Vanishing Occupations.Street entertainers

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: hesperis
Date: 03 Jul 01 - 01:49 AM

No, I meant $17 total. I think it was a little higher than that, actually, but I don't remember. And I've been told several times that was a much higher amount than most buskers get around here.

Orillia really doesn't like buskers. Maybe that's why the Downtown Management started doing the licenscing thing? Because most people around here just think that anyone playing on the street is a bum, and don't give much.

Speaking of bums, I went to Barrie one time with a friend. Her guy drove us there, and then they had a fight and he ditched us in Barrie with no money and no way of getting home. So we were begging on the street for bus money, as neither of us had people to call who would be able to come get us a drive us home, and she didn't trust the cops. It was one of the worst experiences of my life.

This one couple walked by about 70 times without giving me or her anything. (She started calling them the "technicolour dream couple" because they were dressed rather like parrots. They were obviously very rich.)

The very next weekend was the scheduled busking event with the Brass guys to help raise money to go to Toronto, and just as we were finishing up the last set, who do I see but that same couple! They were in different clothes, but considering how many times I saw them go by, I still recognized them easily. The guy put a measly 50 cents in the case. I almost felt like throwing it after him.

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: InOBU
Date: 03 Jul 01 - 08:00 AM

Dear Hesperis:
I know that feeling when you get "stiffed" - but that's busking. I've noticed folks with video cameras almost NEVER give you anything at all, after recording a nice little music video, as if I should be honnored to break a gut playing the pipes for his home movies. One tourest fellow, may have been Italian, was listening to me on a subway platform, recording me with his video camera for about 15 minuets, his whole family listening... he gave me a dime 10 EFFING CENTS! I mean, did he realise that was an insult! Well, I smiled and nodded to him, then, as he turned away, rolled my eyes and smiled at the rest of the listeners, who then coughed up the bucks. But, you have to appear to be thankful to get ahead, no matter how they abuse you
All the best,
Larry

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: ollaimh
Date: 04 Jul 01 - 08:59 PM

the ottawa market for whatever reason has had a history of managers using police illegally to arrest buskers they didn't like, and yes it never happened to a woman. it was always political left wing men who tried to organize the buskers or who insisted that tey had no legal right to licence people.

most of the spots in the market are on the sidewalk which are legall under the city and not the market but the market has tried to licence the public spots and even arrested one guy for telling them they had no right to do that. he was held for 20 hours without food, then realeased when the sergeant realized there was no law broken. he should have sued the market but he didn't have the resources.

i have played there on occasion and was twice threatened with arrest. i played for three hour straight on the sidewalk--no one else came along so i just kept at it. the police actually came but backed off when they realized these were the same assholes who almost got them sued the last time. so i don't like the market. the money's good but some merchants and the management are fascists. i had the turn up the radio as loud as possible thing too when the police didn't work. i was playing aucoustic harp and singing so i was hardly the loudest thing they had heard, there are just some very ignornant people there in the market. again that's why i like the subway most of the time--except it was a bad month untill last weekend --finally.and yeah they have never done these tricks to women buskers--as far as i've heard.

i love montreal, as the people are so nice but the money is bad--oh well it's a fun trip anyway. i'm thinking of going off to nova scotia for a few weeks . i have no idea if the busking will pay for the trip.

i can put up with being photographed or videoed, but recording is out f i can avaoid it--i hate flash bulbs but that's all people use when taking busker pictures. i usually get a buck or three for a picture. sometimes the vidiots stiff you

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 12:50 AM

I used to busk on the streets of Dublin when I was in college back in the '60's, and in Boston in the early '70's, before I got older and realized that being indoors, dry and warm while performing was easier on the body than being outdoors, cold and wet. I would like to take exception to Stevangelist's assertion way up there near the top. I and all the other buskers I know did it for the money. It was how we supported ourselves. Don't get me wrong, we loved the music and performing, but we had to eat and pay for a doss as well, so yes, money was the prime motive. As well as the open guitar-case we also had a 'bottler' - a friend who would go round the crowd with a hat and urge them good humoredly to pay well. Sometimes two of us performers would take a 'pitch' (performing location) and alternate sets, and 'bottle' for each other. We'd often do a last set together, 'bottle' together, repair to a pub and split the earnings. I've performed with Johnny Beggan, Shay Walker, Declan Hunt, Tom O'Carroll, Clive Collins and a few other busking greats. I ALWAYS give money to street performers because I'm getting something fine in return, as opposed to the despicable fake VietNam vets (no offense to REAL VietNam vets!) who plague us at corners and median strips.

