Well, by one measure, punk is folk. It IS the music of a small, inward-looking group. However, it shares no traditional elements with typical folk music, so, it may be "FOLK," but it's not "OUR FOLK." That is, we're not the group that shares the values of punk, neither social nor musical. So if you want to perform in a trad. folk club, you'd best be more or less trad. If you're a songer-singwriter, find a venue for original acoustic music. If the venue is an Irish pub (in the American meaning, that is), expect to do that drunken Irishman bit, and leave the Appalachian ballad, the polemic about American parlor-tricks, or the punk kiss-my-arse song outside. For the punk club, bring your earplugs and stratocaster, and don't expect your Gordon Bok or Eric Bogle song will "go over," unless you paste the basics of the punk "style" onto it (I can actually imagine a rock-anthem version of "the Band Played Waltzing Matilda," now that I think of it), In all cases, remember the primary rule of the public performer -- know your audience. Bob
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