Grafton Street Buskers

thebiglad · 31-07-2012 4:24pm

Dangerous Man wrote: »

Yeah, there should be an audition process.

London underground has designated areas to 'perform' and before getting a permit they must audition and be approved - such a system could be adopted here too.

Lapin · 31-07-2012 4:28pm

latenia wrote: »

Ban the guys who paint themselves black then just stand there for hours as if that's somehow a talent worthy of donations. Ditto the sand dogs and that guy who writes in chalk on Henry St-I always deliberately walk right over that sh1te.

I'll bet you've never actually done that.

And if you have (which you haven't), its a very shítty thing to do.

Larianne · 31-07-2012 4:29pm

pithater1 wrote: »

Well I haven't seen him on over a year but each morning I saw him setting up the plastic and pouring some sand on top of it

He still has to sculpt it though. Although I'm sure at this stage, he can do it with his eyes closed.

starviewadams · 31-07-2012 4:30pm

Music is subjective and I wouldn't like the suits in DCC deciding who gets to play on Grafton Street,god only knows what you would end up with!The beauty of street buskers is that if you don't like what you are hearing from one busker you can move away up the street away until you come across somebody playing something that you do like.

jack presley · 31-07-2012 4:40pm

The old lad who does the 'tap' dancing makes me laugh. The whole thing about tap dancing is that the shoes are supposed to make the tapping noise off the wooden floor. This guy dances on a bit or carpet with castanets in his hand!

Ones that not me are the ones painted white with the lollipops and that stupid leprechaun who waves. Oh yeah, those statues as well. What a waste of time

Delancey · 31-07-2012 4:50pm

Any of the ones I saw yesterday were just awful - embarrassment the lot of them . Plus there was 10 or 12 of them along the street - way , way too many.
Whats to stop me lighting my farts and calling that ' street entertainment ' ?

31-07-2012 4:54pm

Delancey wrote: »

Whats to stop me lighting my farts and calling that ' street entertainment ' ?

Nothing at all, which is why it's so great!

MrStuffins · 31-07-2012 5:02pm

I don't mind buskers. Some are grand, some are bad.

For every Polish violin guy, you have a lad with a guitar who knows 4 songs, and 3 of them are Wonderwall.

But for God's sake, what is with that girl i've seen there lately who just has a mic, an amp, a backing track and she sings what seems like an endless stream of Adele songs?

If you're reading this, please stop it! I'm not saying you're a bad singer, you're alright I suppose. But Karaoke is not busking! Simon Cowell is NOT going to walk down Grafton St and "discover" you!

UKJon · 31-07-2012 5:06pm

thebiglad wrote: »

London underground has designated areas to 'perform' and before getting a permit they must audition and be approved - such a system could be adopted here too.

As I've already said that might put some people off, as you can't just rock up one day and fire away.

Also such a system relies on the people deciding knowing what they're talking about. One mans Bono, might be someone on the judging boards Rik Waller.

I feel everything would just end up being a bit samey.

latenia · 31-07-2012 5:22pm

Lapin wrote: »

I'll bet you've never actually done that.

And if you have (which you haven't), its a very shítty thing to do.

I have done it and will continue to do so. What on earth gives someone the right to occupy about 200 square feet of foothpath on the city's busiest street?

Degsy · 31-07-2012 5:25pm

latenia wrote: »

What on earth gives someone the right to occupy about 200 square feet of foothpath on the city's busiest street?

Obesity?

UKJon · 31-07-2012 5:45pm

latenia wrote: »

I have done it and will continue to do so. What on earth gives someone the right to occupy about 200 square feet of foothpath on the city's busiest street?

Because they're adding value to the city?

MrStuffins · 31-07-2012 5:46pm

UKJon wrote: »

Because they're adding value to the city?

You think a begger who attempts to differentiate himself from other beggers by taking up a massive part of the street and writing sh*te on it with chalk adds value to the city?

UKJon · 31-07-2012 5:48pm

MrStuffins wrote: »

You think a begger who attempts to differentiate himself from other beggers by taking up a massive part of the street and writing sh*te on it with chalk adds value to the city?

Well i'm not sure what they write.

31-07-2012 5:49pm

MrStuffins wrote: »

You think a begger who attempts to differentiate himself from other beggers by taking up a massive part of the street and writing sh*te on it with chalk adds value to the city?

You answered that yourself. Well done. Diversity is an incredibly important aspect to any city. One man's sh*te is another mans living after all

MrStuffins · 31-07-2012 5:53pm

Have you ever actually met these dudes? Or read the "poetry" they write?

They're not trying to differentiate for artistic reasons, they're doing it because if they sit on the street with a cup nobody will give them money. If they pretend to be poets and acquire a piece of chalk, Bob's your uncle!

In the past you used to get actual "poets", but these days it's just beggers with an angle!

MrStuffins · 31-07-2012 5:56pm

UKJon wrote: »

Well i'm not sure what they write.

The last one I saw was a dude up at the Molly Malone statue.

His "Poetry" was along the lines of "I used to have a home and a family who loved me. Then I started drinking. Now I have nothing and there are bankers ruining the country who live in big houses and............"

blah blah blah!

UKJon · 31-07-2012 6:03pm

MrStuffins wrote: »

The last one I saw was a dude up at the Molly Malone statue.

His "Poetry" was along the lines of "I used to have a home and a family who loved me. Then I started drinking. Now I have nothing and there are bankers ruining the country who live in big houses and............"

blah blah blah!

Would your opinion be any different if it was poetry that you liked?