Alla the best.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: InOBU
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 07:27 AM

Hi Seamus:
Back in Kerry my wife was the best bottler I ever had. She spoiled her rep as a bottler though, she went to law school and to have an esq. after one's name spoils the chances that she can still hold the hat for me. She had a knack of folding the cap just right - places like the Listowl race course, where we had to be in the same spot a long time, so that folks could see we were good enough to give a few 10 pence coins to, but not too rich to warrent a coin. Once race week back in 77 we took in more money in Listowl than we could carry back to Dingle. I think it was nearly four hundred pounds, all in ten pence coins. Wieghed a TON! It was the best week busking I ever had, when you count in the inflation, jeeze a pint was what, 60 pence then? Bought new shoes, paid the rent and was able to get to Freddie Laker tickets to New York. - maybe it was 78, it was a hell of a week!
Larry
PS I wound up in law school myself, but... well went back to music. Once, while still working as a lawyer, and busking up money to go down to South Carolina to investigate a civil rights claim by Murphy Village's Irish Traveller community, Ron Kuby, (Bill Kunstler's partner) comes up behind me and says "a Law degree is a terrible thing to waste!" For those not in the US this is a take off on a commerical for equal oppertunity with says, "a mind is a terrible thing to waste."

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: GUEST,djh
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 01:14 PM

After performing at a club in NYC Tuesday night July 3rd . My trio moved on to Washington Square Park , just because we hadn't gotten it out of our systems yet and we ended up singing a rousing version of "I Aint Got No Home" as the police cleared the park at the strike of Independance Day. We weren't being singled out they clear everyone out at midnight , it just struck me funny.- "as I look around , it seems mighty plain to see, this old world she's a funny place to be. The police make it hard everywhere I go and I Aint Got No Home In This World Anymore." If only we had enough time to play the CUCKOO IS A PRETTY BIRD.

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 07:57 PM

Larry, a law degree will ruin a good bottler every time! Just as being a good busker will ruin a lawyer every time. Keep up the good work, and bring the barrister out on the odd busking gig to see if she still has the chops! 400 pounds in 10 p bits? You must have gotten a hernia carrying it back. Or did you make the bottler carry it?

All the best.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: InOBU
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 08:40 PM

Hi Seamus:
We put half of it, at least in little wee brown square envelopes (no rolls in Ireland) and banked it with Bank of Ireland... then put sacks of coins in our packs and set out for Dingle, pipes under one arm, me sweetie on the other. Got a few rides and a bus or two, but it was a hell of a lug to get home. When we got to Tralee, I bought new shoes, had holes in the old ones for months, serrious bleeding feet holes. The only shoes I could find in the shop were (remember it is 1978 ) big round toed high healed micky mouse disco shoes.
So here's me that night in the pub, about to tell a friend, Fergus about our good luck. I tell him, "F*s-sake Fergus, I finally got a new pair of shoes. You wouldn't believe the silly f*kers I had to buy..."
I look down and he's wearing the same shoes (of course) so I say, "I have em up at the house on Scragg, Clogs! picked these up also!"
Some poor bugger who was in the same bed and breakfast that week with us, a midlands farmer, lost everything he had, his whole savings at the races. We felt terrible having done so well. We bet on two races, a pound on each. I still remember one of the horses we bet on, "Bloomin Lucky" I actualy think he is still trying to get to the finishline, if he isn't holding together a bodhran frame.
Cheers
Larry<

