• Beginners/Novice Bluegrass Tutorial/Practise Hour as usual from 8 to 9 p.m (or later if more 'novices'and less 'experts').
• This is followed by the usual Picking Session until about 9:45, followed by a short break. The ‘Featured Artists’ are welcome to join in the session; we hope that they will.
• At about 9.45 p.m. the Invited Guests will have the floor for (normally) 30 to 45 minutes to ‘do their thing’ as they like. No one else will play with them, unless they’ve requested backing/accompaniment from someone, such as bass etc.
• When the Guests have finished, there will be a short break then the picking session will carry on until we get thrown out (normally about 11:30 p.m.).

We think there are a lot of advantages in this format, for example:

• Our regulars see and hear a variety of approaches and techniques; this is essential if the Chester Pick and its members hope to improve and develop. Some already go to other clubs and/or attend Bluegrass Festivals, but others don’t. In any case it’s nice to have the chance to see a performance whenever possible.
• They get to ‘jam’ with a wider range of pickers and singers; more variety.
• Both our regulars and the featured artists (hopefully!) get to hear a wider range of songs and tunes in different styles.
• Because of the ‘low key’ approach without microphones or (normally) a stage, people who might not otherwise play to an audience are encouraged to ‘have a go’.
• People who don’t often play to an audience benefit from that extra bit of preparation and practise that will be needed.
• If our guests have the good, enjoyable evening that we hope they will, they might, with a bit of luck, go away and tell others to come to the Chester Pick!
• The public awareness and interest in Bluegrass Music is (hopefully) raised somewhat.

As for payment, we don’t have much money because we want to keep the admission free; it’s difficult enough to attract interest in Bluegrass even when it is free!! We run a raffle at every session, so this enables us to pay at least visitors expenses and to provide a little liquid hospitality and other things.

The Chester Club is determined to remain a Picker’s Club and always to run Picking Sessions, because that’s often the only way for people to experience the fun to be had by playing with others, improving in the process, perhaps eventually to make a worthwhile contribution to the British Bluegrass scene.

The room we normally use is very cosy (i.e. its small!), but we have the free use of a medium-sized function room (with stage) if the need arises, though so far we've never used it, even with a 5-piece band with upright bass (The Acme Band). The showcases are proving very successful and popular.

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Updated 17th June 1999