Nice short 4 min. clip of various buskers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5uGNG-52rA

An eclectic collection for sure. Thanks for sharing.

Ray

The only guy who WASN´T amplified, was the Street Painter!
Talent? yes.
Well Produced? ok.
Buskers? Street Performers?

This was filmed in Toronto,... at the "Busker´s Festival".
When the festival is not going on, the other 50 weeks of the year;
ALL of this `talent´ is forbiden,..
and rightly so,.
it´s all too loud.

I´ve never crossed paths,
or heard of any of these guys,
as good as the all are;
playing a `tuesday morning sidewalk´,

,..were the Art of Busking is practiced.

Support Talent,... one day, they may become Artists.
Then you will something to value.

hope to see ya somewhere next Tuesday,
gallagher.

Yep, I hear what you're saying, Gallager. Busking/performing at a festival is by no means the same as being on the actual street. And, yes, there are some performers at festivals that haven't any real hardcore street background.

However, in my honest humble opinion, these type of festivals do really help/give credence to the art of Street Performing. It can put performers in a setting where the public can appreciate the talent, and see them in different light....and hopefully change there attitudes towards us.

Looking over the list of performers, I recognize, and have personally seen/met some of them. I assure you they are real buskers whom have spent years on the actual street developing their craft (and still do). The thing is that festivals get to be selective on who they choose, plus the performer usually needs an extremely good promo package along with an impressive resume (often with performances not on the street). This can possibly eliminate a lot of what we might consider more hardcore street performers.

For the busker, it's a changing world, and with more and more pitches vanishing, and more and more restrictions appearing, festivals provide another opportunity for some of us to survive, make ends meet.

Is it really busking? Is it really a hardcore Street Performance? Nope, I'll definitely with you on that.

But I think some of the (well run) fests, can further our cause, & provide more interaction with the public in a postive way.

My thoughts only

Personally, I think the entire you are not a genuine street worker or artist if you are not doing what I am doing argument is kind of lame. I did not realize that there was an artists and real street performers police force.

Graet video.

Hey Stperformer,
yeah, I kinda agree with you somewhat. These Festivals give the `concept´ of Busking,.. Street Performing; positive exposure, to a broad mass.
In some towns I play in, where festivals occur; but no `day to day´ Shows happen,... it´s always positive.

On the other hand, lots of these guys,.. most, really great Shows; go, with their Festival Shows, and blow Pitches away,... between Festivals,.. or whenever.

You mentioned, "Pitches are vanishing". So true. So true.
Honestly,.. think about it, though.. the number one reason why?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

In the 1960´s, the Hudson River, in upper state New York was virtually `fish free´,
... dead.
PCBs, lead, automobile oil.
Only 60 years before, thousands of folks lived from, swam in,.. and ate from the river.
Literally thousands.
Pete Seeger, living in the upper state, said, "It´s got to change back. Before, WAS better.
And, if WE want change, WE have to cause it,.. "
(research the Clearwater Project to see what happened next.)
,... and look at the results, today.

Lots of folks back then said, "It´s a changing world..."
Lots of folks back then said, "Just because YOU don´t crap, dump your motor oil, or... in the water;
doesn´t mean WE`RE wrong!"

..............................................................
Tabarin, welcome to the Sidewalk Shuffle,.. it´s always nice seeing there´s interest.
Last night, I was reading my grand daughter, Grimm´s "Emporor´s New Clothes."
As far as Street Performers go,
I DON´T see myself as the little kid yelling,
"Hey, the guys naked,... and he´s got a little weeny!"
I see myself more as a Taylor,
looking on,
shaking his head,
shaking his head,
thinking,
"god. With such a little weeny,
....what else could he wear?"

givin´it easy,
gallagher

Heya Gallagher, your posts got me thinking (which is a positive thing for me LOL)

It's funny,....kinda ironic, that all the street performer/busking I've done...has done little to further my marketability as a street performer. Yet when I've done an appearance somewhere totally non busker related such as the tele....suddenly there's a demand to have me/hie me, as a street performer.

I think I really see your point, I agree with ya. One of the biggest changes for me in the past decade or so is the pitches I perform at. There was a time (many moons ago) where I would/could show up at a pitch/place and perform. Now most of the better places, aren't really pitches, but regulated areas where I must get prior permission, perhaps audition, maybe get a license, etc...
In this digital age, a great pitch is often broadcasted over the internet and the next thing you know, you're waiting in line to do a show.

And I assume you mean Overamplified acts for pitches vanishing/being regulated. Yep,right on!

