$h!t buskers.

Mal-Adjusted

I was in town today and had the misfortune to hear one of the most awful buskers iv'e heard in a long time. He was in a grubby grey suit and singing into a microphone across from Eason. He had music playing as well but it was clear he was cringe-worthy. It's something i don't understand. Surely people know if they're any good or not? I can't sing to save my life but i know it and don't go making an ass of myself.

Just up the street there were two others, one with a drum (of sorts), the other with an acoustic guitar and, while they certainly weren't anything to write home about, they were clearly at least competent.

So I guess my question is, why do people go busking (or showing off a talent) when they clearly have no talent to begin with? I kind of felt sorry for the guy...but not as much as for the workers in the shops around.

El Weirdo

Was it Bono again?

A Greedy Algorithm

They think they are the best performers on Earth. You just have to watch X-Factor or Britain's Got Talent to see how many people actually think they have what it takes to make it big.

Go to speakers corner in London if you want to be amused - they don't even ask for your spare change.

Sky King

Did you ever see the guy with all the little motorised dolls and he sets them up and just babbles incoherently into the mike while they dance around?

Maphisto

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

So I guess my question is, why do people go busking (or showing off a talent) when they clearly have no talent to begin with? I kind of felt sorry for the guy...but not as much as for the workers in the shops around.

Lack of life choices, perhaps? Maybe it do this or don't eat.

Menas

Some buskers are very decent and well worth a listen to. Especially the classical ones.
The poor ones are relatively few and far between imo.

There used to be a couple of urchins on grafton st with a tin whistle making a sorry racket. Sad thing was their dad was always close bye keeping an eye out....first sight of a garda and the three of them were in the wind.

Turtyturd

Walk about town most days on my lunch and Henry Street is unbearable most times between Spider-man who stands there doing f*ck all, the Predator, the old man band, tattooed guy who hasn't got a note in his head, sand artist, the dance troupe who just block up the street, and the 'help me feed my drum addiction' guy.

Gongoozler

At least the buskers are trying something, actually doing something for the money. That spiderman dude, seriously? And those guys dressed up in black?

I get way too angry at this ****.

Alf. A. Male

I would love somewhere in Dublin like Covent Garden. One of the best days out anywhere.

OP

http://youtu.be/9E62iA6KCIQ

mikeym

Rap about Mountjoy.

UCDVet

I just wish they had a better place for them. If you appreciate the performing arts or whatever, cool, go check them out. But I'd much rather see them in a section of Saint Stephen's Green than have them blocking the foot traffic of everyone trying to get past.

I could be wrong, but I've talked to a lot of people and nobody has ever mentioned going into city centre to watch people perform on the street. I always hear people mentioning running errands or going shopping.

Hotale.com

In my experience the best think they're the worst, and the worst think they're the best...

Hotale.com

UCDVet wrote: »

I just wish they had a better place for them. If you appreciate the performing arts or whatever, cool, go check them out. But I'd much rather see them in a section of Saint Stephen's Green than have them blocking the foot traffic of everyone trying to get past.

I could be wrong, but I've talked to a lot of people and nobody has ever mentioned going into city centre to watch people perform on the street. I always hear people mentioning running errands or going shopping.

I always head into Grafton Street for the buskers when I'm in Dublin, wouldn't head into Cork to specifically watch buskers though....

Maphisto

Is this just a Dublin, Cork, Galway maybe Waterford phenomena?

Admittedly I don't get out much but its a couple of years since I've even seen a busker.

There used to be an Asian woman beggar in Tesco's carpark but I think pickings were so slim that she eventually did what everyone had been suggesting to her.

Other than that I miss them

TheBegotten

Hotale.com wrote: »

I always head into Grafton Street for the buskers when I'm in Dublin, wouldn't head into Cork to specifically watch buskers though....

