Resident and visiting singers/musicians

Subject: Resident and visiting singers/musicians
From: Johnny J
Date: 06 Dec 17 - 06:57 PM

I'm including both singers and musicians here.

In our area, we have two large folk clubs both of which do not seem to encourage regulars and members to do floor spots. One of them has always had this policy with a support singer or band followed by the main act in the first half. In the second half, the main act returns to finish the night.
The other club had always featured resident performers usually after the interval but, lately, this has not been the case although the MC usually contributes a song of his own each night!!

In short, is a folk club which fails to encourage resident and/or up and coming performers worthy of its name?

Nothwithstanding the above, I'm well aware that there are some smaller clubs in the area which still encourage floor spots from resident and visiting singers and there are also plenty of sessions. So, does it matter if a couple of the bigger clubs choose to adopt a different format?

Subject: RE: Resident and visiting singers/musicians
From: mg
Date: 06 Dec 17 - 08:10 PM

it is up to whomever does the work. i can't have a say in this.

Subject: RE: Resident and visiting singers/musicians
From: The Sandman
Date: 07 Dec 17 - 05:23 AM

"In short, is a folk club which fails to encourage resident and/or up and coming performers worthy of its name?"
imo ,it is a good policy to encourage visiting floorsingers and to have good resident singers.

Subject: RE: Resident and visiting singers/musicians
From: JHW
Date: 07 Dec 17 - 05:37 AM

I remember a guest on stage asking after the local floor talent who then had to be rustled up as the plan had been the support band (albeit local).

As mg says its up to the organisers. Pick where suits you. I prefer floor singers but I've also seen a guest go home after a very short second set as the mc had tried to fit in every floor singer.

Another dilemma; when the guest attracts good floor singers who don't normally visit - do you put them on or the faithful regulars?

Subject: RE: Resident and visiting singers/musicians
From: GUEST,spb at work
Date: 07 Dec 17 - 07:10 AM

Agree that it is down to each club to decide its own policy, but hopefully in a geographic area that is able to provide a variety which can include (for guest nights):

Guest only
Guest and support only
Guest and local residents
Guest & first come first served
Guest and booked floor spots

Those wishing to attend would then be able to find a club that meets their interests.

On an aside, should local listing show what the policy is to help (potential) visitors find a club that is right for them? eg those looking for a local club while on holiday?

Subject: RE: Resident and visiting singers/musicians
From: Howard Jones
Date: 07 Dec 17 - 08:00 AM

This does seem increasingly to be the pattern for many clubs. It's one of the reasons I don't often go to folk clubs these days. What made folk clubs different from most other forms of entertainment was that sense of everyone - guest, floor singers and audience - were all participating together in the enjoyment of the music. I'm not very interested in just sitting in concerts being performed at, and now only go when there's someone I particularly want to see.

Subject: RE: Resident and visiting singers/musicians
From: Mo the caller
Date: 07 Dec 17 - 10:17 AM

When we spent time in Beverley (nearly 20 yrs ago) the pattern at Nellies was some nights just floor singers - and very good most of them were- and some nights a guest with support from a few of those (chosen by the organiser I think - probably the same few)
That seemed to work well. Both kinds of nights.

Subject: RE: Resident and visiting singers/musicians
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 17 - 10:32 AM

I can think of one club where they went over to booked support because they could nevery guarantee that floor singers would turn up in sufficient numbers or at all.

All of the guest only "clubs" that I can think of are actually run by the venue or by professional promoters.

Subject: RE: Resident and visiting singers/musicians
From: Will Fly
Date: 07 Dec 17 - 10:58 AM

I MC the Brighton Acoustic Session once a month - which has one two guests each evening it runs.

We start between 8.15pm and 8.30pm, depending on when the room gets filled, and finish at 11.00pm. The guest(s) do 2 x 40 minute spots. I usually break the ice by starting the evening off, then all the available space either side of a 20-minute break is for the floor spots. I try and fit everone in if possible, allowing around 5 minutes on average for each performer. If there are fewer performers than usual, they might get two spots - it's all worked out on the fly.

It's rare to get more floor singers than time available. If that happens, I decide who has to miss out but, as said, that's very rare.

Subject: RE: Resident and visiting singers/musicians
From: Leadfingers
Date: 07 Dec 17 - 11:23 AM

I no longer 'run' a club , but when I was running Uxbridge back then , we had a singers night to start the month , and a Major Guest to finish the month , with the evenings in between (A Weekly Club ) we were booking less expensive local and up and coming performers .
The Floor spots were usually three songs , with preference given to singers we did not see on a regular basis - The regular singers , those who attended most weeks knew that visiting singers would be used , so the locals were happy to stand down if there were too many floor spots .
It worked very well for several years , till I gave up as Boss Man .

Subject: RE: Resident and visiting singers/musicians
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 07 Dec 17 - 08:20 PM

I think spb has covered most of the possible scenarios, but as I have posted elsewhere on another forum, 3 of the local folk clubs I go to work very much on an ad hoc principal, in that the MC for the night just asks people who turn up on the night if they want to do a floor spot, which will, in most cases, just be ONE song or tune, so you may get 3 or 4 each half - certainly no longer than 15 minutes of floor spots each half all told. These stalwart MCs seem to have good memories, so that if you go regularly, and don't get a floor spot this month or week, your turn will probably come around next month or week. And if somebody really famous or good happens to drop by one night, and your wonderful MC does not recognise them, you can always "tip the wink" to the MC (who doesn't know everyone in the whole folk universe) - "that's the right honorable Mr(s) excellent folksinger/player - why don't you ask him (her) to do a slot?"
And as for trying to pack every person known to have ever done a floor spot into one night - forget it - we agreed this at our local club: just decide how many you're going to have and stick with it. The local regulars all understand this policy, and no-one feels offended, even if they have turned up prepared with guitar or whatever else, that they don't get asked that particular night, and nobody considers it to be presumptuous to turn up with an instrument - better than having to hike back to your distant car if you DO later get asked to do something!