I say Moi Yo.
Steve V

Congratulations Mario! Hope your photographer is doing well along with the little busker.

Thanks once again, I did not mean to distract from the thread so I will repost this and it has been keeping me sain.

Hi Mighty Fool
Great advise that I think we should all tack on board. The point of this thread is to make it clear who is who so when advice is given we can all be at the best advantage to learn. The advice that can be misleading is when it is given by someone as if they are more experienced than they really are. In my mind the only folk that should have trouble with this thread are the ones that do give this impression.

The intention is far removed from creating elitism but rather a safe environment in which to share what ever our experience. If there is a post in this thread that is contradiction to that, please do highlight the whole post and if it is mine I will apologies. Failing that I trust we are saying the same thing.
Mario

To those who don't know, the Loop ball is just that.

And the Cellini DVD magic you can do anywhere has a ton of great instruction on the Loop Ball. You can probably get one from Koz, who I have heard is a Busker.

My original copy got stepped on by a visitor, and I almost went into withdrawals until I got a replacement copy, as I hadn't finished learning the moves. But I now have a complete loop ball routine that plays well everywhere, including the Street.

And, Oh yes, I busk a little too.

BroDavid

Isn't the loop ball a little senstive to the back angle?

Hi BroDavid
Do you have any thoughts on the subject at hand?
Can you expand on what you said "I busk a little too"?
Mario

Mario,

I have busked fairs, festivals, flea markets and the Streets of Ohio, (Akron, Kent, Hartville, Clevelnad, cincinnatti, Columbus), Michigan (Detroit), Jackson Square in New Orleans and a few others spots in between where I found a good crowd or foot traffic that I could intercept, that I can't even recall the names.

It is my preferred style of performing. But I have a full time job that pays me too much to walk away from it, and where I live in Ohio the lack of traffic sites, and the weather limit the number of times I can busk here.

So I busk a little, whenever, wherever I can. Weekends, evening when appropriate, days off, vacations, I carry my table and bag wherever I go, so if the opportunity presents itself, I busk.

And to BenRoss on the question, is it angly? Yes.

But done right, and with audience management, the angles are minimized, and the magic is maximized. With some awareness to your surroundings, and as I said, audience management, you can do a lot that others would shy away from.

BroDavid

BroDavid
Good on you, as they say don't give up the day job.
I admire the fact your so keen and you carry your kit where ever you go.
Mario

Just to keep you all up to speed we have called him Toby.
Mario

I like Toby...can Moi Yo be his middle name?
Steve V

Here's what I see as the problem: Just because somebody is a busker, it doesn't mean that they have all the answers. What works for one might not work for another. EVERYTHING should be tested and taken with a grain of salt.

Thanks for that Zack but what point are you trying to make?
Should we assume that your not talking as a busker?
By the way my eldest son is called Zack he is 15yrs old, good kid, he is not a busker.
Mario

I am a busker. But that doesn't mean that what I say is not full of ****.

OK
First of my assumption was based on your web-site I should have read your bio, sorry my mistacke.
Secound I still don't get your point other than your full of, you said it. lol

No seriously if what you said above is your point then your right, I disagree with most of it. They may not be able to give all the answers but they can give most experienced advice. What works for one might not work for another is right as far as content is concerned but we know that much. On the other hand you would be wise to listen to the advice given by a good busker. How to Pull a crowd, keep a crowd and then hat a crowd and that is transferable skill tried and tested around the world. I beleave only a busker could teach thoes skills, any one esle can suggest ideas but not teach.
Mario

Mario, there is an old saying here, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. Unfortunatly it is true with a lot of teachers in schools, they cant perform so they teach. However, you are correct. In busking I only will listen to those who are buskers. They have made the mistakes and learned the hard way, so why should I have to bust my own head when I can listen to the voice of experience and learn how to do it RIGHT!

Peter

My point is very simple. I am a busker, and every piece of advice I give on the Café comes from experience. However, YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY. that's all I'm trying to say.

I do think it would be a good idea if there was some way of distinguishing what advice comes from experience and what is just theory.

The knife through arm thread is a perfect example of what I'm trying to say.

The knife has a few things for it: Its spectacular, and violence attracts attention.
Its also got a few things against it: Its nasty and vulgar and may frighten the family audiences away. Also, in Santa Monica, you are not allowed to use knives. (But who knows...you might get away with it.)

So..will it work? I HAVE NO IDEA...you have to try it out. I've don't things that looked GREAT on paper. If I had submitted them to the Café, I would have gotten enthusiastic thumbs ups. But in the laboratory of the street, they didn't work.

that's the good thing about the street, you do so many shows that you can try a million things and keep the stuff that works.

How to Pull a crowd, keep a crowd and then hat a crowd and that is transferable skill tried and tested around the world. I believe only a busker could teach those skills, any one else can suggest ideas but not teach.

Hmmm...Don Driver isn't a busker, he's a pitchman and a jam auctioneer, but he's got a lot to teach on how to draw a crowd.
But that's all just my opinion.

Your mileage may vary.

--Zack

I have had a brief chat with Don Driver on Danny Hustlers site, and I think if I remember right you will find he has Busked.
On the other hand buskers and pitchmen do share some comon ground. I do think that a good busker could make a good pitchman; a pitchman would have to develop some new skills to be a good busker.
I let you in on a secret that a lot of pitchmen don't want you to know; buskers can be the best pitchmen around.
I will also add that I do a lot of pitching my self. At one time a ran tow barrels.
I also think it is a pile of rubbish that a pitchman has to be a nasty, lying, thief what a cover; they could be but hay they use to look at buskers that way two.
While we are splitting hairs I must remind my self this is not about pitchmen.
On the other hand I have four fingers and a thumb.
Mario
PS I have seen a few drunks pull a crowd and I think you could learn a trick or tow from them.
PPS The stuff I have seen of Don Driver I would recomend.

Zack, I hear you are making millions with the Jam tip. How is that working out for you? Have you made any modifications to make it fit your venue?

Best,

Dan-

You're right Mario, we're splitting hairs...sometimes I do that.

I do agree completely with your essential point...that there's a lot of wannabes and walter mitty's giving advice.

Pitchman IMHO have a lot to teach us. I worked for Gerry Spaulding for a time, and learned a LOT.

Hi Danny!

I wouldn't say I'm making millions, but its made huge differences in my bottom line.

Yes, I've changed it significantly...I've learned a few of the principles that make it work, and do it my own way now.