I wholeheartedly agree with your point about about accompaniment, Jim. I'd far rather listen to a song well sung with minimal or no accompaniment, than a song half-mumbled while the performer concentrates on her/his (admittedly very clever) guitar fireworks.

But I'm not sure why you say that 'my' particular mix (it's not mine!) tries to please all of the people all of the time and ends up pleasing nobody. I've already said that it pleases me, and many others besides. And no one set out to create such a mix - it arose organically. If people didn't like it, they'd stop turning up and buying drinks and raffle tickets, and the club would fold.

To take it to the extreme - just as an intellectual exercise - think of the song that is your very favourite (or at least, your favourite of the moment). Then imagine a club where, week after week, every performer sings only that song - in a variety of styles, keys and tempos, accompanied or unaccompanied, solo or in a group, etc. etc.

I'm sure you'd soon tire of that favourite song, and find another club!

The same is true, for me, of a narrow range of musical style. I don't want a club where only genuine traditional folk songs are sung. I don't want a club where you can only hear comedy songs, or only Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel. I love the variety. And I believe that that helps us more to appreciate, and love, the old songs from the oral tradition that we still frequently hear.