I remember an occasion years ago in the Anchor Garden in Sidmouth when the caller announced 'The Rifleman' and told the dancers to do a rant step. The band then played a hornpipe.

That sounds like a miscommunication between the caller and the band. It is up to the caller to tell the band what type of tune he/she wants. Unfortunately some callers can be infuriatingly vague about their requirements, and I have been in situations where the band has had to change its choice of tune when it became apparent during the walkthrough that our first choice wouldn't suit that particular dance. If you only find out once the dance is in progress it is much more difficult to change.

It helps that three of our band members are also callers themselves.