folk club membership

Subject: folk club membership
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 03:57 AM

I visited a Folk club for the first time in 1965, it was common then foR clubs to have a membership. members getting reduced rates, after having joined. For a while, this went out of fashion, but is now popular again.
Ihave always thought it was an excellent idea, as people are encouraged to come back to get their moneys worth, it can also encourage the feeling of a social club, in my opinion important again.
one club that I played recently, CARRINGTON in NOTTINGHAM had a membership system and seemed to be very successful, the organiser Grenville Blattherwick also provided a curry and the atmosphere was friendly and like a genuine club. Club holidays have also been organised in the past [ canal boat trips etc].
The result is a well attended club with a friendly atmosphere, not reliant on guests to draw crowds , people go regardless, because of the atmosphere, and they trust the organiser to book quality guests. the epitome of a good folk club, club membership is one of the ingredients to making it a good CLUB.
Have any other organisers noticed an improvement after theintroduction of a membership scheme.DickMiles

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 04:29 AM

Different successful clubs are run in many different ways

Membership can also have different outcomes such as to exclude rather than include and also be a means to swell club funds

Of course clubs differ in whether they are seen as having Aims towards regular guest nights or not and seen as a special occasion along with the social club feel of folk entertainment and having a good time!

Good luck to Gren and long may his club thrive ~ he and his regulars put in a great deal of time and effort and are the back bone of the folk club scene, and continue to provide the weekly bread and butter of the professional and semi professional folk artists

There is an arguement which says that Folk Festivals are taking over such a role ~ we need to bolster the image of Folk clubs and our professionalism but still maintain the feel of the social night out, I feel

Ray Padgett

This

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 04:43 AM

Did I write this????
I absolutely endorse CB's thoughts, as I have expressed elsewhere. If you have the commitment to run a Club at all, then the extra effort in maintaining a data base, however simple is well worth it.
When we established SCOFF (Google for more)way back when, one of the first ideas was a common entrance fee for member Clubs. But individual clubs maintained their own membership lists. Individuals joined the club of their choice thus maintaining the "my Club" feeling. My Club at the time, The Cutty Wren, Hythe, certainly held beach parties and even brought Boys & Girls marquees to Sidmouth about 1970. Now that was a CLUB. I seem to remember that for quite a while we didn't even reveal the forthcoming guest; our members turned up because it was folk club night.

Andy

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Bernard
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 04:52 AM

I believe the reason used to have more to do with licensing laws than anything else. I know of some clubs, Westhoughton and Northwich for example, which operate a membership system. The two clubs I'm involved in running, The Open Door and the Railway, do not.

We have had a few instances at the Railway recently when ticket sales for guests have reached room capacity before the day. Regulars aren't usually disappointed, because they know soon enough that tickets are selling fast, so I don't think a membership scheme would make much difference.

I agree that a membership system could make people feel excluded, and, in my experience, it can also drive away those who don't wish to take on such a commitment. No, I don't understand that last bit either, but it happened at a club I used to run back in the 1980s!

I believe the trend towards festivals has a lot to do with the decline of clubs, and I've no idea how to reverse it.

The Open Door has a very small core of regulars, but the Railway boasts around fifty. The Open DOor is on a bus route, the Railway has no easily accessible public transport...

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 05:02 AM

Agree with Bernard. I don't have a membership at Market Rasen Folk Club. Seems to work OK. Regulars know when concerts are selling well and I reserve seats for them.

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Tim theTwangler
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 05:08 AM

LOL I attend Market Raisen Folk Club quite regularily and have been allowed to play there too.
MRFC is a great club and has no members.
Villan and I recently discussed this and agrred to differ,but I noticed the comments re folk festivals competing with the regular clubs and would like to hear more about this as it si not immediatly apparant to us attendees how this works out.

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Betsy
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 05:24 AM

If the Folk Club is held,in an already existing bona fide Club i.e. a Rugby Club (and not a pub) in theory all persons entering the Rugby Club should be Members , or signed-in guests.
Making the folk people form a Folk Club within the Rugby Club, helps to get round this archaic rule - a rule which the cops can enforce on the organisers and the attendees if they so wished.
It works well at Guisborough Rugby Folk Club, but if in doubt check with them the "ins and outs " of this system, as ,I believe I have over-simplified the method above.
Otherwise , being members of a Folk Club, getting reduced or preferential ticket prices than an non-member,as a bonus for committment to the Club is fine for me.
I wish soccer Clubs would follow this example.

Cheers

Betsy

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 05:27 AM

I should add that Market rasen Folk Club is held in a village hall and we hire the room. The village hall doesn't require membership. However some folk clubs are held in clubs where membership is required.
Not sure but I think Gainsborough Folk Club is in that situation, but I could be wrong, as no doubt I will soon find out :-)

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: GUEST,Dave (Bridger)
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 05:51 AM

The Bridge Folk Club, in Newcastle, operates a loyalty card system, whereby regular performers and spouses/significant others get a loyalty card which gets them in half price on a guest night. A means of saying thank you for their support.

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Sooz
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 06:02 AM

Gainsborough Folk Club meets at a social club which requires that some of the Folk Club regulars are members. What we decided to do was introduce a yearly membership charge out of which we would pay the social club membership for that person who then gets free admission and a reduced rate on guest nights. Non members pay each week and are logged in on a list so that the Social Club knows who their guests are.
Seems to work. We never had a regular charge and this is easier to operate as less money is involved for each meeting.

