I've done a fair bit of pub playing in my time[says the grizzled veteran----!], the instrument being accordion, and nearly always with vocals. Most of the time I was there "on spec" ---i.e. not hired. Without fail I ended up with a circle of patrons who 'cottoned on' to the music, but if the cry "order for the singer" went up I immediately stopped playing. Pubs are for folks socialising; those who wanted to listen to music did so, those who were there for a blether carried on blethering. And that's as it should be. The would-be 'm.c.' nearly always got the message.