Conor McAuley Jul 12, 2021:

I suppose the word "club" doesn't necessarily connote any formal organisation behind it. I was making a minor point, really, in my previous post. Pedant's corner, I call it!

Lisa Rosengard Jul 12, 2021:

I suggest they are clubs and venues for song and dance related with special occasions which represent medieval and folk traditions.

ormiston (asker) Jul 12, 2021:

Actually these sociétés were official gatherings Although they seem to have involved music plus drinkong

Conor McAuley Jul 12, 2021:

Maybe just groups, if these entities had no particular formal organisation (like a chair, funds, a treasurer, a secretary, etc.), since "societies" and "clubs" connote some form of organisation.

ormiston (asker) Jul 12, 2021:

Thank you Althea Nice sleuthing!

Althea Draper Jul 12, 2021:

It looks like they were men only, dining and singing clubs.
"The history of the Société du Caveau – the formation of cabaret-like dining and singing clubs – shows that the words ‘member-only’ do not necessarily connote aristocratic elitism. Indeed, who is being excluded? And, what does this say about its sociopolitical objectives? "
https://reviews.history.ac.uk/review/1454
"Le Caveau moderne prit la suite de deux sociétés plus anciennes portant le nom de Société du caveau, qui se réunirent en divers endroits de Paris entre 1729 et 1789...Dans la nouvelle Société du caveau, la nourriture occupait une place égale au chant lors des banquets mensuels du soir (traditionnellement le vingt de chaque mois)."
https://journals.openedition.org/insitu/26421?lang=en
"Certains historiens s'accordent pour dire que la "Société du Caveau" était une "goguette" qui n'osait pas avouer en être une. Les "goguettes" sont des sociétés chantantes très fameuses et le plus souvent oubliées aujourd'hui. Il ne faut pas confondre une goguette avec une chorale.
http://dutempsdescerisesauxfeuillesmortes.net/textes_divers/...