So You Want To Run A Folk Night

These pages are intended to be a useful resource for anyone who is or is considering organising a regular FOLK CLUB or FOLK NIGHT. Hopefully it will develop into a useful collection of tips and anecdotes - from existing Organisers, Residents and Regular attendees - which will help you to decide what to do and what not to do when embarking on your project.

Enthusiasm is a must and of course you will be brimming with 'Original' ideas - by all means keep it that way - try and stamp your personality on the evening, after all variety is the spice of life, however all FOLK CLUB Organisers have had times when the club has ridden on a 'Wave of Success' and also (unfortunately) fallen into a 'Chasm of Miserable Failure'.

What works at one club often goes down like a lead balloon at others - for no obvious reason. Hopefully (if enough people contribute) advice gleaned from here should POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

'Beggars can't be choosers' when choosing a venue at which to stage a Folk Night/Club. Obviously the main consideration is a suitable sized room that is not going to cost you anything (preferably with the Landlord/Manager agreeing to make a donation to your funds on nights that produce large bar takings). The room should be away from the bar (if you are aiming for acoustic music) it's bad enough trying to fight an noisy uninterested crowd, at the bar, when using microphones! It's impossible if you want to be totally acoustic. If the only room available is likely to be 'polluted' by noise from the bar, consider using a P.A.

Before commencing - ensure that the Landlord/Manager of the establishment realise that this could be a long-term commitment and you don't expect to be 'thrown out on your ear' after a few weeks when the initial 'outside interest' wanes and numbers level out.

Ask the Landlord/Manager if his license covers him for 'Live Performance' (This can cause problems in certain parts of the country - many areas don't seem to bother). This problem can be overcome by using a 'Membership Scheme' but only if proceedings take place in a private room.

Another important point, when choosing a venue is Access For Disabled People! (I am ashamed to admit that my Folk Club convenes in an upstairs room - impossible for wheelchairs).

If you have any Tips or other information, on this subject, that others may find useful - and I will add it.

Folk Clubs usually have 'Resident Performers' often - but not nescessarily - the Club Organiser. (Probably due to the fact that originally the Organiser set up the club to give him/her/them somewhere to play on a regular basis). As Resident(s) it's your job to 'hold' the evening together. If it's a Singers Night you would normally start and finish proceedings using your better judgement and knowledge of performers present (regulars & strangers) to ensure (i) variety throughout the evening and (ii) all willing participants get a chance to perform at least one song. At a Guest Night - be prepared to be the 'Warm up' during that period from - official start time until all 'late-comers have arrived'.

Try not to show any artistic bias - you may not like a particular performers style or genre - but the fact that they have turned up means that they are supporting you and therefore deserve the same consideration as everybody else.

Other 'Resident Duties' will be :- Reading the Parish Notices (What's on locally + forthcoming events at the club) and organising the raffle and selling tickets (if this is one of the methods your club uses to raise funds - most do).

If possible try and persuade others to become Residents. This means that (i) You have cover for holidays and times when you can't make it. (ii) 'Variety is the spice of life' and different residents - give a different feel to the night. (I know one session club, in North Lancashire, that proudly boasts 12 different host/residents, this club meets fortnightly so it's unlikely to see the same resident(s) hosting the night for the next 6 months).

If you have any Tips or other information, on this subject, that others may find useful - and I will add it.

The best run and most entertaining nights deserve to be well attended. Unfortunately this doesn't always happen. The main reason that you have seats without bums on them is that you are not doing enough to publicise your club. There are tried and tested methods of doing this it's just a matter of keeping on top of it. However the good news is that it has become much easier with the advent of Email.

Posters - Stick them up in local shops, ask your friends to display them at work. Try to advertise at least 3 months-worth of stuff on the one poster - it saves you having to trawl round week after week. Make a point of leaving posters in the music shops in the nearest town(s).

Flyers - Very efficient way of hitting your target audience. Send a bundle to all the local folk clubs that are in traveling distance and ask the Organiser to display them. (Make sure to return the favour - if asked). If you have made your posters A4 size you can shrink them down so that 4 fit onto a sheet for use as flyers.

