I sort of felt the same way about open mics - "strictly for singer-songwriters with new material." But then I started to sing my trad. songs at those open mics and it was usually well received. And now there are others singing trad. songs at our open mic. With trad. songs, most of the new singer-songwriters have never heard them, so anything you sing is new material as far as they are concerned. So give it a try.

Cheers, S. in Seattle