for a second, was it, that's your lot or two more, I did two more and then was told after that I should have done two songs. Anyway how was I to know nobody actually said anything and everyone else had done three and I had never been there before. I/we prefer to know how many minutes, then cloth can be cut accordingly

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 May 07 - 10:16 PM

I tell floor spots 2 songs, about 10 minutes. One of my predecessors used to say 2 songs, & a regular was always threatening that one of his 2 songs would be a 78 verse ballad ...

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Rasener
Date: 03 May 07 - 01:49 AM

Quote from Poppagator
Instead of a number of songs, performers should be allotted a number of MINUTES. Then it's up to the performer to decide whether to do a lot of short numbers or a few long ones.
End of quote

Thats what I do at my club. Wouldn't have it any other way. Its up to the performer to decide what they are going to do in that allotted time - talk, tell jokes, sing etc.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 03 May 07 - 02:36 AM

A very long and wholly rambling story about a long and rambling story by Bert Lloyd. It all turned on what a "sleeve job" was, and we never did find out.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 03 May 07 - 04:20 AM

It all turned on what a "sleeve job" was, and we never did find out.

Is that the one that starts "Roll up, Roll up"?

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 May 07 - 04:29 AM

Having your over-enthusiastic and slightly rat-arsed MC trying to impress a girl, introduce a very conservative, traditional act (who admittedly weren't the most popular guest we'd booked) as Les Barker. Hard to tell who was most upset.

LTS

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 May 07 - 06:37 AM

a floorsinger playing a recorder who had no sense of rhythym.
a resident singer who managed to sing perfectly in tune with herself but a quarter tone out with her guitar.
A Folk Comedian who tried to humiliate amember of the audience[ a small boy].this was Towersey festival and the performer got booed off.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Y_Not
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:12 AM

Peter!
Your assumptions and guessing are wrong.
Arthur runs a fine club in Bollington.
The Armoury is also run well, and as you say the singers carry on the night as a sing-a-round after the main guest has finished their last spot and that's great, which is not the same as the Resident singer or band getting up and finishing the night.
There was a club where after the main guest had finished, the guest, the resident and anyone that had sung that night would finish with a rousing song, which I thought was a great way to finish the night.
I have always had a fond admiration for the people that week in and week out, organise and run their club, but with all good intentions sometimes things go wrong, and this thread was not intended to be negative, it was meant to have a light hearted look at things that may have gone wrong and Laugh! (Folk are Human).
Now there is an alternative "POSITIVE" spin off thread "The best things seen in a Folk Club", which has been reduced to a bitter squabbling.
Funny????    It makes me p.ss.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:33 AM

I tell a lie, they weren't introduced as Les Barker, they were introduced as the Kippers!

Which was even worse as the Kippers parody the very songs that particular group performed!

LTS

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: GUEST,Peter Stockport
Date: 03 May 07 - 09:08 AM

Ynot,
It's too easy to criticise organisers and performers. Perhaps you should have started the thread differently. Or, named it differently.
Club organisers don't half get a lot of stick, no point in encouraging it even more. Even if it was meant as a joke.
But then you know all that since you're involved yourself.

Peter-Who gets his fair share of the stick and does enjoy a laugh.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: stallion
Date: 04 May 07 - 06:25 AM

reading captain birdseye post I think is what makes the nitty gritty of "folk clubs" work, I am all for people picking up an instrument or voice and doing their party piece, however tortuous on the ear, so long as they don't think they are "God's gift to music", I am all for inclusivity my two beefs are people who think they are too good to be in with the hoi poloi and people who think they are too good to be in with the hoi poloi and are not. Having said all that, yes, I do cringe sometimes but I eat sprouts at christmas dinner cos its part of the package (bad form to refuse)

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: GUEST
Date: 04 May 07 - 07:51 AM

a 14 verse bob dylan ballad performed by a dude with one bollock hanging out of his shorts. still having flashbacks :( !!!

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Rasener
Date: 04 May 07 - 07:51 AM

LOL that was a balls up then :-)

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Flash Company
Date: 04 May 07 - 09:50 AM

Probably the worst I remember was a well known folkie allowing our organiser to 'persuade' him to sing 'Oh, alright, I'll just do the one!', Then doing a twenty minute introduction to the 'one song' he sang.

FC

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Bugsy
Date: 05 May 07 - 05:26 AM

A guy singing (very badly) "The Wreck Of The Edmond Fitzgerald", making a mistake on the second last line of the penultimate verse, apologising and starting ALL OVER AGAIN!!!!!

Sheer torture!


CHeers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: frogprince
Date: 05 May 07 - 10:53 AM

In a little-bitty Chicago coffeehouse, on open mike night: a shaggy kid gets to the performer's stool, introduces himself as "Rocky the Flying Squirrel", and just then whatever he has been smoking or taking catches up with him and he totally morphs into a store manniquin; after a few minutes someone steered him offstage.
One other moment there wasn't really funny; one regular, whom we could well have done without, came up to me while I was washing coffee cups, to caution me that if we had any black customers, I needed to wash the cups extra carefully, so that no one would catch sickle-cell anemia from them. He was a big, stupid, belligerant thug, who somehow had gotten a college degree. I told him sickle-cell anemia isn't contagious. He "proved" his point be glaring and saying "Yes, it is".

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: GUEST
Date: 05 May 07 - 09:54 PM

SLOW MOTION......A yellow/blue tinged cue-ball busting loose the fresh-white teeth of an under 20 Missus....as she raised her head behind an overturned billards-table in a beer hall, during a bar fight.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Graham and Jo
Date: 07 May 07 - 07:17 AM

Room full of musicians and singers but always the same residents doing the same floor spots.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Tim theTwangler
Date: 07 May 07 - 08:25 AM

#!The one where someone is persuaded to sing when not on the list,then taking ages to introduce the song is familiar.
How about the mc/resident sets up a video camera then nicks the time he wastes mucking about with it from the two acts either side of him in the list?
How about the famous have I got time for one more?
The guy already used up all his half hour by doing four songs and the interminable pre song talk for each.
Then after being allowed the extra one takes five minutes talking and retuning before even attempting to start playing!

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 May 07 - 10:13 AM

Once upon a time, a drummer!! took so long with a sound check, then drivelled for an equal length of time (this tune was inspired by blah, blah, blah ...), that I couldn't cope with the drivel & noise, & so missed my friend who was next.

How can the noise of a drum remind someone of a beautiful sunset or whatever it was?

sandra

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: COINWOLF
Date: 07 May 07 - 01:38 PM

Worst thing is knowing that someone is about to open a bag of crisps.

Crisps should be banned from all folk clubs and festivals.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 07 May 07 - 01:44 PM

Crisps?

There's an extremely well-known US musician resident for many years in London who regularly turns up at a place I often frequent and does floor spots.
Only trouble is that he brings sandwiches wrapped in crinkly paper and munches them throughout the other acts.
The organiser ain't amused but I think it's priceless.

Subject: RE: Worst things seen in a Folk Club
From: GUEST,Tom Bliss
Date: 07 May 07 - 01:59 PM