?????I've been too busy gigging to get any busking in. But I do enjoy the outdoor playing  

Hey Lee,
I'm part of a co-op art gallery and when it is my turn to clerk I take my fiddle along. When there aren't any customers in the gallery I go out on the front porch and wail away. I meet a lot of people and have fun playing. I don't put out a tip jar, although I have occasionally been given a buck or two. Is that busking or do I have to actively collect tips in order to qualify as a real busker?
Bob

quote:

---

Originally posted by bees

Hey Lee,
I'm part of a co-op art gallery and when it is my turn to clerk I take my fiddle along. When there aren't any customers in the gallery I go out on the front porch and wail away. I meet a lot of people and have fun playing. I don't put out a tip jar, although I have occasionally been given a buck or two. Is that busking or do I have to actively collect tips in order to qualify as a real busker?
Bob

---

Such an interesting question... Some definitions say that you Must be looking for gratuities to be officially busking,....If you are not seeking gratuities, they you are just playing in public.... YOU get to decide but Personally, I'd say that there must be an active seeking of tips....If you are on that porch a HOPE someone gives you a tip, then yes, you are a busker....I'm sure it is all debatable..

Another exciting day, busking.. I had to call the police. Seems that I set up to close to the guy, Dave, who Hates me ( he said so).. I apologized and explained that I didn't see him and that I'd have no problem leaving.. With that, I started to get my stuff together to go down the block. That wasn't enough for Dave.. He followed me down the block, insulting me in extremely rude ways..I actually felt threatened and said that I'd call the police if he didn't leave me alone.. He assured me that he knew the police and judges in town and that he'd have no problem with a call..I Called...They said they would be right there.. Dave left when I said the police were on their way....The police interviewed me and then went down the street to interview Dave..They said that he'd not bother me anymore today.... The next time I see Dave, I'm just going to turn on my voice recorder... The worse part is that Dave's insults included comments about Harry Hare......that was LOW....(I looked up both "worse" and "worst".. apparently they mean the same thing...)

This barely falls under the heading of busking, but it's as close as I'm likely to get for a while yet.

The more or less usual ensemble had gathered at our Thursday night jam at the local bowling alley. I know, not a likely venue, but it's worked for a while. Not only do they have a sports bar where they turn the sound off for us, they have take-out and eat-in food. And, of course, eight lanes or so of bowling.

So...a family of 6 or 8 (they moved around a lot) had come in to pick up a (pretty darn good) pizza. One parent, and then the other, poked around the door into the sports bar to see what was going on and then they herded in the troops, about 36-44" tall, in all. I'm not good with ages but my heights are spot on. They were curious and we kept their attention for longer than I would have thought. Somehow I ended up with $14 in my fiddlecase, hence this story. I saw several visits to the fiddle case out of the corner of my eye, but nothing seem out of order, so I ignored it.

I left the tip with the bartender who was really the only one working that night.

quote:

---

Originally posted by boxbow

This barely falls under the heading of busking, but it's as close as I'm likely to get for a while yet.

The more or less usual ensemble had gathered at our Thursday night jam at the local bowling alley. I know, not a likely venue, but it's worked for a while. Not only do they have a sports bar where they turn the sound off for us, they have take-out and eat-in food. And, of course, eight lanes or so of bowling.

So...a family of 6 or 8 (they moved around a lot) had come in to pick up a (pretty darn good) pizza. One parent, and then the other, poked around the door into the sports bar to see what was going on and then they herded in the troops, about 36-44" tall, in all. I'm not good with ages but my heights are spot on. They were curious and we kept their attention for longer than I would have thought. Somehow I ended up with $14 in my fiddlecase, hence this story. I saw several visits to the fiddle case out of the corner of my eye, but nothing seem out of order, so I ignored it.

I left the tip with the bartender who was really the only one working that night.

---

Maybe YOU didn't think you were busking, but obviously the audience DID....Good for you..!!!

No sign today, of the guy who was harassing me.. Hopefully, he is just a weekend busker.. Just in case, however, I'm going to keep my voice recorder on when I'm busking in that town..That way, if anyone bothers me I'll have it recorded..Busking can be a dangerous job and I should get hazardous duty pay, don't you think?
That guy thought that only LOCAL residents should be able to busk in his town.. I checked it out.. Seattle vs Busker... the Supreme Court has ruled (basically) that buskers are protected under the Freedom Of Speech..conditions.. and are free to busk in any city in the USA as long as they don't violate local ordinances.. and local ordinances cannot prohibit busking...(although they can determine where one busks..).....