You don't get half as many though, and they don't put in half the effort...Like the last time I was in Dublin there was a man with an amazing strat doing an absolutely brilliant guitar rendition of Imagine in front of the shopping centre on Henry Street. That said, everyone was clustering around the young lad with an acoustic and a voice that could grate cheese...

dgt

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

I was in town today and had the misfortune to hear one of the most awful buskers iv'e heard in a long time. He was in a grubby grey suit and singing into a microphone across from Eason. He had music playing as well but it was clear he was cringe-worthy. It's something i don't understand. Surely people know if they're any good or not? I can't sing to save my life but i know it and don't go making an ass of myself.

Just up the street there were two others, one with a drum (of sorts), the other with an acoustic guitar and, while they certainly weren't anything to write home about, they were clearly at least competent.

So I guess my question is, why do people go busking (or showing off a talent) when they clearly have no talent to begin with? I kind of felt sorry for the guy...but not as much as for the workers in the shops around.

Not Navan is it? There's a pair of buskers attempting to play the guitar and sing, usually near Easons. On Saturday they move to the AIB.

It's cringeworthy

qweerty

Turtyturd wrote: »

Spider-man who stands there doing f*ck all...

That made me laugh uncontrollably.

Gannicus

mikeym wrote: »

Rap about Mountjoy.

He should be culled.


In fairness. My main gripe is more to do with the sheer amount of them on henry street. Between junkie rappers like him, flute bands, guitarists and your man using pots and plastic tubs as drums (him I quite like) its out and out noise pollution, you walk along the street and you hear an annoying mix-mash of them all playing together. How may of them even have applied for a licence to play on the streets.

Hotale.com

Big Steve wrote: »

He should be culled.


In fairness. My main gripe is more to do with the sheer amount of them on henry street. Between junkie rappers like him, flute bands, guitarists and your man using pots and plastic tubs as drums (him I quite like) its out and out noise pollution, you walk along the street and you hear an annoying mix-mash of them all playing together. How may of them even have applied for a licence to play on the streets.

To be honest I think it's fair enough without a license until some eejit comes along with a 200W amp and blows everyone out of it, it's unfair on both the other buskers and the public when people do that..

RobbingBandit

El Weirdo wrote: »

Was it Bono again?

Bono is too busy on a Sunday being worshipped as the son of god, yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah,YEAH. :pac:

RobbingBandit

That guy with the trumpet outside dunnes on henry street is ****ing head melting, learn some new tunes or **** off and those flute guys are head wrecking.

MomijiHime

My friend and I went busking the other day for the first time and we were pretty ****ty but we got a bit of money for it so we'll probably do it again :P

Maphisto

This is way OT so sorry.

But seeing that guy from Cork reminded me:

Years ago in London my wife was organising the office party. She phoned up a place, quite posh and asked if there would be music. Oh yes was the reply.
"Well I don't just want a man playing with himself" said my wife. I think the woman on the other end didn't know whether to laugh or be shocked

ger vallely

Op-that has to be opposite Eason in Galway?The guy in question seems very confident in himself but I just don't get him.Each to their own and all that but he just confuses me!!

Gannicus

Hotale.com wrote: »

To be honest I think it's fair enough without a license until some eejit comes along with a 200W amp and blows everyone out of it, it's unfair on both the other buskers and the public when people do that..

I agree. It just annoys me to hear so many of them at once. For instance there's one lad he plays trumpet while he has a cd player blasting the song behind him and then the same clims playing the same 5 or 6 songs over and over again. I walk that street at least once a day and its alwful listening to them trying to play over each other.

Last thursday I went down to talbot street on my lunch and when walking back I saw 2 lads "playing" guitar near the meteor shop. Not 20 yards away you had mario playing on the keyboard (badly) then in a similar amount of distance away another fella playing guitar and he i can only assume girlfriend singing BADLY. Then at Ilac there was 2 skangers "battle rapping" and then a native american flute band who I really doubt are native american. Then your man with his pots and tubs. It sounds awful. Among all of this I'm leaving out the junkie youngone and or fella who write that giant stupid poxy poem about looking down on someone she/he is a personal annoyance of mine but she doesn't make any noise.

