Lawrie's video of his group got me thinking. Having been a busker for many years, I wondered if anyone here has tried it. It's a nice change from regular bar/restaurant gigs, and you get to meet a lot of interesting people. All you really need is a guitar and a quiet spot with a lot of foot traffic.

There have been quite a few notable musicians who got their start by busking. Some still do it just for kicks. Here's one guy:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4k91WmedLc

do you ever use an amp or other electric accessory? If so, do you use a battery powered amp, or do stores let you plug into their power?

We use a Roland Cube Street for the guitar and vocal mics, and a Crate Taxi Limo (with a mod - 8" Eminence bass speaker)for the bass and backing tracks. Total wattage - 55. Sounds pretty good.

If we can get power, we bring real amps.

For just a guitar, mic and tracks, I would look at the new Cube Street. Of course, it came out just after we bought ours!


http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CubeStEX/



The Roland effects sound great, and the little bugger is wicked loud!

thanks Bob! Once again you have the info I need right at your fingertips!

Here's an interesting busker site from the UK:


http://www.streetmusician.co.uk/category/busking/


And another one:


http://www.buskercentral.com/

I listened to an interview with actor Joaquin Phoenix in which he stated he and his siblings used to go downtown and do street performaces of sixties music acts like the Jackson 5.

A lot of famous musicians started out busking, and some just do it for fun.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwmHLXh-Gow



http://streetsgottalent.com/famous-buskers/

I will definitely be giving this a try before too long. Thanks for the nudge, Bob. Been thinking about it for a while now

Pat,

You're right down the road from Asheville. Lots of buskers there. Here are some spots:


http://www.ashevillestreetmusic.com/busking-pitch-points-in-asheville/

Don Partridge, an English busker who became famous with a song "Rosie" way back in the 60's. He didn't like the "good life" so he went back to busking.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxh0XOiYsOM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC-3J5T6kDU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiRSnco_diU

thanks for the link! Watching buskers is the main thing I do when I'm in Asheville

I think than in some small towns and cities some people tend to look down on buskers as just another form of "begging"

I would certainly think twice about doing it where I live, although there are a few doing it.

Martin57

I can see that busking might be regarded as a form of begging in some cases Martin. I would be less receptive to a busker playing at traffic intersections (around here, that's where the people with signs announcing various life problems for which they hope we will give them money tend to hang out.)

On the other hand, there are arts districts around town where live music, street artists and busking are all common and expected. I wouldn't think twice about busking there.