"While I don't agree with the club's philosophy, I find it refreshing that a venue exists where patrons can know in advance what they're paying for."
Agree absolutely - also with Greg Stephens.
While I find the club's definition of 'traditional' debatable, they have the right to put on whatever they choose - would that there were more of them about using ANY definition of folk music.
Some people, me included, believe that the song tradition ceased to be a living entity when the communities with such traditions opted for East Enders and became recipients of rather than participants in their culture. I don't believe that to be a reason for not including songs that have been made using folk forms - but in the end the decision has to rest with club organisers.
That smutty little term 'folk police' often raises its ugly head on such as these debates ; if there is such an animal I suggest they are well represented by those performers who say "we do what we do and that's that - now give us a booking or I'll put your name on Mudcat".
Jim Carroll