Really? Where in NYC were you busking 20 years ago? Who were some of the other buskers you were working with?

I'm interested in the answer...

So am I as I know several buskers from that era who worked in various parts of the city. I have no doubt we must know some of the same guys.

What?? You can't be serious with the wasting bandwidth comment... I love your posts, your one of the few people who post here who are willing to ask,listen,learn and then go out and perform... you really do need to start believing in yourself! Bye the way, I dread the day I meet a "serious" busker.

As for your question of a bit hat, I literally have a big head and have always had trouble finding a hat that would fit. For outdoor-style hats check out http://www.tilley.com/ For ball caps, and a bunch of all stules check out http://www.bigheadcaps.com/

One note about coming up to Boston, check to make sure you don't need a license. I think it goes town by town, I don't know about Boston specific, but Cambridge (across the Charles River) does require a permit. I haven't talked to any magicians on the street, but I know that Jugglers have made up to $1000 a day in Harvard Square on weekends with nice weather. You have to get there early to stake out your teritory though and I'm not sure what the ettiquite is for just setting up and performing.

Boston's Faneuil hall allows only pre-approved busking. They have tryouts in the Spring and in the fall (I think). The foot traffic in the area is high enough that you can probably make quite a bit of money in Boston proper.

I'm surprised that busking is tough in Providence. I would have thought that there would be all sorts of opportunities along the riverfront?

But please don't come to Boston, I've been thinking of doing some busking and don't need the competition

Good luck and have fun.

Didn't work with anyone else. Major league shy to try and "rub sholders" with that crowd.

Did a stint in Times Square in front of a bank that was going really well until the police moved me on. Did a couple of other stints in Central Park that didn't go well. That was where I developed the "two ropes off the coat" with someone wearing the coat! The original "rope through coat on coat hanger" I got from "Magic Digest" by George Anderson... I thought it would look more impressive if someone was wearing the coat. I don't know who else came up with it, but I saw Mark Wilson put it in the Complete Course.



Wow. Thank _you_! I never thought I'd actually be "inspirational!" I too have this major qualm the (so far) three times I've been out on Thayer St. Then I _do_ manage_ a nice crowd (Not "Gazzo" huge, but we all start where we can) and I feel better. Somebody had a line here that I should hold off posting until I've done four hours at a stretch. (Hopefully that will be this weekend) ending with (paraphrasing) 'the upside it you won't be cluttering up the place until you go and do it.'

Honest to God, I hadn't even thought about the riverfront. (Except during Waterfire, and there hasn't been one of those that I wasn't working during.) Thayer St. is up the hill near the college and is IMHO the closest thing to the old "Village" scene I used to wander through in NYC! I thought about Kennedy Plaza, but you'd have to be the Pirate Captain to get through a show there without losing your hat.

Incidently, I also have a "big head," there are very few hats that look good on me. I use a bucket for my collections. A white plastic bucket that held pickles back when I worked at the snack bar at Wal*Mart!

Still not all that certain about Boston. But I can tell you one thing, marty. I don't think I consider myself anything near "competition" to you or most of the others on this board!

I find that I am always increadibly nervous before any performance. I have also shot competitive archery and the first few shots were really difficult, but with archery and magic things get better once I've started.

I haven't made it to the street yet, too afraid. I am building a suitable routine and will definitely hit the streets in the Spring.

This past weekend Eric Evans lectured at the IBM ring 122 meeting. A really good lecture and inspirational. Interesting to hear what works on the street. The effects were simple and he gave insight about working surrounded and dealing with wind and weather in general.

I have no clue what the street scene is like in Arlington.

You're probably closer to Boston than me. If you get the nerve, you should look into it. Getting late in the season right now. (Thank you, New England) but you could take the fall/winter brushing up and looking into the legalities of performing in either Arlington or Boston.

Providence, for example, requires a license. It's free, but fairly toothless.

Newport doesn't allow performing for tips _at all!_ Now that might be unconstitutional, but unless you've got the time and money to fight it, it stays on the books. (Hmmm, I'd like to actually see the statute referring to performing for tips!)

Most of the other cities in RI are quiet little places where a street performer would probably get more stares than tips. (Gazzo could almost certainly turn a crowd there, probably most of the regulars on the board here, I know I couldn't.)

Unless there's some festival going on or something. (Pawtucket had an arts festival recently, I didn't get a chance to attend but it might have had potential.)