Because of the very stressful event on Sunday with the crazed guy who didn't want me to be anywhere near him...and I had to call the police.. I've had problems sleeping.. My friend Larry, says that it is a simple case of Post Traumatic Stress.. I have to agree. It was Very stressful and frightening..I can now only slightly imagine how much stress WARtime trauma must be causing Vets, and Abused people of any gender or age... I'm now humbled...I stood up against a 'bully' on Sunday and am avowed to continue to stand up for other buskers who I KNOW he has abused in the past..

Furthermore, since DAVE has decided that I can't busk in HIS town, I need to remind all of you buskers that you Can't be denied busking rights anywhere in the United States...Check this out..https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busking_(U.S._case_law)

TERRIBLE day busking.. virtually no interest, no kids, and no tips.. people just walked on by.... When I arrived at the scene of the event I walked up the street and eventually saw THAT GUY busking about 100 feet ahead..I did a rather smart military turn and walked back another 150 feet to busk..No use looking for trouble.... Anyway, after trying my luck in two places ...eventually I saw THAT GUY approaching, guitar case in hand.. I double checked to see that my phones recording device was on......HE glanced into my empty tip case as he walked by and did not acknowledge my existence. That was a a good thing.. After last Sunday's altercation I was still feeling a little anxious.. Hopefully he has gotten the message and we can proceed..

Some of you readers may realize that Asheville, North Carolina famous for buskers....Where I usually, busk, Nashville, Indiana, they are trying to encourage buskers and they want to follow the lead of Asheville.. I found this article about buskers in Asheville to be interesting and thought I'd share it here... 

http://www.ashevillenc.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=26530

So many rules and what must be so many performers. Sounds like the L. A. of busking - Los Angeles being famously competitive for bar bands/club acts, to the point of making the band buy and then sell the tickets to their own show.

Billy, I don't think that Nashville, Indiana has nearly enough buskers to need rules yet. I don't know how they expect to attract more buskers, but I wish them well..Now, onto a busking story:

It is starting to get to me..Yesterday I had Harry Hare 'guess' when someone's birthday is.. They think hard and he stares into their eyes...then comes up with ....2018.. He is always right..So this time when he was ready to state 2018 the word October came out of my mouth...The young lady whose birthday we were guessing said, "Yes, you are right. My birthday is in October."... Wow. I was more surprised than she was. She must have been thinking really, really hard or I'm becoming a true mind reader.

It was a CRAZY day for busking.. Beautiful weather... I spent 1 1/2 hours busking at the local farmers market.. after the first 45 minutes a trio of BRASS players set up just about 60 feet from me.. Too close for comfort ..They should have at least asked me if they could set up that close.. Anyway, no problem to move 150 feet down the sidewalk.. After the Market I drove 15 miles to the next venue.. I busked for about 45 minutes and DAVE (remember Dave? the guy who harassed me?) showed up and stood ten feet from me... He didn't look aggressive, so I told Harry..."Harry, Dave is here..This is his favorite spot so we'll move." which we did.. I didn't HAVE to move, but there are plenty of good busking places within a block and I thought it would be a conciliatory act of good will to give Dave what I know is his favorite spot..Again, in the long run I intend to befriend this guy..Yep.. that is just my personal challenge....SO.. We moved and did ok in another spot..THEN, Harry need a beer...(wink).. After that, we went to the Brown County Artists shop and busked on their front porch for another 30 minutes.. The heat was building... and I had to finally go home... $85 for the day... I still MAY go out again tonight for ONE hour because the town is filled with football fans...!! Just can't resist..Later on tonight I'll update ....If I'm not sleeping on the couch.

It is a perfect system. I have a friend who is a 'busker' like me.. Whenever I see him I give him a $1 tip.. when he sees me, he gives me a $1 tip..Man, we are both making a lot of money busking!!!!

That couch must have been really comfy.

Tonight I had a good spot on a busy corner.. Across the street was a homeless guy who had a LARGE suitcase with wheels..like one sees at airports..He was holding a large sign saying he was traveling and needed funds... After a while a passerby offered him a restaurant carryout tray that had three desserts in it.. The guy gratefully accepted the gift ..and came right across the street to where I was playing...and offered me a dessert...or a cigarette.....I politely declined both, but my heart size grew just a little right then.. Here is a guy who has virtually nothing..offering me a chance to share food that was given to him...It was a special moment, for sure.

