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Buskers; purveyors of bohemianism or beggars with instruments?

spider guardian

Down through the years there has been some good buskers that went on to find fame. Rodrigo y Gabriel are one example. Pretty sure there was a crowd that played on Pat Kenny that were picked from the streets but later fell into obscurity. Oasis even used buskers to promote 'Dig Out Your Soul'.

I suppose there are some buskers that add to the atmosphere in a town or city on a shopping day. At night-time they can come in useful when you pinch an instrument off them and try to impress girls in the vicinity with your flawless rendition of Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here'.

But should they be paid for this? Some 'buskers' clearly have came across their instruments in a public bin and only pluck or blow into these acquired instruments in the hope some do-gooder will drop some spare change into the worn cap in front of them. The racket they make and the guilt they induce puts them slightly above chuggers. Even if this isn't the case the skinny jeans and air of smugness can be off-putting.

So in short, buskers, yay or nay?

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[Deleted User]

Buskers are grand.

I hate those guys that just spray themselves silver and stand still and expect money for it.

Scealta_saol

I've seen great buskers (4 guys playing classical music in London underground), good buskers (mostly on Grafton St), bad buskers (just sound terrible) and terrible buskers (mimes [statues] - and I don't mean mimes who actually mime. I mean guys who stand still and do nothing but move an arm if you pop money in the box). [actually though, the James Joyce statue guy is pretty good]

All in all, if they're good they're not a nuisance. It's how it works. We enjoy what's good and get annoyed by what's not. X Factor and other similar shows are just the same that way.

All I find annoying is when a great busker draws a crowd and I can't walk up Grafton St

Greentopia

Eric Cartman wrote: »

nothing more than pied pipers to the tourists, spanish urchins and culchies visiting our fair city of dublin. A waste of space that cause streets to be blocked, singing or playing instuments poorly and hoping for a few more euro to hide from the tax man. If they were to be put in stephens green park or other public parks I wouldnt mind, but they should definitley be banned from temple bar, grafton street, henry street and the surrounding pedestrianized streets.

Why should they be banned if a lot of people like them and support them (which they clearly do with those who are any good by throwing them a few coins) and they provide colour, life and free entertainment on our streets?
Our cities and towns would be much duller places if they were banned altogether.

I agree some of them are bad but far from all of them sing or play instruments poorly so why should there be a blanket ban that would prevent them from performing?

And most of the streets they perform on are pedestrianised so I don't see how they are blocking anything just by standing to one side and playing or singing as people go past.

Eric Cartman

Greentopia wrote: »

Why should they be banned if a lot of people like them and support them (which they clearly do with those who are any good by throwing them a few coins) and they provide colour, life and free entertainment on our streets?
Our cities and towns would be much duller places if they were banned altogether.

I agree some of them are bad but far from all of them sing or play instruments poorly so why should there be a blanket ban that would prevent them from performing?

And most of the streets they perform on are pedestrianised so I don't see how they are blocking anything just by standing to one side and playing or singing as people go past.

i just want them banned from the streets , not parks or anything they can play there, its not the buskers blocking the streets, its the hoards of people standing around them that block the streets and make a 2 minute walk from one end of grafton street to the other a 7-10 minute ordeal pushing past people and almost trampling small children

spider guardian

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

True, no it isn't, but then the majority of buskers have some talent.

The problem here is that you seem to think that all buskers are beggars on some level. Perhaps your rant would be better aimed at beggars pretending to be buskers rather than actual buskers.

Why do you feel guilt-tripped into it? No one is putting a gun to your head. Do you feel guild tripped into paying you TV license?

I still think the air of smugness is in your head. I know plenty of buskers who just do it because they enjoy doing it. Nothing elitist about it. Perhaps you just came across one or two arrogant musicians and decided that they're all like that? Or perhaps, as someone pointed out, it's jealousy?

I am ambivalent on the matter. That is all.

Guilt tripped into paying my TV license? What's that got to do with anything?!

Greentopia

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

I started off playing the guitar when busking, but I get more money when I play on the ukulele. I always recommend people learn at least the basics of piano before taking up an instrument, the linearity of it makes picking up another one so much easier. I always seem to get the most money when I play "Airplanes" by B.O.B and that sort of thing. If you have tiny baby hands like I do then I recommend the ukulele, just don't get a crappy Argos one, an remember that good strings make a world of difference.

Cool, thank's for the advice! yes I have small hands too. My best friend is a Luthier by trade -bass guitar and acoustic (best in the country, though I'm obviously a bit biased-30 years experience) so he can help me a lot I think in choosing a good uke and strings.

Good luck with your music and busking, hope you do well from it

Greentopia

Eric Cartman wrote: »

i just want them banned from the streets , not parks or anything they can play there, its not the buskers blocking the streets, its the hoards of people standing around them that block the streets and make a 2 minute walk from one end of grafton street to the other a 7-10 minute ordeal pushing past people and almost trampling small children

Meh, a minor irritation. Treat walking around town as a relaxed elegant activity like a 19th century gentleman flâner and you won't be in such a hurry or get so irritated by crowds

Eric Cartman

Greentopia wrote: »

Meh, a minor irritation. Treat walking around town as a relaxed elegant activity like a 19th century gentleman flâner and you won't be in such a hurry or get so irritated by crowds

if only life was that simple

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

spider guardian wrote: »

I am ambivalent on the matter. That is all.

Guilt tripped into paying my TV license? What's that got to do with anything?!

Perhaps I misread it, but your opening most had a negative tone to it. As I said, it may have been against beggers pretending to be buskers.

Re the TV licence comment; you said you felt guilt tripped into paying for entertainment that could be gotten for free. With the buskers, paying for said entertainment at least is purely optional. With the licence fee, it's mandatory.

ascanbe

Why don't beggars just say that they're engaged in 'performance art'; say something like they're allowing the general public a glimpse into what life is like for a beggar by performing as a beggar, thus broadening people's perspective.
Refer to themselves as artists and they will gain respect as well as dodging any potential legal issues regarding loitering etc.

Greentopia

Eric Cartman wrote: »

if only life was that simple

It can be. All depends on the choices and priorities you make in life. It's simple things like that that make life worth living IMO.

General General

Hot girl buskers are obviously a-ok, a lot of band/guy-busking stuff is alright, but the guys that play the 'huge voice'/'such passion' thing... they should fyck right off. There is a guy in Shop Street (in Galway) that 'belts' out David Gray like the louder he bangs on the more he'll get through to us that he's got 'heart'.

Seriously, I sometimes wish I had a sniper rifle.

bnt

A few years ago there was a guy who would sit at the end of the Dun Laoghaire East Pier, with a banjo, and play one piece* over and over. I stopped going there, out of fear I would lose my rag, rip the banjo from his grubby claws, and use it to bat him off the pier in to the harbour. :mad:

I don't know the guy and have nothing against him personally, but he was simply producing noise pollution, doing absolutely nothing to enhance the environment. I went back there last month, and there was no busker there. What a relief! You have the waves, the wind, the birds, the occasional boat ... you doesn't need anything else. :cool:

Tarrega's Recuerdos de la Alhambra, which is supposed to sound like this.