Here's the situation... for several years a small theatre near where I live has been putting on an annual "International Guitar Festival". Two hundred or so "guitar-spotting anoraks" (the organiser's description) gather for a weekend of guitar music, with performers drawn from rock, folk, jazz, and other genres from all over the world.

All very interesting and a nice date in my summer concert calendar

This year, "The Sage" in Gateshead has got in on the act and taken over the running of the festival. The result?

1) I'm no longer on the mailing list so I only found about it (at the 11th hour) by accident.

2) The tickets have seen a substantial price rise.

3) They've dropped the old outdoor stage where various local players would perform a free show in the afternoon before the main event.

And, worset of all... The Sage has two halls, so some bright spark thought "let't double up the events so one happens in each hall at the same time...

 

Sunday night, Hall Two: "John van der Veer, Pablo Minoli, Ulrich de Jesus, Erik Rutjes and John Fillmore. The dazzling music, composed by John van der Veer transcends genre, conjuring an eclectic mix of instrumentation and styles: classical, flamenco, western steel string and gypsy steel string, bass, cuatro and requinto."

Sunday night, Hall One: "A programme of popular English music, including a rare performance of Malcolm Arnold’s Guitar Concerto,"

Arrrrgggghhhh 

You can see the sense in their planning... anyone who like all this amplified steel-string guitar raucus isn't also going to want to hear a classical concerto, is he? ....Wrong!!!

I love Arnold's music, I love guitar music... what am I to do? 


(Sorry, I just needed a bit of a rant.)

IRF - you've expressed the problem pretty well in your post !  You could print out a small leaflet based on what you've told us (a few hundred copies thereof) + give it out to as many punters as possible whilst ensuring at the same time that you enjoy as much as possible of the weekend. Won't change anything for this year of course - but if you fan the flames a bit, things might improve for next year ?

'nuthin to it mate!

For preference, I recommend Fred. Noad's "Guitar". Get yer goin' in no time.