TOPIC:

Hello
Sundays at the Bell, was a ritual, however last couple of Sundays, after the lunchtime bands, when Louie would normally break out an eclectic mix of vinyl, 2 blokes turned up who could vacate a premises quicker than Lenny Mclean “The Guv’nor”.
I’m sure these are great blokes but when they started tuning up we could tell this was going to be hard work.
All of a sudden about 10 people were there (not a drink in sight) sat in a circle playing to each other. From out of the top of the circle all I could describe the sound as is Diddly Dee, I must hasten to add after each section of Diddly not a single person left in the pub applauded, I would just like to know for whom this is arranged, if it’s for the circle of musicians then can they not play in the Love Lounge (always support musicians enjoying what they play), if it’s for the patrons/shareholders then I’d ask how clearing the pub of all paying customers is progress.
Looking forward to Louie’s vinyl again or the Star at 4

A tunes session is a bit like a social event for musicians, yes.
And the etiquette of it is that you don't applaud (unless someone's done something utterly stand-out stunning) so it's no wonder no-one did. The music isn't done for applause. Maybe doing it on "the stage" is a mixed message, but it's a space in the pub that's clear because it's just been used, would prefer not to move people out of their seats, that's rude.
We'd been approached over the past months by several local musicians suggesting we try one, this is for 3 months to see if it works. These things take a while to settle in; there's a circuit in Bristol and Bath and we have to see if this fits in and attracts the good players and people who want to listen. We chose Sunday afternoon because it doesn't clash too much with other events on that circuit, and because we thought it might flow on nicely from the lunchtime band vibe.

Personally I don't think it's very sociable or welcoming to tuck people away in the LL - if it's a class or something that needs concentration like The Playgroup that's different - that's like saying "we'd like you to come and buy our beer, but actually we don't like your music and don't want to hear it." That would get a very predictable response.
I'm sorry you don't like British Folk Music: me I like lots of music, that included (and lots that never gets in The Bell), and it has the major advantage that you don't need amplification to play it, and it's sociable, people drop in and out, they chat, it's not about egos. Some pubs that run sessions (not just in Ireland) get regular crowds in 'cos they love the atmosphere it brings.

I also really like what Louie plays - actualy i thought Sunday was a Spinner session, but maybe i'm not keeping up, and i like what he plays too - and since it's L who sets up the DJ rota i hope he has a slot reserved for himself on that already or as soon as... I confess that my personal bias is for live music when it fits, and there are DJs on on 4 or 5 evenings at the moment, plus the Legendary Bruno & Mick Show on Saturday: we thought we'd do something else.
I'll say it again. Myself I really like what Louie, Tim, Bruno, Mick, Rodders, Alex, Ian the Taxi and the others whose sets i haven't heard or whose names i don't remember right now play. They don't play the mainstream shiny tat that other places do, they're very Bell, there really isn't an anti-DJ thing. We're just trying to fit another style in.

It's an experiment, OK?
...It will either attract an audience or not. Because it's not a 'star' thing it's not appropriate to bill it the same way as you would a band, and it sneaked out without a fanfare at the beginning of the year because we were trying to attract the right musicians first. We'll see what happens.
And we're going to try out more ideas, and we won't tuck them away in the Love Lounge for fear of offending the routine - and because we want more performers to use the advantages of the LL to put their own thing on.
Sorry to mess your afternoon up, hope you find another time you like. 'Sfunny, I know people who go up The Star because they don't like the DJs... I like it there too, when i want nothing else going on (they have a Session too, it works for them) but that's not what I go to The Bell for...

Added to this could be the consolation that probably hardly any of the £50,000+ annual music budget goes toward the Diddlies, even if they are scaring away paying customers like nickb?

This sounds interesting - I'd quite like to come along to these folk sessions - if only I was in Bath a bit more often!

I wonder if it might help similarly inclined folk if there was a bit more information about them in the 'what's on' listings, such as what sort of music is encouraged, are they primarily for a closed group of local musicians or can anyone join in, is it round-the-room format where everyone takes a turn or is it free-for-all, jump in when you can, or are the sessions more for the serious-minded folkie aiming for a polished performance and not necessarily approving of people joining in.....?

Maybe numbers might be swelled if the sessions were to be advertised in local folk-session listings, such as www.sadfolk.co.uk/listings.php.?

Hmm... It's open, yes. Everyone joins in, yes. Whatever the standard (but don't join in if you don't know it or aren't following VERY CLOSELY).
It's NOT a singaround, that's a different setup, more like the small folk club and that's really not the vibe we're after. And it's not really about people doing their party pieces.
The idea is to play something everyone can join in on, and it does tend to mean tunes rather than songs, tho' even a tunes session will have a few songs or a song section. So it tends to be tunes from the general pool of tunes that folk tune players know, tho' obviously one adds to that by bringing new things along that others can pick up on or be encouraged to learn.
Session etiquette can seem quite complicated, and is unwritten (so i can't tell you, hah!) but it comes down to it not being a solo ego thing, to listen to others and (which proceeds from that) be sympathetic in accompaniment (chordal and rhythm instruments needs a special subtle touch, which is hard when a session has too many of them). Players pick up on it and get a feel for that kind of playing (& listening), Nothing says you have to join in on everything. There's plenty to be learned listening.
Get a feel for what others are doing. And anyway each session can get its own traditions etc. after a while.