busking in Europe

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busking in Europe

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Anders Eliasson

Posts: 4286
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

busking in Europe

Has anyone been out there on the streets busking lately. How are things?? Just curious.

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Report Abuse | Date Jun. 17 2012 8:08:01

Escribano

Posts: 4436
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: Bath, England

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

They seem to do well in Bath. You need a bit of an angle to stand out. We have all kinds. You should contact Fergusito here, he does a lot with a great band (on stilts)

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Report Abuse | Date Jun. 17 2012 10:46:15

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 4286
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

quote:

You need a bit of an angle to stand out

Thanks for your reply and this is what i feared, that its not enough to be a musician, you have to do other stuff at the same time. I was just imagining myself playing some rels and jigs in a quiet corner to get a bit of money.
So the police in Bath doesnt hunt you down. I Copengagen you need a license.... (control - control)

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Fine flamenco and classical guitars: www.eliassonguitars.com
Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

Report Abuse | Date Jun. 17 2012 16:48:42

Escribano

Posts: 4436
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: Bath, England

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

It's not so extreme. Musical buskers are highly regarded here even though a lot of them are not very good. By an angle, I meant just something to stand out. Reels and jigs would go down great - something lively.

There is one guy who dresses smartly, pops on a backing track and noodles aimlessly on a nylon cutaway. He seems to do ok.

No licence is required in Bath, not yet anyway. The good thing is that it is a small city with distinct tourist routes (lots of tourists as it is a World heritage site and a must see for many foreigners) - they are a captive audience that seem to enjoy the entertainment.

I'll ask some of the buskers I know about what you could take in cash next time I am downtown. It's an active community and I enclose some useful links.

http://www.bathbuskers.co.uk/
http://www.bathbuskers.co.uk/images/stories/bath-buskers-guide.pdf
http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/BUSINESS/LICENCESSTREETTRADING/Pages/busking.aspx

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Report Abuse | Date Jun. 17 2012 17:33:18

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 4286
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

quote:

There is one guy who dresses smartly, pops on a backing track and noodles aimlessly on a nylon cutaway. He seems to do ok.

That sounds cute.

Thanks for the links. I´ll study them a little later

_____________________________

Fine flamenco and classical guitars: www.eliassonguitars.com
Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

Report Abuse | Date Jun. 17 2012 19:35:22

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 4286
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

Those are nice links. Hopefully its like that everywhere. I like this:

"Busking and Street Entertaining

Busking and other forms of street entertainment are part of the Bath ‘experience’, creating an enhanced atmosphere and providing pleasure to many people, both local residents and visitors. Buskers and Street Entertainers in Bath are asked to follow a Code of Practice, which is detailed below."

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Fine flamenco and classical guitars: www.eliassonguitars.com
Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 8:36:43

Escribano

Posts: 4436
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: Bath, England

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

You would need to research the European cities and their attitudes to buskers. London is big and noisy. Folks just rush by. Smaller concentrations of tourists, especially in bus groups, all year round is the way to go.

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Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 15:36:36

michel

Posts: 309
Joined: Apr. 14 2008
From: france

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

If you guys want to have a good laugh, please read the rules for busking in my town

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Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 16:08:35

El Kiko

Posts: 1219
Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: Now living near Cork

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to michel)

if this is for Basel which is in Switzerland why are the rules in English which is one of the languages not spoken ?? like instead of Romansh, German, French, Italian?//
just curious.
And who inforces the said rules ... like who will say that your performance did or did not start on the hour ?/
and cant you play a wind instrument a bit quieter , like a clarinet ?/

Great rules , I wonder who thought them all up ?/

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Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 17:03:00

ronzy60

Posts: 33
Joined: Dec. 8 2009

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Escribano)

HI ANDERS,

You don't seem to need any angle here in Blackpool.....I have never seen anyone playing flamenco guitar here but this is the North West of England and it never stops raining.
Seems to be lots of Scots busking here, they are a hardy lot.... ask Ron may be he is one of them?
Ronzy

Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 17:22:44

michel

Posts: 309
Joined: Apr. 14 2008
From: france

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to El Kiko)

quote:

if this is for Basel which is in Switzerland why are the rules in English which is one of the languages not spoken ?? like instead of Romansh, German, French, Italian?

the published version here was in german only, but as you said it should have been published in all 4 official country-languages (100 points for your general education;-)
of course the additional "half an hour restrictions" are bullying and i'm
not sure that everybody knows or even understand these rules.
It allows the cops to dismiss you if they don't like your face...
well i'm not "against the law" but isnt that a bit too much?

Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 17:42:57

El Kiko

Posts: 1219
Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: Now living near Cork

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to michel)

quote:

(100 points for your general education;-)

100 points for Wikipedia...........cheat!!!! I hear.......

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Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 19:11:40

Pedoviejo

Posts: 58
Joined: Dec. 12 2003

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to michel)

Re busking in Basel:

What else were you expecting of the Swiss? Who gave us the precision mechanical watch and John Calvin, who's ideas helped give birth to the Puritans? "Puritan: Someone who lies awake at night worrying that someone, somewhere is having a good time."

Or as another wag once said of Toronto: "Like New York - if it were run by the Swiss."

Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 22:22:09

Escribano

Posts: 4436
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: Bath, England

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Pedoviejo)

It's not an excuse for slagging off other countries. Many of which I have enjoyed as a welcome guest or resident.

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Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 22:33:01

XXX

Posts: 4407
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Escribano)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Escribano

It's not an excuse for slagging off other countries. Many of which I have enjoyed as a welcome guest or resident.

Given enough money im pretty sure every country will welcome you.

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Фламенко

Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 22:50:51

Escribano

Posts: 4436
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: Bath, England

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to XXX)

quote:

Given enough money im pretty sure every country will welcome you.

You have a point

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Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 23:06:11

XXX

Posts: 4407
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Escribano)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Escribano

quote:

Given enough money im pretty sure every country will welcome you.

You have a point

Yes.
Furthermore, you might want to check out how asylum seekers & foreigners are treated in swiss.

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Фламенко

Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 23:31:04

Escribano

Posts: 4436
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: Bath, England

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to XXX)

quote:

Furthermore, you might want to check out how asylum seekers & foreigners are treated in swiss.

I'll do that

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Report Abuse | Date Jun. 18 2012 23:44:35

Posts: 83
Joined: Mar. 1 2011

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

I live in Switzerland, and they sure do like their rules, no doubt about that.

As for asylum seekers, I've met quite a few and the ones I met have been treated very well indeed. Enough money to live on. Jobs provided (not great jobs but the guys I know are happy enough to be working and it makes them feel like they're a part of things).

They are given German lessons every afternoon and encouraged to become a part of the society. Some people do have a few problems from individuals but the society, as a whole, is very humane. And the Swiss people, while being very 'ordered', are friendly and, for the most part welcoming.

There is a 'hard right' that is allowed to put up advertising that would be termed extremely racist in most countries (because it is extremely racist) but the democracy practised here, while difficult sometimes to fathom, is quite evolved.

They have votes on almost everything, even legalizing drugs. (Heroin was, for example, legalized recently... with some caveats, while cannabis was not legalized but four Cantons already allow people to grow their own.)

As for buskers, they have the best I've ever seen outside of Covent Garden in London. Really, some tremendous musicians.

And crime is still low. The country reminds me of the UK in the sixties. Not perfect, but as safe as one might hope for.

I love that list of rules. I cannot confirm but I have worked with people who claim they are not 'allowed' to flush the toilet after ten in their apartments.

Where I live (Zug) they have music seemingly all summer long in the open air in the evenings, so it depends where you live.

It' a great place to busk (if you obey 'the law'). Swiss police don't have much to do outside of busting people for not wearing bicycle clips so obey or be fined. Busking in some places in the UK you'd need a bodyguard.

Report Abuse | Date Jun. 19 2012 18:25:52

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 4286
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

Michel

Thanks for the rules.

It gives me a good idea of how things are doing in diffenernt places. Beasel is a good place, not to big but still with a good deal of people in the streets. The 1/2 hour rule is tough though, it means that you have to stop when you start playing smooth.

What about France? anyone knows.
BTW. I was not considering playing Flamenco or guitar at all. I dont think its good street music. I was thinking of playing the fiddle and I dont think I´m ready untill next year... But who knows.

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Fine flamenco and classical guitars: www.eliassonguitars.com
Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

Report Abuse | Date Jun. 20 2012 8:36:08

mrMagenta

Posts: 941
Joined: Oct. 25 2006
From: Sweden

RE: busking in Europe (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

Anders! Glad midsommar!

People here are saying copenhagen is great for street musicians. That there is a good 'scene' there. I have no direct experience, but a dancer I'm working with talks warmly of it, as does my girlfriend who is studying music in copenhagen. I don't think the dancers street band applied for any permit, perhaps the rules have changed recently.. would be sad. Street music makes a city more vibrant.

Report Abuse | Date Jun. 21 2012 23:34:10