Investigating the health of the UK folk club Dr Stephen Henderson Senior Lecturer Leeds Metropolitan University UK Centre for Events Management Room 216 Bronte Hall Headingley Campus Leeds LS6 3QS United Kingdom Telephone: 0113 812 5514 Email:
[email protected] Abstract This research addresses the conflicting views of the health of folk music by way of interviewing artists, agents, and folk club organisers/promoters. Exploring the more homogenous formats of performance observed as singarounds (including sessions), ‘open mic’ and concert clubs, it is concluded that the concert club is struggling to survive whilst the other formats are still offering opportunities to folk artists. However, the latter are finding both the formal venues such as arts centres and the emergence of young promoters provides compensatory opportunities for performance. 1. Aim of Research For many years, folk clubs have provided places of congregation for those of like musical mind to discuss, perform, enjoy and share their music. This paper explores the state of health found within the UK folk club scene where the phrase ‘folk revival’ seems to be mentioned as often as concerns are raised about the future of the folk club. In considering the state of the folk club, this work concentrates on the business models represented by different folk club formats and their relative health as opposed to the complex ethnomusicology behind the folk music format. 2. Methodology In order to address the health of the folk club, the author has interviewed twelve individuals including the artists who play these clubs, agents who book out the artists across the many venues and organisers/promoters who book the artists into these venues.