Schwiiing

There's an excellent group called The Atlantic Pirates who regularly perform on Shop Street in Galway but then you move up towards eyre Square and there's some tit beatboxing into a digeridoo.

Mal-Adjusted

dgt wrote: »

Not Navan is it? There's a pair of buskers attempting to play the guitar and sing, usually near Easons. On Saturday they move to the AIB.

It's cringeworthy

afraid not.

ger vallely wrote: »

Op-that has to be opposite Eason in Galway?The guy in question seems very confident in himself but I just don't get him.Each to their own and all that but he just confuses me!!

Bingo. at about five.

UCDVet

Hotale.com wrote: »

I always head into Grafton Street for the buskers when I'm in Dublin, wouldn't head into Cork to specifically watch buskers though....

Yeah - I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they shouldn't be allowed to perform. I just feel like it would make more sense to put them in a place where people who want to see them, can. And where people who don't, don't.

Half the time I feel bad stopping because there is an army of people walking behind me, trying to go about their shopping. The rest of the time, I'm pissed because some chick with a guitar or five guys in black are standing still and people are stopping to look at them...and I'm just trying to the shop and get home.

UCDVet

MomijiHime wrote: »

My friend and I went busking the other day for the first time and we were pretty ****ty but we got a bit of money for it so we'll probably do it again :P

If you don't mind sharing - how much did you two make? I've really often wondered if it's a viable profession or if it's just pocket change or what. I realize it's not going to be the same for everyone and all that jazz - but yeah, I'd love to know how you did.

BrokenArrows

They should have a BQE - Buskers Quality Enforcer.
If you're **** you get the boot.

cailinardthair

I know the busker your on about.....i don't like him....I have a few choice words to call him but won't. He takes over the street with his crap version of My Way! and his hopping! I remember he chased some lad down the street a few weeks ago because he told him to be quiet! Saying he will find him and sue! I had a good laugh at that!

There are loads of great buskers in galway but him and another one, think its a brother and sister, they should not be aloud!

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

dgt wrote: »

Not Navan is it? There's a pair of buskers attempting to play the guitar and sing, usually near Easons. On Saturday they move to the AIB.

It's cringeworthy

At least they actually play. There's another lad who sits there pretending to play an accordion whilst a radio blasts out music at his feet. I'd say he breaks even by the time he's finished buying his batteries for it.

Hotale.com

cailinardthair wrote: »

I know the busker your on about.....i don't like him....I have a few choice words to call him but won't. He takes over the street with his crap version of My Way! and his hopping! I remember he chased some lad down the street a few weeks ago because he told him to be quiet! Saying he will find him and sue! I had a good laugh at that!

There are loads of great buskers in galway but him and another one, think its a brother and sister, they should not be aloud!

Punintentional?

Lightbulb Sun

We need more lads doing Wonderwall.

uncle_sam_ie

I remember getting on a subway in New York a few years back and this guy pulls out a guitar and attempts to play it. He was so bad people were giving him money to stop.

dharma200

I have to disagree about the busker in question. he has been busking for a good while... He started off without an amp no suit and was woeful, and has worked and worked and if you actually give him ten minutes of your time, regardless that he is not Pavarotti, he can be highly entertaining... I have sat outside canavans and watched his whole show... At first cringing, then watching a bit closer at his mannerisms and the effort he puts in, his sort of geeky confidence, the way he usually handles the piss takers bullies etc. he does his set and moves on, as per the agreed protocol with buskers in Galway.
I remember years ago Johnny massacre encouraging young buskers etc.. There is a young lad who was hardly a teen and now he has the most amazing show like Johnny's. It is very easy to just go ah he is ****e... Atleast the young man I question gets up off his ass and tries to do something, and is improving with every week. yep he gets looks, and slaggings, some days he is better than others, but he cucking tries as hard as he can. He isn't blowing fake pan pipes or pretending to make a dog out of sand. He is getting up and putting himself out there.
I don't know the young man personally, but whenever I see him I think good for you. I'd say if you see him again, give him a few more minutes of your time. You might be surprised that he actually might make you smile.