Anyways, enough of my ramblin'. Always enjoy reading your posts & thoughts, Gallagher.

givin' it easy too

I had no problem understanding your perspective gallager I just find that kind of judgement lame it smacks strongly of elitism. It makes me wonder who you think you are to pass that kind of instant negative labeling on other acts? I try to have respect for anyone who has the nerve to put out a hat no matter where they put it out. Most people who work festivals also worked a lot of street corners before they got there. Over the past few years on this site and other similar sites there has been a nasty trend to name call and put people down for the way they work the street or say they are not an artist if they are not doing it how I do it and supporting the artificially created status quo. In my opinion that kind of judgmental thinking is lame.

I am a new member to this site but I have been reading it for a long while now, I have also been a street performer for a long time, over 10 years. I avoided becoming a member here because of all the judgmental name calling and silly I'm better than you talk. I noticed that recently that kind of thing had died down some and I thought I might try to add something to the conversation it looks like I was wrong. I mean no offense and I'm sorry to have bothered you, I'll be going now and shaking my head as I leave wishing street workers could just treat each other with respect.

Hey Tarabin,
I´m sorry you feel so `disrespected´.
You´re not a guy who´s blown me away, are you?!?

I only disrespect THEM,... on "the Streets".
At festivals?,.. hey, you guys ARE the best.
I can´t do them,..
I die at `em,... with the Show I´m doing today.
Honestly.

But lets talk "the Streets"

And, Amplified, on the Streets; is killing the Streets.

OK, I guess a definition should be chewed out,..
What are "the Streets"?
,might be a good discusion,..
I´m not sure if it´s needed,
but,...

For me, "the Streets" are kinda like,
when you and your girl friend come out of a restaurant together,
holding hands,
going home,..
happy.
And this guy hops out of nowhere,..unexpexted,..
and shouts, "Showtime!"

You and her look at each other,..
"is this legal?"
"where did this guy come from?"
"what on earth,."
"god, that was great?"
finished.
gone.
""pooof"".

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lot´s of things fly around in the sky.
Birds.
Bees.
hey, when a little butterfly loops around and sits on my ear,
that tickles.

Aeroplanes fly around the skies.
They´re great.
They can transport lots of folks,.. pretty quickly,
..pretty fastly,.. pretty far.

Have you ever lived next to an Aeroport?
In an Aeroport?
It´s dirty.
Loud.
Lots of Pölice.
Everything,.. wierdly expensive.

No butterflys fly around Aeroports.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

hey Tarabin, I hope you have the courage to stay,
share,
and hear opinion other then your own.
,..not hop ship.
Don´t wear your skin so thin;
..unless, of course, you have a reason.

Then again, there are many other sites,
a bit more
"Elite".,
where you can sit and nod.
in common peaceful agreement.

respectfully tired,
jetlag has me screwed,
gallagher.

Tarabin, I think that there is a parallel conversation going on, which is what sucks about text.

"You aren't a guy who has blown me away, are you !?!"
could mean:

Did you impress me with your great show? OR
You didn't impress me with your show? OR
You didn't use your sound system to blow away my show, did you? That wasn't you, right?

There isn't enough information in the text to predict what is meant accurately, especially as gallagher likes playing with language.

I do understand how you could be sensitive to "elitism". Sometimes you go against self declared kings of the pitch, and a good performer with a bad attitude (or a two bit punk with a kickass amp) can make your show impossible. There is always tension between utility, (prime time on the pitch can be 20 dollars or 1000 under identical circumstances and non identical performers) and fairness. (public space belongs to everyone.) How that gets resolved in any given situation is never boring.

However a message to Gallagher, because I am totally a pompous ass, I would like to point out Amps didn't kill the streets, it gave birth to outdoor theatre: the greek masks (personas) that started western theatre (including street performance) were designed to amplify the sound.

From a less pompous ass point of view, though, I would be less worried about circle shows with amps than unplugged acoustic bagpipes and steel drum bands. Grr.

As to the discussion of what is the street, the (not that tongue in cheek) prime requirement for me is making people late for stuff.

If they have no choice but to stay and watch, and don't have an opportunity to look at their watch and realize they are late for their kidney operation or whatever, the show is great, whether there are 5 people or a thousand. Just make them late for stuff, how late is irrelevant, but they can't notice until they pay you...

Then they suddenly realize, and clear out, either running, (or better yet dancing,) leaving the space totally empty and void for a minute or two.

The beginners on the pitch behind you are angry that no one is left, and the veterans are happy to start with a fresh crowd, because they know you have sucked everything out of yours. An extra 10 minutes of build, then they can make people late too.

Hey StarkRavingMatt,
Before I get going, I´ve got to say,
your `prime requirement´ of "what is the Street?",
is PERFECT!I
I really enjoy it,
...and am probably going to use it,
...and tell everybody, it´s mine!

naa,.. ,but,
I really like it.

