Hi Folks...
Times change and traditions adapt. I agree that over amplification is a major wrong for a busker, as you need that imidiacy between your audience and you, however. folks today are spoiled by complex recordigns and the sesame street youth, there is little simple magic to a generation that grew up with computers. So, where as I can get by playing the pipes unaccompanied in the park, many jadded 20 something kids don't get it... by adding a small amount of amplification, not louder than the unaided pipes, I can use a looping device to add whistle and bodhran, guitar and flute, with live multi tracking not pre recorded backgrounds. As a result, I can do songs on my CDs as if the band was there, and more importantly, I can make enough to pay my bills, which is a great deal about what busking is about... yes some of us do it to make ends meet in this totalitarian capitalist world.
I appreciate the sense of purity, and espcially near to houses or shops, I only use the amp in the parks, and from the delight of the audiences, well, as I said , it pays the bills.
A nice story... I was practicing in a park, generally populated by folks who can't afford roofs over their heads. For those who know my song, Bivoauc of the forgotten, the guys mentioned in the song were there. A few folks passing through stopped and dropped a few bucks in the case, but the guys thought the concert was all for them. They all went into a huddle as I packed up, oh about ten of the poorest guys I know, and pooled their coins to put something in the case. Bless em.
Cheers
Larry