I think we're more or less on the same side here- if it works well it's a two-sided process-- the pub welcomes we musicians and we bring in enough trade for it to be worth their while. Which does mean that we have a duty to the landlord/landlady to entertain- and that means everyone in the pub must be entertained, not just the folkies, if we are in a bar rather than a clubroom. And I think people like variety- no-one would go to a dubliners session seven nights a week, and equally no-one would listen to bad salads for long. We musicians (moi?)have to involve everyone in the pub and give them a reason to come again- like melodeonboy say, landlords don't mind a little loss at first to build up a following... do they jen? of course they prefer £££s! and then there's an audience for local talent...
did i mention there's a woodshed soon?