Local Media - Advertising on the local radio or in the local paper is far too expensive an option to consider for Folk Clubs. However you can get exposure on air and in print. Both local radio and local papers will have a 'What's On' feature - find out the name of the person responsible for the feature and send them details (it's much easier by Email) of your events. You may be lucky enough to have a Folk Program on radio - again find out the name of the person who does the 'Diary Dates' or 'What's On' and let them know what you have planned.

For special events - such as Guest Nights - or New Club Launch - a Press Release may do the trick. Send it off in good time and you will certainly get coverage (especially if you stress that it is a non-profit making venture) and probably a Photo Call or invitation for a Live Interview.

Always remember that Newspaper Editors & Radio Producers like to have as much information as possible in plenty time before publication or broadcast is due - this gives them time to organise their presentation - don't leave until the last minute.

Mailing Lists - Again much easier, since the advent of Email. Make sure that you have a notebook handy on club nights to jot down addresses (preferably Email) - send details to all recipients about once per month.

Hitting Your Audience - Think about ways to get your message across to people who are already attending Folk Events. (We've already covered 'Flyers') If your area is covered by a periodical Folk Magazine or Folk Organisation find out how to be 'included' - a few quid for an annual subscription or pledging to sell, a dozen or so, magazines at your club should definitely be considered.

(TIP) I find that when I send Press Releases to local Newspapers I get more success if I send them in 'Courier Font' (I think it gives the Editors a 'warm feeling' because it's what they are used to reading)
(Graham Dixon Gregson Lane Folk Club)

Rule of thumb is keep it concise and to the point. The whole should really be no longer than two sides of A4 - if they are interested they will contact you for more so make sure you have a contact name and daytime telephone number included.

If you give a number where you will not be around a fair bit of the time, make sure you have an answerphone service and check it regularly. Always get back to a newspaper asap. News is a very transient business. What maybe interesting to a publication one day will most likely be old news by the following day so if you get a bite, follow it up quickly.

Editorial (non-paid-for news and features) space is allocated only once all the advertising for a particular page has been sold. Your piece has to vie with others to fill the remainder. At certain times of year (normally school holidays, especially Easter, August and December) there is a lack of news and other less 'newsy' items will be given more space as reporters are desperate to fill space. If you have something current around these times - make the most of it. This is called the 'silly season' where news can often be 'beefed up' eg something made of nothing!

Deadlines are a hard fact of media life - if you miss them, you don't get in. Listings are free. If you know of events listings or 'what's on' columns in the press, make note of their deadlines and get your stuff to them as early as possible. They are quite often put together two weeks in advance. Include contact telephone number for the public to ring for more info.

For the actual nuts and bolts of the press release itself. It needs to be A4 white paper, one and a half or double line spaced. Don't type on both sides of the paper. Staple sheets together if you have more than one. If you run to several pages put 'more follows' in a prominent place at the base of each sheet so they know there is more. Keep paragraphs to no more than five lines. Copy should be in point size 12 (smaller is hard to read). Typeface is up to you but Times Roman is the standard typeface for most papers in this country (sorry Graham, portable typewriters using Courier went out in the early 1980s when word-processors came in).

Put your contact details on every page just in case they part company with each other (media offices are ALWAYS chaotic and this happens daily).

Your opening paragraph should be no more than 40 words long - preferably not more than 30. It should include ALL the interesting bits eg: "Gregson Lane Folk Club celebrates its 30th anniversary year on November 20 with a marathon all-day sing starring longest-serving member Harold * aged 101*"

That paragraph should hook any local reporter into a potentially interesting story/hopefully feature about the coming event. It says where, who and when. Rules of journalism dictate that stories need to contain "what, where, when, who and how." Make sure you include it.

People will disagree about punctuation so try to write sentences that don't need it. Keep sentences short and don't use elaborate language - the less a reporter has to tinker with the information, the more likely you will get the info in unchanged. If your press release ever appears in full with someone else's name (called a byline) on it, be flattered. You wrote a press release worthy of any reporter!

If you are publicising events/workshops at a venue, give the full address, not just the town/village. Try to target the release at the right publications. Newspapers are terribly parochial and will not include information about events outside their circulation area. Don't fall out with them about it, just use it to your advantage and target the ones in the immediate area.

Pegs to hang stories on are eg I am local, I am playing at a local venue, I am playing at local schools, I am supporting a local event. Sorry, this is beginning to sound like League of Gentlemen and LOCAL SHOP!!!!

Contact details are very important as I said before. If they are interested enough they will contact you and ask for more info, quotes.