Unfortunately Marty that was true 10 - 20 years ago. Harvard Square has been in RAPID decline over the past five years and this past year NO big acts worked it at all. It is a real bummer as it used to be a great pitch. Also the brattle circle pitch has been torn up all summer and is unworkable. Still a few sidewalk acts and musicians are out there but nobody is making the cake like the good old days anymore I am sorry to report. There was a time though (before my time) where a circle show could knock out four figures in a day. A busking permit is $40 per year and available from the Cambridge Arts Council.


Faneuil Hall proper has auditions mid April every year. From all reports hats have been down even here in the past two years. In front of Faneuil Hall at the Sam Adams statue it is WIDE OPEN and requires no permit. This is good and bad news. The good news is you can work it and get a taste of fanny hall without being in their program. The bad news is you will have to fight with the bucket drummers, balloon twister, and break dancers to get a spot. Two balloon twisters were reduced to fisticuffs this summer over a pitch. I avoided it like the plague. Jimmytalksalot and myself went out one afternoon last year just to goof around and had a major go-round with a bucket drummer who first tried to throw us off "his pitch" and then set up two feet away from us when we refused to move. In an amazing display of street performing heroism, Jimmy Talksalot did a silent act and drew a great crowd performing to the bucket drummers off beat stacatto. Jimmy not only kept anybody who walked by from paying any attention to the bucket drummer, he hatted and made money. When the show was over in a great chaplinesque display of pantomime walked over and stuck a buck in the drummers bucket. The cops then came over and moved The Bucket Drummer a long. Jimmy is the man!

But, if you get there early (11:00 a.m.) and only want to work till the breakdancers and bucket drummers show up (about 1:00 P.M.) you can still knock out a few shows if you are a table act. You will get a feel for the place, and make a couple of bucks in the process. For part time guys who just want the experience of working a world class pitch I think it would be well worth the effort. Because you are not out there "for the money" it really isn't a big deal if the bucket drummers or the break dancers show up and run you off the pitch. They will ask nicely before things get ugly. If they say, "hey, can I do a show?" just say sure and know that what they are really saying is, "You're done for the day, you can go now."

Just pack your kit and go check out the big acts performing in front of Quincy Market. You will have a blast.

Also the rest of Boston proper is wide open, no permit required. You can even work Boston Common if you want with no issues.


Marty, shoot me a P.M. when you are thinking about coming to town. If you are doing it just for fun now is a perfect time of the year as the Sam Adams pitch will have nobody on it unless the weather is absolutely perfect and it is a weekend. You could have a lot of fun on a Thursday or a Sunday afternoon.

Best,

Dan-

Hey Dan,

Thanks for the info. Too bad about the Square. I have to admit I haven't spent much time there recently, used to work at Harvard and was there all of the time. There might be some chance along the Charles on Sundays for the next couple of weekends since Memorial drive is closed to vehicle traffic around the Square.

Surprisingly I've never really seen anyone busking in Boston Public Garden or Boston Common. What does it take to make it in the auditions at Faneuil Hall? I don't yet have the chops to compete with the break dancers and the "drummers". Frankly, I always wondered why the bucket drummers managed to gather any type of crowd at all, most of them don't have any talent at all.

Enjoy your stuff at the Mystery Lounge. Learned a lot the time I was there in the Spring.

I have to practice a few things that can be done surrounded and make a routine. I find that having a good, set routine really helps with the nerves.

The irony speaks for itself, doesn't it?

Thanks Danny. I think I'll stick with my little hats in front of the pizza parlor for awhile. Let me work up the nerve before I run with the big boys! (If ever.)

Mandrake. I don't want to sound flippant and I applaud the fact that you are finally doing it. But correct me if I am wrong, but someday soon you will be making in an hour what you were making in a day at wally world. You don't think that's true? Well my friend if you have the big cojones to tough it out it will happen. Now I am not advocating quitting and going full time after a couple of weeks, but trust me, there are gonna be days when you look at your hats, total'em and wonder why you have been waiting...

Not really. I am too aware of my shortcomings (I was Attention Deficit and probably Azbergers when they called those syndromes; "fidgiting")

I really don't think the hats are going to get as big as they do for you and the others. At the risk of antagonizing people again, I _still_ don't think Providence supports buskers the way Boston, NYC or LA do (not in terms of "government support" but in terms of crowds and tips.)

I'm certain you and the other would make fatter hats than _I_ do, but I think even you would come up at the end of the day and say; "Crowds suck. Can't make the hats here I do at home."

