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09 Jan 03 - 11:45 AM (#862691) Subject: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Marion Guten tag. I'm planning a visit to Germany for a few weeks, probably late April/early May. I'm looking for advice on busking (what towns are best? what legalities do I need to be aware of?); I'd also like recommendations on sessions/jams/song circles in non-smoking venues. Does anyone want me to visit them? First and last stop will be Munich where my sister lives; I'm also planning to go to Cologne to visit Alanabit and to Bonn to visit Beethoven. Cheers, Marion |
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09 Jan 03 - 01:53 PM (#862845) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit PM me by all means Marion. I've done more towns than I can remember the names of. You might also try PMs to Mudlark, Susanne and Wolfgang. I don't know them personally, but they all come over as considerate and helpful people when I read them on this forum. Greg Stephens also has some experience. I have already posted some stuff on other threads. Did you get my reply on the one about where is it allowed etc? I explained why München is not a good town for us buskers - although it is a great place to see. Some of my information could be out of date, but I'll share everything I've got with you. Very often the smaller towns are much better than the big ones. You will probably make more money in Lörrach (just over the Swiss border on the German side) than you will in Basel, for example. It also depends on what you are doing. If you are doing a big show, you need a big city (usually) where you will pull big crowds. If you are busking shoppers in the mornings, small towns can be better in the mornings - as long as they are not too small. Aim to get there early on market days. I personally love doing Linz and Graz in Austria. They are within striking reach of München - no great distance for a Canadian I should think! Check your travelling times first if you go to Graz though. It's not far from Linz, but you have the obstacle of the Alps in your way and whether you go round them (via Wien) or over them, you will have to allow a little extra time. I should get as much of that sort of local knowledge in advance as you can. Ask your sister some good questions before you set off too. Look forward to seeing you here. Alan. |
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09 Jan 03 - 04:27 PM (#862986) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit For Germany I think I should have written Mudguard rather than Mudlark above. It's the ageing process. I don't always remember |
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09 Jan 03 - 08:33 PM (#863143) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Susanne (skw) Can't give you much info on busking, Marion, but should you get as far as the very north of Germany, Kiel is a nice city (though Hamburg may be better for busking). You're welcome at my place (although I'll be on my way to Britain mid-May), and I can point you to the odd session in the area - though non-smoking ones might prove slightly difficult. |
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10 Jan 03 - 02:53 AM (#863328) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit Actually Susanne, your own fair city is a better bet for busking. It is effectively illegal in Hamburg, as you can only play in places where you have no chance of making money. Kiel is a lovely place. I haven't seen enough of Hamburg any claims for it. A good bet in the South is Freiberg. It is a good busking town - and to my mind - the most beautiful that I have yet seen in Germany. |
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10 Jan 03 - 08:32 PM (#864018) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Susanne (skw) Alan, I agree with you on both counts - Kiel certainly is popular with buskers (we get some fabulous artists from Eastern European states, but also regular visits from Scottish pipers!), and Freiburg is one of the few places in the south where I could imagine living, hardened Northerner that I am! Have you been to Kiel, then? Let me know the next time you're here! |
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11 Jan 03 - 04:33 AM (#864221) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit I will Susanne. I haven't done the Irish Pub scene for some time now, but when I did, I did one up in Neumünster. It was a two day gig, so on the Saturday morning I drove up and checked out Kiel. I liked what I saw. Alan. |
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12 Jan 03 - 03:51 AM (#865012) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit Come on Europeans. Who else is going to help a gal on her way? |
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13 Jan 03 - 03:02 PM (#866109) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Marion Thanks for the info so far folks. I will PM some of the others. Alanabit, I don't do an elaborate show, I just stand there and play fiddle tunes. So playing for shoppers walking by is great for me, I'm not oriented towards holding a crowd. Marion |
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13 Jan 03 - 03:37 PM (#866151) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Sabine Hi Marion, I've seen a lot of buskers at Cologne. But also at Solingen, Wuppertal and Duesseldorf. I would prefer a fiddle-playing girl rather than the panfluting people *eg*. I've heard that Hannover should also be a good place but I don't know exactly. And - I'm sorry - can't help you with any non-smoking pubs. Regards Sabine |
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13 Jan 03 - 03:43 PM (#866157) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: MudGuard Marion, if you are interested in meeting, contact me by PM. I live in Munich. I can't help much with busking or sessions, though. MudGuard/Andy |
