For me, it isn't that I have to play what the audience likes. Rather, the audience likes what I play. I do concert type settings where the audience is there because they know what I do, and they have come to enjoy it. Oh sure, I have played a lot of dances and parties and such where I am there to play what the people want, but usually then I am not the front man. I hire on as a sideman and let someone else worry about picking the tunes. Most often when it is my show, I play what I play, and people always enjoy it. They have come to hear my music; they have not come to be entertained by any generic musician to whom they can feel free to yell FreeBird.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you will find much more appreciative and attentive audiences if you develop yourself as an act. Why are you worth seeing and hearing? If the venue is looking to employ entertainment, then expect to be treated and accepted very generically. But if the venue is looking to hire "insert your name specifically", because of who you are and what you do, then you will have an attentive audience.