MrStuffins · 31-07-2012 6:06pm

UKJon wrote: »

Would your opinion be any different if it was poetry that you liked?

My opinion might be different if it was poerty at all!

31-07-2012 6:33pm

Ah yes, wouldn't it be great if all the homeless didn't show any initiative at all. :rolleyes:

If you think his small action adds no value to the City at all, you're wrong. I've seen countless tourists (and Dubs too!) stop by and reflect upon what he wrote. Just because you don't get it or it doesn't affect you, doesn't mean it doesn't add value "to the city". People wouldn't stop to read it if they didn't want to and he would stop writing if people didn't tip him. It's a circle.
Besides, much better than some poor bugger wrapped up in an infested blanket with a cup, or bothering people drinking/eating outside.

Anyway, what was this thread about again?

John_Rambo · 31-07-2012 6:40pm

Has anyone seen the Peruvians (I'm told they are Peruvians by someone on the Galway City forum) on Henry Street with the panpipes, backing tracks, synthesizers, amps and drum machines? It's like a Frank Zappa gig, but ****e.

They dress up as native Americans, play really bad music occasionally staring at the sky with their arms stretched out like they are talking to some god or something.

They are by far the worst, give me a skanger in a burburry cap rapping any day.

MrStuffins · 31-07-2012 6:46pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Ah yes, wouldn't it be great if all the homeless didn't show any initiative at all. :rolleyes:

If you think his small action adds no value to the City at all, you're wrong. I've seen countless tourists (and Dubs too!) stop by and reflect upon what he wrote. Just because you don't get it or it doesn't affect you, doesn't mean it doesn't add value "to the city". People wouldn't stop to read it if they didn't want to and he would stop writing if people didn't tip him. It's a circle.
Besides, much better than some poor bugger wrapped up in an infested blanket with a cup, or bothering people drinking/eating outside.

Anyway, what was this thread about again?

The fact that you think that the problem is that I don't "get" it shows ridiculous naivety IMO!

desertcircus · 31-07-2012 6:49pm

Is atonal-singing-and-stick-banging person still going? Could never figure that out...

31-07-2012 6:56pm

MrStuffins wrote: »

The fact that you think that the problem is that I don't "get" it shows ridiculous naivety IMO!

I'm cool with that

I love my city, and all the strange and curious people in it. If I was wrong and you understand it and "get it", I apologise. But I don't think you do

Do you see the difference between a beggar with a cup that sits there and does nothing or the "beggers with an angle"?

One tries something, one doesn't

One uses their initiative, one doesn't

One adds value to their city, one adds nothing to their city.

Ben D Bus · 31-07-2012 9:51pm

The really loud amplified buskers really should be stopped. The volume means that no other buskers can perform anywhere nearby. There was some beatbox twat making bizarre noises into a microphone this evening outside Weirs. I could hear him in the basement of M&S. I could hear him outside the Apple store opposite Trinity. I'd ****ing hate to work in BT's or M&S and have to listen to this all day.

There was a crowd so obviously somebody liked it but the problem is anybody who doesn't has no choice but to leave the street. Or possibly the postcode.

There has to be a limit on volume. For the sake of pedestrians, shoppers, retailers other buskers.

Gongoozler · 31-07-2012 10:18pm

I would spend more time on Henry St than Grafton St, but yeah I know the regulars of both. I was down Grafton St today and the beatbox guy was there. He was very loud, and not good at all. There was a huge circle of people around him, which was incredibly difficult to get around. It's very irritating. I really don't understand why people form such large circles.

I find the statue guys irritating too. They do absolutely nothing all day long. Well fair play to them, I suppose it's the people that actually give them money I find more annoying. Used to love when the pigeons would stand on the original guys head and shoulders, and he could barely move to get them off him, before they shat on him. Oh the lulz.

I also find the chalk writers very annoying. They take up so much bloody space, and then people form this large circle around, as if it's some sort of important monument. He doesn't own the friggin footpath!

I don't really find the acoustic singers that bad. Not exceptionally talented, but not gathering huge crowds at least. Though I do feel bad for the shop workers nearby.

Agree about the polish violinist, he's quite good. though his strings are always breaking

Julius Seizure · 31-07-2012 10:52pm

John_Rambo wrote: »

Has anyone seen the Peruvians (I'm told they are Peruvians by someone on the Galway City forum) on Henry Street with the panpipes, backing tracks, synthesizers, amps and drum machines? It's like a Frank Zappa gig, but ****e.

They dress up as native Americans, play really bad music occasionally staring at the sky with their arms stretched out like they are talking to some god or something.

They are by far the worst, give me a skanger in a burburry cap rapping any day.

They seem to be everywhere, saw them in Limerick and Kilkenny aswell. They even sell CD's :eek:

nommm · 31-07-2012 11:04pm

I always enjoy the buskers on Grafton Street, I think they create a good atmosphere. I usually take my earphones out when walking down there. I rarely come across someone whose complete **** and I walk down there several times a week. I will say that little kids should be banned. I don't want to listen to three 13 year olds sing Taylor Swift, thanks! Also that guy in the tiger costume who dances around the lamp posts, what is that?

UKJon · 31-07-2012 11:05pm

Dubhaltach wrote: »

They seem to be everywhere, saw them in Limerick and Kilkenny aswell. They even sell CD's :eek:

We seem to get them in every English town as well. It seems to be exactly the same set up everywhere.

AG2R · 31-07-2012 11:08pm

Does anyone know the name of the trad band that does be there most days?
They don't sing any lyrics just the instruments, some flutes, tin whistle and guitars and the percussion box

Grafton Street Buskers

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