Good advice

Good advice both for bands and for would-be promoters, from Sharon Loughrin of the Red Room, Ireland's premier house-concert venue:

We had a busy bluegrassy weekend: a private gig in a friend's garden shed with the Tennessee Hennessees and Mons Wheeler on Saturday night, and a visit to St George's Market to hear the Down and Outs on Sunday [photo by Sharon]. They had an appreciative audience, and I've always thought gigs like this should be chased up more; bluegrass and old-time music suit markets/ vintage shows/ garden and craft shows, seem to be all like-minded people.

Sharon adds that their friend with the commodious garden shed

... did this on the same lines as our gigs: collected a tenner from everyone and gave this to the band. It really is simple if more people would just do it!