So if you ignore the fact that he can't sing he is an ok busker?

This fella has been complained about before on boards - he is a definite candidate for the enforcement of the amplifier ban.

Lapin

Any busker using amps should be gently escorted down to the Spanish Arch and made to witness them being introduced to the Corrib in full flow.

If he, she or they are that attatched to them, let them jump in after them.

DrumSteve

If you need to set up a pa system in the middle of grafton street you are not a busker, your a noise polluter.

Yes, im talking about that chap who seems to only play fast car/wish you were here.

Sam Kade

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

I was in town today and had the misfortune to hear one of the most awful buskers iv'e heard in a long time. He was in a grubby grey suit and singing into a microphone across from Eason. He had music playing as well but it was clear he was cringe-worthy. It's something i don't understand. Surely people know if they're any good or not? I can't sing to save my life but i know it and don't go making an ass of myself.

Just up the street there were two others, one with a drum (of sorts), the other with an acoustic guitar and, while they certainly weren't anything to write home about, they were clearly at least competent.

So I guess my question is, why do people go busking (or showing off a talent) when they clearly have no talent to begin with? I kind of felt sorry for the guy...but not as much as for the workers in the shops around.

So instead of asking them you started a tread on here looking for an answer

Lapin

Big Steve wrote: »

How may of them even have applied for a licence to play on the streets.

None I hope.


No matter how much some of them may annoy me, I appreciate the fact that they are giving it a shot.

Fúck paying a licence fee to keep some civil servant's arse warm from 9 to 5.

Aglomerado

Turtyturd wrote: »

, the 'help me feed my drum addiction' guy.

I LOVE him! He actually HAS talent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txVWUKteNdc

Dave H

Does anyone remember a busker who would have been around Grafton Street in the late 90's (possibly earlier aswell) who had a device set up over the sound hole on his acoustic that was like piano keys, one for each string. He was a ragged oul bluesman, narky as hell somedays, nice as pies the next, he looked liked the kind of guy that lived out the songs he sang.
Amazing performer but I often wondered whatever happened to him as it must have been nearly 15 years since the last time I saw him busking. He'd always generate a huge crowd around him.

Alf. A. Male

cailinardthair wrote: »

There are loads of great buskers in galway but him and another one, think its a brother and sister, they should not be aloud!

No, they should be aloud, very little point in busking otherwise.

Dublinflyer

I have no problem with buskers but the amps are ridiculous in some cases. If it's a singer and it's playing a bit of music then maybe that's OK but if it you are standing there on your own and a full orchestral score coming out of the speaker then you are not busking, imho.

Turtyturd

Just back from my lunchtime stroll....sh*tty tattooed busker has added a new song to his set (bringing it up to 3) but can't play it on the guitar so is relying on playing the music through his amp.

There is also now bagpipes busker which is as bad as it sounds.

Dublinflyer

Turtyturd wrote: »

There is also now bagpipes busker which is as bad as it sounds.

Holy sweet Jea$u$.

desultory

That Spider-man one drives me up the wall. It's the worst costume I've ever seen for one(it looks like a onesie) and the guy who wears it must be about 6 stone as it's hanging off him..and he just stands there..doing nothing

Alf. A. Male

desultory wrote: »

That Spider-man one drives me up the wall.

Lovin' yer work.

The Master

Dave H wrote: »

Does anyone remember a busker who would have been around Grafton Street in the late 90's (possibly earlier aswell) who had a device set up over the sound hole on his acoustic that was like piano keys, one for each string. He was a ragged oul bluesman, narky as hell somedays, nice as pies the next, he looked liked the kind of guy that lived out the songs he sang.
Amazing performer but I often wondered whatever happened to him as it must have been nearly 15 years since the last time I saw him busking. He'd always generate a huge crowd around him.

Yeah, he ended up doing weekend blues sessions in Whelan's for a while. Haven't heard of him in quite a few years though