It has been a crazy two days so far and there is still one more day to go.."Parents Weekend" at the university...Lots of generous people in town..Busking has never been more fun........Now,...the issue....some 'parent'..decided that he wanted proof that Harry Hare was actually playing his fiddle...ok, we got past that with my patent demonstration......Then he says he'd like to hear some REAL fiddling.. I suggested that if he wanted to hear the Orange Blossom Special that I don't play that.. He said, no, that wasn't the tune he had in mind...I KNEW WHICH TUNE HE WANTED ME TO PLAY. I said..."NO, The Devil Went Down To Georgia is NOT an old time tune.." He was politely disappointed but tipped a dollar anyway.. Looks like I'll have to learn that tune.. MANY people think that the ability to play that tune is the mark of a true Old Time fiddler...Bummer....!!!

SO...I looked it up.  The Devil Went Down To Georgia was written in 1979 by Charlie Daniels....That makes me jealous.. I've written tunes that never became as famous as his tune.. !!!!   As an Old Time fiddler I guess that something that would make my chest swell with pride would be to be kept awake late at night, at Clifftop, by some jam playing Sunday Afternoon, (a tune I wrote)....

That is a song. If they listen to the lyrics, they clearly state that Johnny played Fire on the Mountain, Run Boys Run, devils in the house of the rising sun etc.  DWDTG is not a fiddle tune, it is a story.

I suppose you could learn these tunes and offer to play them instead. Or just play your favorite tune and 'rename' it Fire on the Mountain'.

You could always ham it up a bit and say that DWDTG is too technical for you, but that you do play some of the tunes that Johnny played.

quote:

---

Originally posted by amwildman

That is a song. If they listen to the lyrics, they clearly state that Johnny played Fire on the Mountain, Run Boys Run, devils in the house of the rising sun etc.  DWDTG is not a fiddle tune, it is a story.

I suppose you could learn these tunes and offer to play them instead. Or just play your favorite tune and 'rename' it Fire on the Mountain'.

You could always ham it up a bit and say that DWDTG is too technical for you, but that you do play some of the tunes that Johnny played.

---

I suppose that I could suggest that I'd play it if they would SING it.. but then, just my luck, I'd come across somebody who would take me up on that!!!!

It was a very cute thing.. This little boy of about 4 years old.. put two quarters into the tip basket..For a few seconds he looked at the two coins lying there and then picked one of them back up..........and promptly deposited it into the F hole of Harry's fiddle.. I hadn't seen that coming.....very funny.... Now what?? I guess I'll just leave it there as money for a rainy day.

Won't that make Harry's fiddle tuning off by 25 cents?

quote:

---

Originally posted by tpquinn

Won't that make Harry's fiddle tuning off by 25 cents?

---

Harry is USUALLY off by 25%...that quarter might bring him back in line!

OK, so I was busking on a corner.. Some guy comes by carrying a bongo drum. He gave me a tip and started telling me about the importance of synchronicity in the universe and that he was looking for aware, conscious people to play his bongo with...Then, he proceeded to tell me about Nicola Tesla, Electricity, the motion of atoms ..and the importance of being in tune with the universe and being in the right place to 'catch the vibe'..yadda, yadda, yadda...I couldn't get a word in edgewise.. He just wouldn't shut up. He rattled on for a good 1/2 hour...Finally I had had enough of being a polite listener and went back to playing my fiddle..He kept talking even as I played..I had just packed up to leave the area to get away from him when....guess what happened!!!.. A waitress came out of the restaurant that we were in front of and said, "I just made a big mistake on an order and now I have some sandwiches to get rid of. Would you guys like them?"
You know, there may be something to the 'being in the right place at the right time' thing, after all.

Did a sandwich going into his mouth cut down on the chatter?

quote:

---

Originally posted by tpquinn

Did a sandwich going into his mouth cut down on the chatter?

---

I was too focused on my own sandwich to see what he did with his, but I do know that it didn't seem to shut him up..!!!  He actually was sort of nice...but, man, was he on a Roll.. I saw him again tonight when I was downtown with my lovely wife.. I asked him if he had  found anyone to play his drums with and he said, "No, but I did find a lot of people to talk to." (no joke..that is what he said.)