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13 Jan 03 - 03:46 PM (#866160) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit I have had a look at Hanover, but never busked it. If I'd had time I would have given it a go. I used to do gigs around that area and Teutoburger Wald, which I rather enjoyed. I did play one town - Nienberg I think it was called - near Hanover on the Weser. Bloody terrific. I'll busk that one again if I'm ever up there. Where are you Sabine? I'm in Köln. Alan. |
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14 Jan 03 - 08:37 AM (#866603) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Wilfried Schaum My home town is Friedberg (Hessen), about 35 km North of Frankfurt am Main. The main street Kaiserstraße is also the very busy shopping centre of the region; in summer there are often Russian musicians busking during their vacancies. The next town 35 km North is Gießen, an old University town and seat of the district administration. The main street Seltersweg is a real show place for buskers all the year over. If I might be of some help, send me a PM. Visiting Friedberg you can get the extended guided tour through my home town for free (I'm an accredited guide). Wilfried |
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14 Jan 03 - 01:31 PM (#866833) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Sabine Hi Alan, I'm at Solingen :o) Not so far away from you anyway *g*. About 30 minutes with the train. Or by car, maybe a little faster. Regards Sabine CantaLibre |
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14 Jan 03 - 01:33 PM (#866835) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit Come to think of it Marion, playing fiddle, you probably will do better in some of those smaller towns. Alan. |
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15 Jan 03 - 02:55 AM (#867189) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit We posted at the same time Sabine, so I mised your second post. Sure I know Solingen. I did the Irish Pub there - some years ago. I taught English at the Deutsche Bank until August too. I wonder if there are any other 'Catters near us who would like to meet Marion when she comes? |
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15 Jan 03 - 10:53 AM (#867424) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Marion Thanks again for the continuing information! I'll have to find a map next time I come to the computer to see where all these places are. I'm trying to figure out if I can afford to go to France or Czech Republic as well - if so, I'll probably concentrate on places in southern Germany that are on the way. MudGuard, I'll certainly look you up since you're in Munich. Wilfried, thanks very much for your offer; I'll have to find the towns you mention on the map and see if it's feasible. Marion |
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15 Jan 03 - 12:14 PM (#867497) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Sabine The Irish Pub at Solingen..... well, it didn't work very well, did it? We had a session there at the very beginning when it just had opened. But people changed and we didn't like it very much *g*. So we decided to stay at the Steinenhause. "We" is a handfull of musicians from this area who use to play once a months :o) Most of the time it's quite funny but sometimes I prefer having a pint *ggg* So, just come along. I don't think there are much mudcatters around here. Never met one before Sabine CantaLibre - more than just folk |
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15 Jan 03 - 02:52 PM (#867657) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit Thanks for the link Sabine. I used to play Irish Pubs and similar gigs for a living. I think that Solingen's was just one more which I won't do again! That's not an anti Irish thing folks, it's an anti IP thing - which is very different. Maybe we should get in touch Sabine and swap some contacts. Wilfried's town is on the way up, Marion (Köln is well North of München). It would involve a detour, but it could prove profitable - and anywhere is a better bet than that ghastly hole Frankfurt (no offence intended to holes)! Brussels is two hours from Köln and three hours away from the lovely town of Brugge. Holland can be very interesting (it's also within striking distance of Köln) but you won't make much money busking there. The centre of Prague (like Dresden) is breathtaking, but much of the rest needs demolishing. If you go to those cities, you should set out from München, because they are a long way East of Köln. They were both quite buskable when I went there. |
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15 Jan 03 - 03:52 PM (#867713) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: MudGuard Marion, I sent you a PM with contact details. |
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16 Jan 03 - 08:36 AM (#868224) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: GUEST,Pat Cooksey. Hi Marion. I live in Nurnberg, a fabulous city with lots of music, big wide shopping streets with buskers from all over Europe. I asked a council friend of mine about the rules, they issue five permits per week but in the summer there is a waiting list. You wont have any problems busking without a licence as long as you dont cause problems for shop owners or office workers, but you must move 100 metres every half hour, this also applies to official buskers. The Irish Pubs I know are basically drinking factories with ear shattering background music, if they have live music it is basically of the human juke box variety. I think you would be better off in smaller towns where busking is more of a novelty, if your in Nurnberg you could contact me if you like on my homepage www.patcooksey.com Have fun, Pat. b |
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16 Jan 03 - 12:56 PM (#868455) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit I haven't been to Nürnberg for ages, but I have always loved the place, always been lucky there and can confirm that it's well worth seeing even if you don't busk. It is on the way up here too. If you can go there already expecting to see a friendly face, I wouldn't miss it. |
