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Post by Admin on Dec 8, 2013 22:52:39 GMT -5
Do we have anyone who is busking today?
How hard is it to attract an audience who is appreciative of your music enough to drop some folding money in your case?
There was once upon a time when you would draw a decent crowd with some good country blues or some good honky tonk music,, but I don't see that much anymore.
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Post by Admin on Dec 9, 2013 8:57:27 GMT -5
A lot of places see street music as a form of panhandling or as a disturbance to pedestrian traffic. Face it, local police are there to keep order but also to cater to local brick and mortar businesses. I think most owners of businesses havbe never seen the benefit of a lively street scene. There are exceptions, outdoor flea markets and farmers' markets among them. There are also some businesses around here that like the idea of having a draw just outside their door. Theo Dasbach, owner of the Rock'n' Blues Museum in Clarksdale Mississippi, just had the first ever Buskers' Fest in front of his store, in conjunction with Roger Stolle of Cat Head store fame. There may be some lively stuff going on in Little Rock through Oxford Groups if you get a foot in the door early. They have a new arty little park on south Main that has a farmers' market when it's nice out, not sure about opportunities there. It never hurts to ask a business owner esp at a cafe or smaller joint. Worst they can do is string you along. Most places that will let you play out front don't pay unless it's maybe a sandwich and a beverage. Jo and I do this in nice weather when we can. Thanks Pat. I didn't think about the legal side of busking...guess that wasn't too much of an issue 50 years ago. smiley-laughing024 We have a downtown Market Area in Roanoke, VA. A couple of years ago we had a few blues buskers that played regularly outside a restaurant, but then a couple of blues bars opened in the area, offering live music, and the buskers disappeared. Who knows, maybe they joined a band and are now appearing on stage. Which brings up another question, it seems from talking to some of the local bands, getting booked is not an easy task. Once upon a time, bars were willing to give you the door, but now I hear that's no longer true. They want both the door and the full bar...maybe share a little of the door or offer you a fixed stipend. Not cool.
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Post by AlanB on Dec 9, 2013 11:23:29 GMT -5
One Man Band Book by busker Dave Harris published in March last year. I paid serious money for it and here's what I commented elsewhere.
Not being one who parts with his money willingly I took an expensive, sight unseen, risk on the grounds that I couldn’t see anybody else tackling the subject in my lifetime. This has just arrived after a six week journey from Victoria, BC, Canada. No expense has been spared in the choice of packaging which has ensured no damage whatsoever to the edges or spine whilst bumping around in a container in the hold of a ship.
Firstly the artefact. Hardback, full colour cover, laminated boards, well bound (head-banded spine top and bottom) and gloss art paper which really does the numerous colour/black & white photos/illustrations proud. Here follows the first 19 chapters from the table of contents, as a taster:
1. Overview 6 2. Glossary 12 3. Early History (mostly USA) Pipe & labor/Early Europeans 16 Early Americans 18 Harp Rack & Players including Gwin Foster & Frank Floyd 19 Innovation incl. London Fiddle & Bells, Fate Norris & Albert Nelson 21 Daddy Stovepipe, other blues & country 25 4. Jesse Fuller 32 5. Early Blues: Memphis Area incl. Joe Hill Louis, Dr. Ross & Drifting Slim 52 6. Other Blues:'50s1'60s incl. Juke Boy Bonner, Blind Joe Hill & Wilbert Harrison 72 Early Washboard players including Washboard Willie 86 7. Outsider including Hasil Adkins & Abner Jay 88 8. Early Country: North America incl. Joe Barrick, Boyd Skuldt & Greeley Robertson 98 9. Early UK including Don Partridge, Chucklefoot & Vie Ellis 106 10. Folk, Blues & Beyond: USA/Canada/UK '70s including Robert "One Man" Johnson, Ray Stubbs, Mike Whellans, Elmore Nixon & Winko Ljizz 126 11. Early Northern Europe 140 French including Albert Bergerault & Remy Bricka 140 Feel Free Norway and related, incl. Des Bader & Lawrence Glaister 142 Germany including Slippery Mike, Buskin' Chris & Alan Moorhouse 147 12. World Travelers including Jimmy Jimmy & Gee Gee Kettel 158 13. UK Part 2 including Buddy OMB & Bang On Boogie Band 176 British Blues including Eddie Martin 189 14. Italians (by Mark Di Guiseppe) including Otto & Bamelli, The Straniero, AMI BUS, Michele Roscica & Giorgio OMB 192 15. USA Blues'80s/'90s including Jessie Mae Hemphill (article by David Evans), Richard Johnston, Ben Prestage and Satan & Adam 202 16. More Blues USA incl. W.C. Spencer, Adolphus Bell & Homer Henderson 220 Songs Inside the Box OMBs cigar box guitar players 232 17. USA Bent Blues & Rock incl. Bob Log Ill, Scott H. Biram & John Lowe 240 More Rock Oriented incl. Molly Gene & Becky Lee & Drunkfoot 251 18. European Blues & Others (incl. articles by NikolajAndersen) Nikolaj Andersen, Benjamin Tehoval, Philippe Menard, Paolo Sgallini & Dr. Albert Flipout's One Can Band 260 Other Newer European OMBs incl. PitPete, George vd Muziek, Mr. Orkester, Ivan Holinka & Cigo Man Band 276 19. Other USA OMBs Gospel incl. Flora Molton & Gypsy AZAL Cams 286 More Recent Country including Royer's OMB & Bo Baseman 287 Peripheral Old Time & Country incl. David Holt & Hal Walker 291 Children's Entertainer incl. Professor Paddywhack & Mahsa Matin 293 Piano OMBs including Patrick Hazell & The Professor 294 Off the Beaten Path incl. Leonard Solomon & Lonesome Organist 297
I really don’t know how to describe the layout and design of the interior – every page of text has a border festooned with illustrations pertinent to the subject(s) under discussion. Ideally what is needed is for Dave to post on his blog a sample page or two.
For the "litmus test" I singled out some of my favourite OMBs – Jesse Fuller, Dr. Ross, Joe Hill Louis, Duster Bennett and Don Partridge – and all seem to have been thoroughly researched and well illustrated, many new to me. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never heard of three quarters of those listed in this massive work. I’m astonished that there are in excess of 40 OMBs currently plying their trade in the UK – and have been doing so for a mighty long time.
This book may have set me back a significant amount of money but I think that such a brave enterprise as this deserves support.
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Post by Admin on Dec 9, 2013 11:31:43 GMT -5
Wow Alan, there are many names there I haven't heard of before...Slippery Mike? to Leonard Soloman & Lonesome Organist
That last one conjures up thoughts of the old organ grinders with the obligatory monkey.
smiley-laughing024
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Post by sarge on Dec 11, 2013 15:26:40 GMT -5
You see a lot of buskers in New Orleans. Some of them are really good too. I have never tried to busk anywhere. Old hillbilly music isn't in big demand anymore. I could make more money standing at a walmart parking lot holding a sign of destitution.
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Post by sarge on Dec 11, 2013 17:43:56 GMT -5
I would have enjoyed that. My main problem is that I am very uncomfortable in big cities.
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Post by Admin on Dec 11, 2013 19:50:35 GMT -5
I would have enjoyed that. My main problem is that I am very uncomfortable in big cities. I agree with Sarge...ain't comfortable in big cities.
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Post by sarge on Dec 12, 2013 15:50:34 GMT -5
The town I live in has about 96 people, just 2000 in the whole county. So, a city doesn't have to be very big for me to be uncomfortable in it. On the rare occasions that I have to go to Wichita, you can bet that I'm well armed.
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