I was quite surprised that no one has mentioned Seattle among the many places that accomodate busking. There is and has been a very active population of buskers there for the last twenty years or more. I know I'm one of them. I've also played the streets of Boulder Colorado, San Francisco and Santa Cruz CA, and New Orleans LA. The Pacific Northwest though holds a certain attraction for me. The Pike Place Market in Seattle has been a wonderful place to perform over the years and after twenty years I still enjoy it. The number of visitors there make it an ideal location. There are locations designated and numbers at those indicating the number of performers that can busk at a given locale. There are fees to obtain a permit to perform there and a host of rules and regulations governing the activity but generally common sense seems to be the main guide. If someone wishes to perform with a giving heart in a respectful manner there's a place. There is a wide variety of entertainment that shows up mostly of the musical variety an occasional magician, puppeteer, sorry, no loud or amplified instruments allowed. The proximity to those who live in the market prohibits them. Years ago the rules were nonexistent now the beaurocrats insist on them. As an entertainer I've seen the effect of these restrictions before and after the fact. I'm not so sure that I agree with them but I live with them. All in all the experience of having a place to perform for a live though mobile audience has been rewarding beyond words. The street has been a place to hone my various talents. First arriving in the area in '78 I was playing alot of guitar and harmoninca but shortly after was given the job of percussionist in a band that a few of us put together. We called ouselves the Buzzards. I became the washboard player in the band. We played alot of old timey fiddle tunes and bluegrass as well as originals. Never having played percussion before I had my work cut out for me. My washboard later transformed into quite the sound effects playground and is still metamorphosing. The Buzzards went their separate ways but I've kept on scrubbin' on the darn ol' thang, mostly with jug and washboard blues bands. Recently the creation of my own crazy percussion /sound effects gizmo has inspired me to take a stab at creating my last two rezophonic guitars with grand results. Constructed with only seat of the pants luthierism on my part and no fancy toolery. Most recently I've set aside my guitar and percussion work to play with razor sharp handtools on the streets. It's something that I first encountered on the streets of Santa Cruz. There, about twenty years ago, a man by the name of Tom Scribner played his musical saw and amazed me with his abilty. It would be years later before I would find one at a swap meet and years more before I would even begin to explore its mysteries. I've been at it now for five years and though I don't feel I've mastered it, I really get a kick out of playing it. It sets me apart from all those guitar players out there on the street. Besides Tom isn't playing his saw on any of these streets around here any more. He's playing those heavenly streets of gold. I figured someone needed to take up where he left off down here. The money made at this sort of activity varies as to the amount of time and energy you wish or can invest in it. Time of day, week, month, year, location, your own abilities with your own chosen form of entertainment, music, juggling, puppetry, etc., they and endless other variables enter into whether you will succeed at this thing we call busking. What is your definition of success? That too has to be factored in. As for myself I've had the time of my life and still enjoy busking. I too am looking at the European scene as another area I'd like to explore. I do my share of pubs, restaurants, schools, concerts, festivals and other special events and I don't think I'll ever stop busking. As my friend Artis the Spoonman likes to comment, there are no age limits, dress codes, cover charges, minimum drink charges on the street you can play to everyone. I like those demographics. Saw ya later, Reggie Miles