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 12:55 AM

Great story, Larry. I think "Bloomin' Lucky" probably became what we sometimes call "Belgian Beefsteak." A great busking story that didn't happen to me but to my old pal Tom O'Carroll....Tom used to play with Pecker Dunne back in the '60's, and one night in Tralee after busking all day and then playing all night in a pub, the boys were knackered and had a little glow on too, so they stopped for a couple of fish suppers at the chipper. The Pecker's woman and baby were there as well. They got the grub and were heading out towards the caravan with their instruments on their backs, munching contentedly, when a big effing Alsatian started coming after them, barking and snarling. They picked up speed trying to get away from it, but the dog smelled the food and wanted it, and came closer, still snarling and growling, till finally Pecker shouted at the missus: "For Jaysus' sake, woman, throw it the child!"

All the best

Seamus

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: InOBU
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 08:02 AM

Jeeeeezzzze Seamus!
I've had fish like that too! Better than babies fish and chips! Do you know Greg Brennan, on Telivision na Gaeltacht? He used to be a New Jersey fisherman. He was the stroke oarsman in my currach crew. We were racing in Ireland in, OH about 1986... had raced in Kerry and were finished with the last races in the Aran Islands... Late at night we were going to drive to Shannon to fly to the States. We stoped at a chipper in Carra Rua (excuse my spelling in both languages). We finished the chips and began to drive to Clare. About Salthill, I turned around and said, "Who's for more chips..." we drove back and got another round. The second time we got as far as alomst out of Galway City, once again, back to Carra Rua, Three times we went back.
We'd still be going back - but my beor had a job (she always was the hard working one...) so we had to get her back to her job in New York. I am pritty sure that was the year that Gerry O'Sullivan (the great Uilleann piper) was our third seat oarsman in a four man Kerry Navog crew (geeze I can't believe I can't remember how to spell Namhog).
Did ya know a traveller in Listowl and the environs named Wacker? He did a crippled routeen? The story is he'd killed a man with a bottle in a bar. When he was brought up before the judge, he did his cripple act. The judge took one look at him and aquited him, saying a man in his condition wouldn't start a fight, it must have been self defence!
Slan
Larry

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: Jim Cheydi
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 08:12 AM

'I wake up in a place where jugglers have mates and Sylvian and Fripp discuss whippets'

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: GUEST,Celtic Soul
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 11:39 AM

Oh, wow, but that sucks!

It is that way in places around here (the Washington DC area), but I have heard some good tales as well. I know several folk who have done fairly well in Olde Towne Alexandria, VA. I have heard (though I do not personally know anyone who can attest to this) that Georgetown (in DC) is OK as well.

I am saddened to hear that things are the way they are for our brethren from the north.

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: Marion
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 01:08 AM

Seamus, re: "I always give money to street performers": I think I like you too. But how can you tell a real Vietnam vet from a fake one?

Larry, apparently a B.Sc. is a terrible thing to waste too - my mom hints as such every day!

Hesperis, I guess the most important busking tip to be gleaned from this thread would be: stay out of Orillia! $17 for four people for six hours! I've got to hand it to you for perseverance though.

Ollaimh, thanks for the insight on the Ottawa market. Have you busked there this summer, or do you expect to? The other day I was approached by a representative of the "Byward Market Business Improvement Association"; she wanted me to come and play at a street festival (not a busking festival, a heritage thing). They're not going to pay me, but they're going to dress me up in period costume, so hopefully I'll make more money than usual. Anyway, this invitation suggests to me that the Market administration is pro-busker, even if some of the vendors aren't.

All, another piece of advice for getting tips is: when you stop playing, don't be in too much of a hurry to leave your spot. I've been surprised by the number of people who have paid me to clean off my fiddle or have my snack.

And advice wanted: I've been considering adding a sign to my case saying that I would welcome tips in the form of bus tickets or Canadian Tire money, and salting the case with those as well as coins. Either are just as good as money as far as I'm concerned, and my feeling is that some people who don't want to tip in cash might me more willing to give me bus tickets. But I have some reservations too, based on the advice I've seen here to avoid coming across as a panhandler. Any thoughts?