You will never be able to see an article before it is published so don't stray onto ground you are unsure of and then fall out with the paper afterwards about it - they will remember! Keep it upbeat unless you have a legitimate axe to grind.

Try and think through issues thoroughly before opening up the debate. You might want your story interpreted one way, they might take a completely different direction which leaves you unprepared.

Finally, and I can't emphasise this enough PROOF CHECK. Check dates, check telephone numbers, check name spellings. Check everything including the heading. Don't use block capitals for anything other than a title - they are horrendous to read.

Ask your performers to supply a good photograph and attach it to your press release with a paperclip. Write the performer's name on the back in the bottom right hand corner only - in BLUE biro * do not press hard. They probably won't use the photo but at least they had the option.

Check if you can email text straight to the newspaper * it will save you time. Make sure you check with the paper periodically that the contact email doesn't change (a high turnover of reporters is usual in local newspapers * they pay bog all!).

If you have any Tips or other information, on this subject, that others may find useful - and I will add it.

Some Folk Clubs have a Guest(s) performing every week, some have Guests on the occasional night, others never book Guests. There are no hard and fast rules - all formats work well somewhere or other.

Professional, Semi Professional or Local? Unfortunately booking Guests usually costs money which is usually in short supply at most Folk Clubs unless they are extremely well established or lucky enough to be sponsored by either a third party or the manager/owner of the venue.

It's very tempting to 'run before you can walk' when starting to book guests but there are several things to consider.

If the Guest is a Professional (does it for his/her/their living) then you have to be able to guarantee a substantial fee and may be required to fulfill some other criteria such as providing a PA system and overnight accommodation - Frankly this would be false economy if your club meets in a small room.

If you decide to book a Semi Pro who is popular in the clubs, in and around your area, are you sure that enough people will turn up to ensure that the evening is a viable proposition. (If the proposed guest does the local circuit he/she/they may suffer from over exposure and you may struggle to entice people, who have seen them recently, to attend. The advantage her however is that usually these performers (providing they are reasonably local) are negotiable on their price and will be a bit flexible depending on how successful the night is and how many people turn up.

There are plenty talented performers out there - who you will find attending your singers nights - who would probably jump at the chance to come and do a guest spot - just for the opportunity to see whether or not they can hold the audience for more than just a couple of songs (their usual contribution at a singers night). I wouldn't expect them to do it for nothing so offer expenses (petrol + drinks) + the proceeds of the pot which can be passed around the audience, on the night.

Whatever form your guest night takes, it is important to promote it and make it sound appealing to the potential audience.

Once it becomes a known fact that your club books guests - be prepared to be inundated with phone calls asking for bookings. If you're the type of person who has difficulty saying "NO" then don't embark on the Guest route. Usually (after you have said "NO") comes an offer to send you a CD or Tape to listen to.

If you have any Tips or other information, on this subject, that others may find useful - and I will add it.

If it's a guest night you probably need to levy a door charge (that is unless you are a very rich club or have a very benevolent sponsor). Guest nights also attract people who do not normally support the club so it's only fair that they contribute something towards the evening.

Offer your regulars a good discount on prices of tickets bought in advance of a Guest Night after all without these people there wouldn't be a club.

If you have any Tips or other information, on this subject, that others may find useful - and I will add it.

Singers Nights are very popular and can take several different forms. The two most common formats are:-

(i) The Informal Singaround the host goes around the room inviting willing members of the audience to sing. Musicians/Singers perform either sitting or standing at the table were they are seated. (This is like a 'formal Session') (Try 'Clockwise' around the room during the first half and 'Anti-Clockwise' after the break).

(ii) The Formal Singaround Similar to above but the performers are invited to play 'on stage' (this could be a 'real' stage or a clear area, at one end of the room, in front of the audience. The advantage of this (from an organisers point of view) is that you can use your experience to select people to perform in an order that varies the program.

Both of the above are 'Tried & Tested' methods and work well. The biggest problem that you will have, as an organiser, is estimating the time that each performer(s) is allowed - the best laid plans of Mice & men (& Folk Club Organisers) can be torn apart by Late Arrivals (common with musicians) & singers who decide to perform a 'Cecil B De Mille Epic' such as Lord Thomas & Fair Elenor five minutes before closing time with two or three people waiting to perform.

