One specific example of the attitude that scares me.....A number of years ago...(15?--17?) there were 2 guys...Malcom Dalglish and Grey Larsen...who got together and did 'mostly' folk music..tunes, songs...they did a concert in my area, and they were great. I bought their record, and really enjoyed it. Several years later, they were back....so off I go to hear 'em again.....and the sound was totally different! The tunes were faster, more driving...the songs were chosen from more modern sources, and a couple that I had heard them do before had been speeded up & 'energized', for want of a better word...I really only enjoyed about 20% of the concert. So, I girded my loins and actually went up to one of them after the concert and asked why! And the answer was basically, "We really like making a sort of living doing music, but the younger audiences simply don't come out unless we do it this way." ...And all I could do was shrug. And I had essentially the same reaction to 'Battlefield Band'...the first time I heard them, it was wonderful!!....and several years later, there had been personnel changes, and the music was louder, faster, and less 'trad'...new arrangements, more electronics, etc. (they had their own sound man and sound gadgets along...took 2 hours to 'set up' the equipment to satisfy them)

I know that there are a few exceptions to this trend..(as in some Canadian groups etc.), but it gets increasingly difficult to find them...especially for a live concert. There are perpormers who will occassionally do a tape or CD of trad stuff they like, even though they profess that they seldom dare to do a concert of it. (One exception was Eileen McGann...she actually talked to our group during the concert about being convinced during negotiations that we would appreciate a concert of mostly traditional music, and how she really enjoyed being able to do it.)

So, what's to do? Nothing, really...except hold on to your records and look for re-releases on CD...and sing with friends who share your interests as long as you can...(I'm pretty darn lucky in this area!...and hope that Mudcat & the DT keep providing this oasis of contact for those of us who appreciate the non-mainstream stuff!