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16 Jan 03 - 12:57 PM (#868456) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit I should have added that I agree with every word that Pat wrote about the Irish Pubs! |
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16 Jan 03 - 01:27 PM (#868484) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: mike the knife Heidelberg's Hauptstrasse is the longest (~1.5 kilometer) pedestrian mall in Europe- or at least it was when I was there. Lots of buskers. Some good, some not so. Good local music sceene as well. I used to host the open mike night in a cafe on the Marktplatz- when someone was good, we'd give 'em a flyer & invite them in to play. We'd pass the hat (literally a big-assed spangly sombrero) & pour 'em a couple of beers. Shoot me a PM & I'll pass along a couple of names/venues for you. |
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17 Jan 03 - 08:03 PM (#869180) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: GUEST,heike. I know pat cooksey. he lives near us in Bayern, nice guy and great singer. |
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03 Mar 03 - 06:19 PM (#902730) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Marion Hello my little German friends. I've got a flight booked from April 7 to 28. Not sure yet how that'll break down between being with my sister and travelling around shiftlessly busking and meeting Mudcatters, but I'll now be working on more detailed plans. Watch your PMs and street corners! Cheers, Marion |
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03 Apr 03 - 05:08 PM (#925543) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Marion Well, Marion's Wunderbar Mudcat Adventure begins in a few days - off to the land of Birkenstocks, Beethoven, and beer. I look forward to wearing my Birks and being mistaken for a native instead of a hippie... and I've been a long time fan of Beethoven, can't wait to meet him... and maybe I'll go even go out of character and have a beer. As far as the Mudcat element goes, I plan to look up Alanabit, Mudguard, and Pat Cooksey (at least, maybe others too); and Mudcatter Hesperis will take my own apartment for awhile to water my guitar and worry my spiders. I'll update this thread if and when I have a chance. Cheers, Marion |
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03 Apr 03 - 05:34 PM (#925563) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: greg stephens Nurnberg too big for a fiddler(in my experience).it's OK, but the smaller towns are much much better. have a woderful time.The first thing Kate did (the fiddler I busk with) when we crossed the German border the first time was buy a pair of Birkenstocks.Fulda, Marburg, Regensberg,Straubing are all good towns for fiddle in my experience(but thats 15 years ago). |
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04 Apr 03 - 01:38 AM (#925845) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Abuwood We are going to Germany too after Easter, we have contacted the city and hope to dance in Hamburg as well as for our guests in Neuenhofe - so if you see some strange Border Morris dancers come and play with us! |
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11 Apr 03 - 03:13 AM (#930949) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Marion Hello all. I'm here in Cologne chez Alanabit and his wife and cute kids. Just about to head off to busk a town he recommended, then will be making pilgrimage to Beethoven's house. Traded some songs, CDs, and travelling tales with Alan and Ina; the rumour I heard that he knows how to write good songs is true. Germany is very pretty; I could do without the snow, but I love the buildings, and the motion-sensitive escalators are pretty cool too. I visited the Dachau memorial; in the museum there was "The Dachau Song" written by two prisoners. I copied down the words and the dots, and will post when I get home. There was another girl copying it down at the same time; we didn't have a language in common, but I understood that she was a violinist from Italy. So that was cool. Thanks Moorhouses! Marion |
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11 Apr 03 - 02:31 PM (#931280) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit Pleasure Marion. I should just say that any other Catter over here should take the opportunity to welcome this talented and charming lady into their home. Marion sings and plays well and is developing into a fine songwriter. Her song about a Barnado boy is excellent - detailed, objective and moving without being sentimental. She also played us a very funny song about cowboys who felt - er - very affectionate to one another. Good luck to you Marion. I am sure it will all go well. |
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14 Apr 03 - 04:22 AM (#932907) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Marion I can't believe I forgot to mention that I saw the video about Greg Stephens and his band/crew of folk pirates. That's quite an adventurous life you lead, Greg. Things still going well - went to Palm Sunday mass at the Koln Cathedral, played Ode to Joy in Beethoven's back yard, had some good busking in Bonn. I'll be making a date with Mudguard for tomorrow night. Alan, the ever-popular Cowboy Song isn't my own. Tschuss, Marion |
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14 Apr 03 - 06:00 AM (#932937) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Wilfried Schaum Mudguard - give my greetings to Marion. Unfortunately she won't visit my town, a little away from the big roads. Try to convince her that her presence in Groningen is mandatory! Hope to see you soon in Groningen. Marion - Birkenstocks are seldom worn by hippies (do they still exist in Germany?) but mostly by RNs (NOT royal Navy, but Registered Nurse) and German pensioners in Baja California (my auntie dear). Wilfried |