(iii) Sessions are even less formal than 'Informal singarounds'. Musicians jump in and start playing at a suitable break in proceedings. Other musicians/singers join in and play/sing along.

(TIP) At Singers Nights, when performers ask "How many?" and time is at a premium, I say "One long one or two short ones"
(Graham Dixon - Gregson Lane Folk Club)

If you have any Tips or other information, on this subject, that others may find useful - and I will add it.

PA Systems - This can be a controversial subject - Some Folk Clubs swear by them some wouldn't have one given. Some performers 'shine' when amplified others refuse to use them (and will even stand in front of the microphones supplied).

I think that PA is essential if your club meets in the bar of a pub - there is nothing worse than trying to sing or play when there is a lot of noise and talking coming from the bar. However it is a notable fact that this talking and noise gets even louder when the microphones are turned on.

PA can be a good idea on Guest Nights - especially if you are expecting a packed house.

   * Remember it's a Folk Club (and not a Deep Purple Concert) - the volume should be set at a suitable level (just to carry the sound to those sat at the back)
    * Safety First - Make sure that the earth leads are connected at the plugs - use an RCD Safety Cut-out device - Don't leave wires across the floor for people to trip over, tape them down (the wires that is, not the people).
    * Remember that a PA is only as good as its' worst component (usually me singing ;-)) Cheap nasty microphones still sound rubbish through even the best speakers.
    * If you decide to buy a PA for your club - get plenty of advice before parting with your cash.

If you are in a private room, it is unlikely that you will need a PA. You have to expect a low level of background noise but as the Organiser you will come across occasions when you need to politely ask people to "Keep the noise down".

(TIP) If you are using PA at a singers night try to arrange it so that any bands/duos etc only do one spot - it saves setting up time - obviously let them do an 'extra' song or two during their spot.
(Graham Dixon - Gregson Lane Folk Club)

If you have any Tips or other information, on this subject, that others may find useful - and I will add it.

Theme nights are very popular indeed. I have attended club nights that follow the following themes - I'm sure there are dozens more WATCH THIS SPACE.

BOB DYLAN (Everyone sings Dylan Songs) - PROTEST SONGS - LOVE SONGS (Popular on or around 14th February) - LADIES NIGHTS (Men must sing at least one song - in the 'Ladies part') LANCASHIRE NIGHT - SCOTTISH NIGHT - IRISH NIGHT - Etc.
(I hope I've not offended any of our Welsh friends here - it's just that I've not come across a Welsh Night - Maybe food for thought).

If you have any Tips or other information, on this subject, that others may find useful - and I will add it.

Hire a coach or minibus (think of the Drivers) and get your members down to another club. Invite them back to your club.

Arrange for you (or your residents) to host a night at another club and Vica Versa.

If you have any Tips or other information, on this subject, that others may find useful - and I will add it.

You will need some money to enable you to run a successful club, sources of income are as follows:-

    * HAVE A WEEKLY RAFFLE
    * PASS ROUND A POT & ASK FOR DONATIONS
    * DOOR CHARGE
    * DONATIONS FROM THE MANAGER/LANDLORD (Suggest it to him - he's making a lot on his beer on your Folk Night)
    * SPONSORSHIP (Local businesses - advertise them on your posters & flyers)

As with all finance it is important to keep accurate records of all income and expenditure. As the club gets established you need to formalise this procedure.

If you have any Tips or other information, on this subject, that others may find useful - and I will add it.

Q: Who needs a public entertainment licence (PEL)?
A: Anyone organising any public performance of live music virtually anywhere. Without first obtaining a PEL from their local authority they could face a criminal prosecution. Venues affected could include village halls, schools, hospitals, libraries and so on.

Q: Does that mean even a piano recital in your own home could be illegal?
A: Yes, if the public were invited to attend.

Q: What is the penalty?
A: Unlicensed live music is a criminal offence. The maximum penalty is a �20,000 fine and six months in prison.

Q: Is amateur performance exempt from the PEL requirement?
A: No. It is immaterial whether or not performers are paid, or whether admission is free or conditional upon payment of an entry fee. The PEL fee may be waived, however, if the event is for a charitable or educational purpose.

