So it looks as though the Irish Session has run its course – as Judy feared. The session now is nothing like the session that started 12? 14? years ago so Andy’s point about the illusion of continuity is well made.

When it comes to sessions, I think of myself as a Darwinist – sessions do evolve and change and adapt and they will not stay the same. So I guess it’s natural that the participants change as well. Natural selection weeds out the nuisance players and a few people upgrade to alpha-sessioneers.

I’m game for starting something else and changing the format – we’ll discuss it tonight no doubt.

I am pleased that the Conyer session is happening again, and I hope all went well last night. Good luck to Shiner and the Bear cubs.

I am reminded that there is a session at Eastry (I think), sometime (Sundays?) which attracts quite a draw of reed players of the steel and brass variety. No scraping or hooting as far as I can tell. Players of twangy things are welcome though.

Not sure what is going to happen tomorrow. Given Mike’s new technique of arriving late and as a sitcom character, anything could be visited upon the unsuspecting sessioneers.

The warp in Folkspace continues. It is unlikely that the Irish session will reconvene before September.

On a brighter note, I went to a very comfortable and friendly session at the Ship at Conyer last night where there was not a single ego spoilt proceedings. How refreshing. Now if only we can translate that to Thursdays ……… I can’t think of when I last spent time in an English /Mixed session with a nicer group of people. Of course all the other sessions contain nice people.

The bad news is that the landlord leaves in September and the future of the session is uncertain.

Tomorrow, well I have been debating about it with myself. The Thursday session was one of the first I went to when I arrived in Kent. It’s been through a few changes but it has weathered them all. The problem is that it isn’t often a session in the accepted sense of the word. It’s a band practice (3 of them are in the band) which the rest can join in or not. If guests arrive, they may get invited to play or sing – usually as an entertainment spot, but few of the regulars do.

As I’ve said before, it can be an enjoyable folk evening and that suits many people who want a second folk club with a difference (music, dance, poetry, songs) but sometimes, I hanker for the good old fashioned go-round-the-circle session like we had last night