No matter if you say you can or can't,
you are correct.

Nothing in the world can take the place of perseverance.
Talent will not. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not. Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence & Determination alone are omnipotent.

Being shy or attention deficit has nothing to do with getting out and performing. If I didn't perform everytime I get nervious and shy I would be working a day job.

If I were you I would be taking Danny up on his offer in Boston. It would not be running with the big boys but learning from a pro.
Don't waste an offer like that. You will learn more in a day than what you can get in a year of posts on the Café.

It seems simple. You can be a performer or a Wal-Mart employee.

Do or no do. There is no try.-Yodda

To both Jerrine and the Mad Doctor; Yep. I agree with both of you.

I might try Boston next summer. I'm feeling my way here and just starting to feel good about myself performing again.

I agree with the story about Perserverance and Persistence and Determination... if I had more of any of them, I'd've ended up in Vegas by now.

Mandrake:

I've been away from this forum for a while, but I see that you have been steadily "going for it." Good for you!

A lot of guys in your position would say, "Well, I need to stay home and do this or that," or "I didn't do well in New York, so I'll never do it again." Instead, you are getting back on the horse and trying to ride it.

Some people are part time buskers, just as some people are part time birthday party magicians. The main thing is for you to DO it!

You don't need to give up the job at wally world yet. Go out and busk one or two days a week. Get the act as solid as you can in that time, and learn as much about crowds as you can. Then try somewhere else. Providence is near a lot of good places to busk.

Set your own pace, and do your own thing.

Definitely give me a call or send a PM if you decide to come down to Boston. I might have worked up enough courage by then and might even have some experience so exploring things won't be so scary.

I suspect that New England may not have the big shows like New York, but there are plenty of fairs of all sorts as well as the other "traditional" opportunities for buskers. I just an opportunity in Arlington, town day is usually the weekend after Labor Day and maybe the Arlington Art's Council can be convinced that a busker is a good idea. I know there were magicians around several of the local book stores on release date of the last Harry Potter books. When the movie was released, that might have been an occasion as well.

Thanks Bill, there was someone on another thread who claimed that I couldn't be a busker because I wasn't making a living at it!



Thanks again. I think I'm going to work Thayer St. for awhile then look around the other areas of Providence (stay away from Kennedy Plaza or the park nearby, way too much scary transents there. I'm not trying to pass judgement, but I'm not going to be standing around there with a bucket (or a grouch bag) filled with ones and fives either!)

Eventually, Boston sounds like it might be fun! But let me get my sea legs under me first!

Mandrake:

It is very easy for a person who earns his/her living at a particular thing to be judgmental about how someone else fares at it. I think a good analogy here would be the garage bands that eventually recorded hit albums and made it big. Certainly, at some point in their careers as full time musicians, they had reached a peak of performing that they never would have reached as a garage band. But they did work part time, for whatever they could get.

A good example of this would be the Ventures. When they recorded Wipeout, they were still a garage band.

There are a lot of very talented magicians who are full time buskers, who earn a good living at it. There are also a lot of full time buskers who barely ever make ends meet. It's hard to say what separates the one from the other. But as is true in any businss, how you get along later in life depends a lot on how you prepare for later life.

For example, I worked for 30+ years as a professional magician. That's where I earned a living. From time to time, just to keep a roof over my head, I took on other jobs. For a couple of years I taught English and German for Berlitz. I still worked evenings and weekends as a magician. But I had bills to pay. Some people run from that, others figure out what to do. I was no less of a magician when I was teaching for Berlitz than I was when I wasn't teaching for Berlitz.

I did a lot of translating of magic books from German into English. I've even published some of them, myself. I never made much from translating. I didn't translate that material because I expected to get rich. I translated it because it was Art, and I felt that it needed to be put into English that was comparable to the German it represented. It also gave me some insights into how the minds of some of the greatest magicians in Germany operate.

Admittedly, when you perform as if it is crucial to your existence, you will reach a level of performance that will get you the money faster than if you are just fooling around with it. But that may be an internal drive, rather than an external drive. It may be your "inner magician" saying that he must express himself rather than a landlord saying that your rent is overdue.

Now that I have basically retired from performing, I still keep my "chops" in shape. I'm learning things now for pleasure rather than to build a new act. And most of my income prodcing activities are related to magic.

I've always had other skills I could fall back on, and I have kept them up. It never hurts to have another way of earning a living.