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Tim theTwangler
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 07:21 AM

Hey just been on MRFC site and it seems different somehow.
Different mission statement perhaps?
Still these things have to be fluid is only way to ensure future of our music innit?

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Tim theTwangler
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 07:25 AM

Re Guisbro Rugby Folk club.
We would like to come over and hear whats going on next year we have been to the Globe and the Tap and Spile would like to visit the Fok Club have yo a web site for the details of when and where and who is playing ?
Cheers

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 07:28 AM

>>Hey just been on MRFC site and it seems different somehow.
Different mission statement perhaps?
<<

Whats your gripe Tim?

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Tim theTwangler
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 08:09 AM

No gripe who mentioned gripe?
Is nice to see things spelled out in black and white how it should be.

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: LesB
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 08:13 AM

I've never given it a thought. I only think of Folk Clubs in terms of membership. Nearly all of the clubs I have been to, that have guests, operate a membership system. I tend not to think of clubs that don't ever have guests as not being 'proper' folk clubs, more singarounds. I admit this is probably wrong of me.
At our club we have had a membership system for 42 yrs, so we can't be doing too much wrong.
For a very small outlay (a pound or two, i forget) you save £1 on the door price every time you go. So if you go to a club more than a couple of times a year, you save money.
Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Tim theTwangler
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 08:20 AM

That is my thought LesB if I understand you correctly.
If you can be a member of something you tend to feel part of it and able to help with things and valued as a member.
If you are not allowed to be a member you may as well be going in a pub and watching the band that they have on that night or joining in a singaround or session.
It is nice to feel included and to be able to make a contribution to things isnt it.
Still it is a thankless task running a club for members they may start to have ideas of their own LOL

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Betsy
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 09:01 AM

There you go Tim,
http://www.guisboroughfolkclub.ukforum.com/

They do have Guests, but because they have such a good "pool" of terrific-standard and varied types of performers it's not too frequent. Locals like their opportunity to perform which gets compressed because of Guests. Nice big room to sing and play,( locals /residents generally don't use PA ), decent beer, on a Sunday Night. The Globe is on a Friday - so no clash , which reminds me I owe Dave and Clare a visit !!!!
Terry is MC and all you have to do is make yourself known and I'm sure you'll get a spot as I said - provided it's not guest night.
Best of Luck.
Cheers
Betsy

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 09:25 AM

Thats Ok then Tim :-)

We can at Market Rasen Folk Club, increase the door entrance, introduce membership, and offer the same price as we do now to members, if it helps. However it hasn't been necessary for the last three years. So, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Unless there is a real good reason to do it.

Les

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Betsy
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 10:12 AM

Hi Les,
It's horses for courses, you're quite right - if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
It doesn't work in every circumstance, and I've known Club Organisers have to dip into their own pockets to keep the thing afloat.
I trust and hope your method serves you well.
Incidentally am I to assume by the forgoing messages that the Villain, and Les B are the same as both signed off "Les" - or there a lot of "Les's " around at this time of the Year?

Cheers,

Betsy.

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 10:30 AM

There are a lot of Les's LOL. We are not the same people.

Any folk organiser has to dip into their pocket every so often, but cross fingers it will never be too much. :-)

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: LesB
Date: 18 Oct 06 - 12:58 PM

I'm Les Brown (hence the B), & i'm the webmaster for Bothy Folk Club, Southport.
Ours is a 'typical' folk club with a panel of resident singers, who run the night, augmented by 'floor singers' on a singers night, & the 'warm up' for the artist on guest nights. Guest nights & singers usually alternating weeks.
Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 04:38 AM

when the recent law[

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 04:45 AM

technical problem ,sorry.
When the two in a bar rule was introduced, was it not necessary for folk clubs to have a membership system.
    I know the two in a bar rule has been discontinued, but did any folk club organisers notice an improvement in attendance,when they were forced to introduce]

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 05:03 AM

Guestpadgett says that Gren provides the weekly bread and butter while Captain Birdseye maintains it's a curry at Carrington and Nottingham. Which is it boys? It might be the deciding factor on a visit.

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 06:42 AM

its curry, but not hurry curry.

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Bernard
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 10:41 AM

Mmmmm... the two clubs I'm involved directly in organising don't operate membership schemes (as I've already mentioned), and are poles apart regarding regular attendance.

I'm fairly certain that a membership scheme would not help the Open Door to boost attendances; the regulars are fairly committed already - it's the same dozen or so week in, week out, whether we have a guest (monthly) or not. Occasionally a guest may attract a couple more visitors, but they don't become regulars - and would not want to become 'members'.

A membership scheme may help regulars at the Railway if it meant a discount on guest tickets, though it is unlikely to boost club income... The interesting thing is that the audience on a guest night differs a lot from that on a singers' night. A few 'core regulars' turn up for both, but most of the singers' night regulars don't turn up for guests - with the exception of a couple of guests, Martyn Wyndham-Read and Garva... which is interesting.

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Rasener
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 10:51 AM

Well I hope they turn up in swarms when I have Martyn on at MRFC in December.

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 04:26 PM

THEY, not locusts or Bees I hope.

Subject: RE: folk club membership
From: Rasener
Date: 19 Oct 06 - 04:55 PM

WEll I hope BusyBeePaul turns up :-)