Q: When is an entertainment �public�?
A: Unfortunately the legislation that defines public entertainment does not define the term public. Case law is therefore the only guide. In Gardner v Morris (1961) it was determined that the number of members of the public that were present was irrelevant. The test was whether any �reputable� member of the public could gain entry. Broadly speaking if a member of the public could gain entry without discrimination, by payment or otherwise, then the event would be public.

Q: Are any exemptions allowed?
A: Yes, performances that are:

*part of a religious service;
*in a place of public religious worship (outside London);
*on Crown land;
*by up to two �performers� in on-licensed premises (bars, restaurants etc).

Q: What about private members clubs?
A: It is possible to avoid the necessity of a PEL by setting up a private members club. However this can be complicated, so it would be a good idea to get legal advice. For example, if alcohol is on sale on the club premises formal registration must be made to the magistrates court so that a hearing can consider all aspects of the club formation (a minimum required number of members, rules, committee structure etc). This is not an easy option. If alcohol is not to be sold on the club�s premises formal registration is not necessary. However it is advisable to set up the club with membership forms, committee, membership list etc, if only to reassure a local authority that it is properly constituted (in case they threatened action on the basis that a particular event was public). But this is not the end of the story. You need to check whether your local authority has adopted the Private Places of Entertainment Act 1967 � if they have, you would need to obtain a different type of formal licence!

Q: If I were to play a guitar in my local pub, and use backing tapes to get around the two musician rule, is that OK?
A: No. Combining even one live musician with any form of 'recorded sound' is illegal in such premises without a PEL. The term 'recorded sound' would also include minidisc. Even MIDI technology, almost universal in modern electronic instruments, is counted as 'recorded sound' by some local authorities.

Q: How many on-licensed premises have PELs?
A: There are about 111,000 on-licensed premises in England and Wales, including all pubs. Only 5% actually hold annual PELs

Q: Do members of the public count as 'performers' if they participate by singing along during a performance in these premises?
A: Yes, many local authorities interpret the law in this way. They cite case law precedent from 1793 to support this position.

Q: Does that mean more than two people singing could be a criminal offence in over 100,000 pubs, bars and restaurants?
A: For the licensee - yes.

Q: What if I engaged one musician and invited different singers to 'do a turn'. Provided only two were performing at any one time, would that be OK?
A: Not according to London borough councils. They argue that only the same two performers should be allowed throughout the course of an evening in on-licensed premises.

Q: Does a pub need a PEL for any form of recorded sound or satellite television?
A: No - provided no live musicians play at the same time.

Q: What the rationale for PELs?
A: To ensure public safety, minimise public disturbance and the potential for crime and disorder - reasonable enough, on the face of it. Regulation is certainly necessary for events that might become dangerously overcrowded, noisy or boisterous. But for premises that already count as �workplaces�, like bars, restaurants and hotels, PELs duplicate existing public safety provision under separate legislation. External noise is also separately regulated, whether it emanates from a neighbour�s hi-fi, a pub or a factory [Environmental Protection Act 1990, Noise Act 1996]. Public order outside premises is the responsibility of the police.

Q: Is the Government doing anything about this?
A: It has proposed radical reform of both liquor and public entertainment licensing. A White Paper (Time for Reform: Proposals for the Modernisation of our Licensing Laws) was published in April 2000. At the same time the Home Office issued a formal warning to local authorities against overcharging for PELs and imposing, in its words, �excessive� conditions [Home Office Circular 13/2000].

Q: When will new licensing legislation be introduced?
A: A new licensing Bill was promised just before the General Election, but it was dropped from the Queen�s Speech. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport, responsible for licensing since 8 June this year, is now saying that legislation will be introduced �as soon as Parliamentary time permits�. In reality a new Bill could take years to become law. The DCMS has suggested that it may consider issuing further guidelines to local authorities.

If you are planning to put on a performance of live music or dance, beware.

Many local authorities pursue aggressive enforcement policies.

In Camden a leading string quartet was forced to sit in silence, in full concert dress, instruments in hand. A CD was played instead � because the venue (a Waterstone�s bookshop) had not applied for a public entertainment licence (PEL).
At least two councils (Weymouth and Oxford) stopped informal folk sessions in local pubs this year by citing case law from 1793 in support of counting members of the public singing as �performers�. Because there were more than two the events were stopped. There were no noise complaints or safety concerns.
A publican in Hackney was prosecuted and fined �500 because seven people sang Happy Birthday.
(Courtesy of Hamish Birchall)