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15 Apr 03 - 04:01 PM (#934154) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: MudGuard Sorry, Wilfried, just read your note AFTER the fact... Btw, here my report from the first Munich MudGathering with Marion and MudGuard We met at Marion's sister's (Kim) place in the afternoon, and after a long wait for Peter (Kims boyfriend) we had a lovely dinner with dangerous ingredients! After that we started the noisy part - the first MudSession ever in Munich! We even got an audience (Peter), while Kim played the recorder, Marion the fiddle and I tried to play the tinwhistle. Sometimes we even played together, more rarely in tune and in time ;-) |
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16 Apr 03 - 08:22 AM (#934639) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: GUEST,Letty (no cookie) Hope you enjoy your time in Germany, Marion. Snow should be gone right now... I'm a little too far to the north (Bochum, Ruhr area) for you to visit, but if anyone is thinking of busking here, I'd recommend Hattingen over Bochum. Letty |
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16 Apr 03 - 09:04 AM (#934667) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit You used to need a licence for Bochum. It was no big deal - you simply went to the town hall and paid a small fee. I am sure your tip is good though. Very often those small towns are very good for buskers. I had a very good Saturday in Herne some years ago. |
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22 Apr 03 - 02:29 PM (#937903) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Marion Does anyone know if Salzburg is good for busking? Mudguard, I hope you didn't get food poisoning from spices that weren't cooked thoroughly. We were a strange little combination for jamming, but a few tunes worked out OK. I was happy to see you. Letty, you're right, there hasn't been much snow. But when I take a vacation from a city that has just had an ice storm, it isn't supposed to snow at all - it's the principle of the thing! :) I took a vacation from my vacation and spent Easter weekend in a beautiful place I had never heard of before: Ticino (Italian area in Switzerland). Although I am practicing lots of useful German phrases, like "I don't know," "I don't understand," and "I don't speak German," it was a relief to speak French or bluff my way in Italian. Ciao bellas, Marion |
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22 Apr 03 - 04:32 PM (#937998) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit I always thought of Salzburg as a bit of a whore. It's very beautiful, but it just wants your money quickly and then wants you out of the place again as fast as possible. If you play music on a terrace - even for fun and friends - you are likely to be shooed away as they need that space to sell something to the next customer. My favourite towns in Austria are Linz and Graz. They are very different, but they are both very lovely provincial cities where people take their time a bit more. That can be good for buskers. Good luck Marion. |
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26 Apr 03 - 05:07 PM (#940892) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Marion Wilfried, I'm retired from a nursing-type job, so I guess I have the right to wear my Birks everywhere. I just spent a couple of days in Nurnberg with man-about-town Pat Cooksey, and met his lady friend, stepdaughter, and cats. It seems like a nice place for music-lovers to live (and I heard a conflicting story, Alan, about whether or not German folk music is alive and well). Pat, do you remember the xylophone player we saw in front of Lorenzkirche? I also saw him in Bamberg. Marion |
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27 Apr 03 - 05:21 AM (#941128) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit Tell me more about German folk music. I have never come across a session of it yet! Where did you go in Austria? |
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27 Apr 03 - 05:51 PM (#941494) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Susanne (skw) Alan, if you go to Rixdorf (near Ploen) on 1 May you'll get a huge session. And yes, they do play some German folk music ... :-) |
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28 Apr 03 - 01:58 PM (#942032) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: GUEST,Pat Cooksey. Nice to meet you Marion, hope you had a good flight home, best of luck with the music. |
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28 Apr 03 - 06:27 PM (#942251) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: alanabit Unfortunately I won't make it Susanne, but I am glad to hear it happens. I know Germany has good singers, writers, players and music. I have just not yet been fortunate enough to be in a position where I could hear people passing on a living tradition. Maybe I will get lucky! Ditto to Pat's comments. |
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29 Apr 03 - 10:42 AM (#942738) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Marion Alan, don't ask me about German folk music, ask Pat. I didn't go to Austria after all (except for passing through a little corner of it on the way to Switzerland). I'll just have to take it on faith for now that the hills are alive. I'm home now. Hesperis is with me a little while longer, and my shower curtain has been replaced under mysterious circumstances I've been informed that I "don't want to know" about - what do you suppose that means? There didn't seem to be a shortage of people wanting to fly into Toronto - it seems that all my May gigs are cancelled, though. Who cares, it's summer. Love, Marion |
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30 Apr 03 - 05:39 PM (#943858) Subject: RE: Germany: busking, sessions, people From: Susanne (skw) Alan, what are you doing at Whitsun? We'll have a folk festival near Flensburg wich will be entirely (well, almost entirely ...) devoted to German song. I'll send you the programme if you PM me your postal address (anybody else who's interested as well, of course!). |