Street Musician in Galway?

melahide

Hello!

I am a musician and student.... so I was wondering if anyone here knows how to "become" a Street Musician in Galway. Do they need a permission or is everyone allowed to play?

Does anyone of you knows anything about it?

Thank you for your answers!

inisboffin

There's a recent thread on Busking here that mentions Galway.

Nope - you don't need a license to busk. If you try to sell CDs or Merch, the Community Wardens may nab you though.

There are fairly well known 'pitches' where people busk. People usually rotate every hour or 2. In the summer it's a bit mental
I suppose it depends how good/original/silly/naked you are as to how well you'll do *LOL*

Evenings tend to serve covers better as it can be a drunk singalong.
Make friends with the other buskers, they are mostly cool I think.

melahide

Hey thank you mate!

I think this time of the year is really quiet. I´m in Shop Street nearly every day and I can only see or hear a man who can play 2 songs (La bamba & Fields of Athenry) and at the weekends there is a girl, really beautiful and a great voice.

So, I can just go to Shop Street with my Guitar and start singing/playing and there will be no harm done? So I´ll try it ... if i´m brave enough ;-)

ClutchIt

Ya man, work away no problem.

Shop street is crazy busy in Summer!

topper75

If you are listenable - you are more than welcome.

There are days though when licensing mightn't be bad.

Chief offenders are the bongo drummers. Do you seriously think you are entertaining anybody?

I did get a kick there lately from some bad buskers. A teenage band were making an unholy wall of sound on Quay street. I walk towards them feeling wrathful but as I walked beyond them I suddenly noticed they were making everyone smile - young and old - they were that bad. People just smiled and laughed.

Busking is great but I don't subscribe to the idea that just anybody should be allowed try their arm at it. It's not that free a country. Bad busking is the aural equivalent of someone blowing cigrette smoke in your face. Stick to your bedroom bongo people.

melahide

You are right! But I think if buskers are bad people won´t give them any money and they won´t continiou playing.

In some Cities it´s regulated - but I don´t think that´s it a good idea to charge someone therefore he´s playing music...


I think I give it a try, and then we will see how the people react. I´ve already sung for big audience (folk, classic, musical, pop and rock) and I would recomend myself of being listenable...

But I think for safety I´m gonna ask at the City Hall in College Road..

inisboffin

You'd be amazed the amount of 'bad' buskers who
a) don't think they're bad
b) don't care if they are or not

and

c) often get money regardless (charm helps!)

Yeah, there are a couple of good to brilliant buskers around, they usually gig around too.
If the girl you mentioned is a redhead, it's probably Niceol (Blue), and yeah she has an amazing voice.

Saw a couple of lads on blues guitar recently, they were great. And there's a couple of female fiddle players (one in a guitar duet) that are top notch.

They may to and fro you in College Rd I believe it is trading or environment, but you'll find no license is needed.
Best of luck with it.
What type of stuff do you play Melahide? Are you interest in gigging too? Tigh Coli is great for meeting other trad heads as well as non trad heads!

melahide

Hi thank you!

Well, in Shop Street I think I´m gonna play songs that the people recognize so a lot of Beatles stuff, Bob Dylan, Traditionals, Van Morrison and Greatful Dead (hehe).... and some other things...

Normally I play these kind of songs for relaxation because I´m more focussed on my singer/songwriter stuff...

I´m always interessted in gigging and meeting fellow musicians... I would love to play in a band again or with 1 or 2 other singer/songwriters. Would be great .

inisboffin

Cool, post your myspace if you have one?
I'll keep an ear out for the words of Mr. Garcia on Shop St

inisboffin

Is that you with a cap, guitar and harmonica, playing a fair bit in the laneway the last few days?

melahide

Hi!

No, sorry, it wasn´t me! I was the guy with the 2 dancing spanish girls. They did a little percussion work as well. We will be in Shop Street soon but I think before that I´m gonna try it alone as well.

After the Parade yesterday I saw many Buskers, really nice.

melahide

My gosh, it´s crazy. I had a stroll through Shop Street today during my lunch break - There were Buskern at every corner. And when I went home around 7 pm there was a guy near Eason with an electric guitar and an amp. You could hear him from the Eyrs Square til down to Quay Street. And he played horrible.

It must be really crazy in summer.... I played in Shop Street in March and April and I made good Money...but now it´s hard to find a buskin spot and most of the people just walk on...

It´s gonna be a sad, sad summer