My topline is:
With Amplifacation, we are LOSING outdoor performance areas.
,...NOT creating them.

OK,... times change.
Do we want to all end up auditioning, waiting in line(!), scheduled,
...to play a numbered, controled, selected group of Pitches and Festivals?

I Busk, to avoid this!

,but IT IS HAPPENING.

Busking is the greatest thing that happened to all of us here.
It gives us a place to go out,.. and go for it.
Get experience.
Be good.
Be bad.
,but BE.
Experience.

Hey, Busking is an open tab at the Irish Pub!
,but if some keep pinkeling in the corners,.....
everybody pays.

cheers,
gallagher.

would be hard to do as I don't use an amp and where did I say I feel disrespected?



you guys? I never said I work festivals. I try to avoid them. I will say most festival shows I know also work the street and in my experience when they do they use the right equipment for the pitch. I did actually recognize some of the folks on that video and when working a street corner they do not use an amp.



this is part of my real problem, you seem to think you are qualified to tell people what real street and real art is and then to put your label on it as if any definition you make up will be the right one. that seems really strange to me. again I ask, who are you to tell anyone what real street and art is? the streets are for everyone, and there is more than one way to do anything. as I said before I try to have respect for anyone who puts out a hat including you. this is not a rhetorical question who do you think you are that you can tell everyone else what real street and real art is? isn't that the very definition of elitism? you are also not the only one doing this and I just do not understand it. please feel free to explain I'll read but I doubt I will respond.



what? I'm sorry I am the one who said I have respect for everyone who works the street including you. you are the one going on and on about what a real artist is and what a real street performer is and more importantly who isn't not me. it also has nothing to do with courage, it has more to do with whether or not I want to waste my time trying to explain myself to someone who only seems to want to hear the sound of their own voice and make things up about anyone who disagrees. I've listened to your opinion, and unless I have completly misunderstood you it seems pretty elitist and narrow minded.



I'm not thin skinned at all I just don't see any reason to waste my time defending myself against things you are just making up out of thin air about me. that seems like a complete waste of my time.



this is true, there is far too much elitism on the internet street performing sites right now that is why I do not post. I used to frequent a sidewalk performers site until it became just like this place a bunch of guys talking about how much better they are than everyone else. doesn't anyone notice that there are very few useful posts being made here anymore? that nearly no one has anything positive to say. that for the past few years it has been all about how I'm an artist, those guys are not artists, if you want to be a real street performer you need to listen to me, that other guy isn't a real street performer we are the only real artists and street performers money guys are bad and anyone who disagrees with me is a money guy or a corporate drone blah blah blah. then you find out that these guys who talk so much crap about those other guys over a beer or a cup of coffee are then hanging out and sharing a long car ride with the guy they badmouth. what does that tell you?

I've been at this for a while and on an individual basis I have seen acts that I thought were great and really bad that used an amp and didn't use an amp. some worked festivals or worked street corners or could do both some good some bad. some traveled around the world and some stayed in one place some were good some were bad. what my experience has been is some people are meant to do this and some are not. the ones who are meant to do this eventually get to where they want to be sometimes it takes them ten years but they get there. they try and have respect for everyone.

so gallager you tell me am I really the elitist? I want the streets to be for everyone. Now go read your posts and really read them as a stranger would. many of them are about fakes and people who are not artists seeming to imply that you and only those who think just like you are the real artists. you are not the only one who does it but please give it a break. That looks a lot like elitism to me. I am not judging just pointing out what seems pretty obvious to me.

if you are a festival act a street corner guy whatever. if you are happy and your crowds are happy good for you. all of this I'm an artist and real street performer and those guys are not talk is nonsense. there are people in this world who are jerks and some of them are not jerks both can be street performers.

I spend my time on the streets doing shows for people walking by without a table and without an amp. I do it away from known pitches so I do not have to worry about guys with amps or festival shows or airports or a butterfly with broken wings or whatever you were complaining about. instead of complaining I'm out there doing and still respect everyone even you. that being said you would probably like my show although I am sure you will never see it.

I would really like for this to be my last post on the topic. I almost din't respond but I needed to address your lies about me. you do not know me gallager do not act like you do and please do not just make stuff up about me. Feel free to comment on the facts of what I have said but leave me personally out of it. straw men and ad hominem attacks are signs of a weak argument. I have only commented on what you have said directly and what I have read others say on this forum, not everything in my response is directed at you but to explain why I do not post here. because you accused me of not being open to the opinion of others which is the furthest thing from the truth. I have not made things up about you as you have done with me and I have tried to remain respectful in my response.