Having said that, the other day somebody dropped a loaf of bread into my case... maybe I've already got image problems to think about :).

Marion

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: ollaimh
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 09:12 PM

i was there a few weeks ago but i didn't busk the market i went downtown, i have some anarchist friends there who tell me the same management is in place they just want to improve the image. i for one find it difficult to ever forgive people who illegally use the police to enforce their imagined rights. i really widh my friend who was arrested had sued the bastards but he had no real resources and the courts in ontario are hardly open to the causes of the poor--but you could get lucky.

the market management assumed that they had the right to regulate the open sidewalk. the spot where i was threatened with arrest is in front of the antuque store on the main street--i'm sure you know it as it was the best money making spot. that's the same spot my buddy was actually arrested. the law in ontario gives the regulation of the street to the city, which could delegate it to the market but they haven't, if you want to know more about these feasicts the ottawa based band sabotabby has members who know the whole story as one of them was the guy arrested. they do a regular bar jig when they are in ottawa.

the other buskers all knew the tale when i was playing there a few years ago. now the money was good and the buskers seemed to cooperate, agreeing to a hour per spot. as i said i played longer as no one arrived. i did well before noon and no one else seemed to want to -lay then so i usually played from 9 to noonish, on one or more spots as seemed required.

i did have a few runins with a beggar who definstly thought he owned his corner--i don't know if he is still there.

the other incident was the management of that market used the picture of a busker without his permission in their promotional literature. he threatened to sue and after a few months they realized that they had to pay him. but the management didn't want to do it, their lawyers did it to avoid litigation--they are also the people who tolf the market they can't arrest people for truspass when palying on the street, but they continued to make the threat though the police would no longer do it so you could tell them to fuck off--they'd steam but they'd fuck off.

i mean it when i say they are fascists, they are just beginning to realize that it's not good business to piss off tourists and hence buskers and the arrest made a couple of dozen e lists at the time--aqnd the ottawa paper.

i may be back there in late july or early august but i have no plans except to ignore the fascist management of the byward market.

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: Marion
Date: 16 Jul 01 - 01:10 AM

Hi Ollaimh. Re: "i did have a few runins with a beggar who definstly thought he owned his corner--i don't know if he is still there."

Take a look at the Busking Etiquette thread (I provided a link a dozen posts up) - I wonder if we're talking about the same person. If so, how did you respond?

Marion

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: Marion
Date: 08 Aug 01 - 01:07 AM

Another good strategy for making tips that I've discovered, though it's not for the faint of heart: find some freakishly hot declared-an-emergency-in-Toronto weather and go busk in it.

I don't know if people admired my dedication or pitied my stupidity, but I made 45 bucks in an hour.

Now excuse, I've got to go have another glass of water...

Marion

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From:
Date: 08 Aug 01 - 10:03 PM

Rick. Ever read any of the Mercedes Lackey series on the Free Bards? Sure has a familiar ring to it.

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 08 Aug 01 - 10:08 PM

No George, that's new to me. What's it all about?

Rick

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: InOBU
Date: 09 Aug 01 - 08:21 AM

Hi Brother and Sisters of the the Street
The Mercadies request above reminded me of an incident a few years ago... I used to play the pipes for mass every Sunday, as (though I am a Quaker) my wife is Catholic. Well, a certain father Michael, while telling me about why he felt most Roma (Gypsies) don't need our help, told me about a Rom Beggar in Germany, where he was a pastor. He told me he would see the fellow begging on the steps of the church all day, then "caught" him getting into his mercades around the corner.
Well one morning I am tuning the pipes on the church steps before mass. Father Michael askes me if I am getting ready for mass... I point to my open case and tell him, "Nope, I am working on my Mercades!!!"
Hey folks saw LOTS of unlicenced busking in Qubec city the other day, has there been a relaxing of the law up there?
Keep cool, well and wealthy (he said with a chuckle...)
Larry na straide

Subject: RE: Vanishing Ocupations.Street entertainers
From: GUEST,Marion
Date: 02 Nov 02 - 04:43 PM

refresh