Be a Street Performer

“So long story short i had my "ticket", a designated time & place to go and play, took my handpan, my guitar and a small chair and then went there. Arriving in the area i did not really know where/how to place myself [...] In the end i got to a place, which was barely still in the area i was allowed to play in and seemed to be my only choice within the confines of the designated area. Only that it was very close to a crosswalk and obstructed in one direction by a street lamp, with really no space for people to stop without standing in the way. [...] A positive was that as the whole situation was already kinda annoying, i felt almost no nervousness while playing, which surprised me. [...] I was happy at times to just give my music into the world, without expecting anything in those moments. People remained mostly uninterested (at least i think) and my guitar case stayed empty.”

“It wasn’t terrible, it was how we lived. It was what we did. Coming home dirty, covered in soot. Plopping down on the floor (we had no furniture besides inflatable mattresses), opening up our bags of money, and stacking and counting cash. Street performing had a lot of bad aspects to it, but one of the great things is that moment. You’re spent physically and mentally, wearing the evidence of your work, and counting the money you made that day. Instant reward. Simplicity.”

“My first time was in 2013, I was eager but had no idea what I was doing. Five minutes in, I get asked to leave by a security guard. Now I know not to play there. It felt embarrassing, but I needed that lesson (and many more along the way, boy I've got some stories...). It took a few awkward days with little to no profit before I had my first good one. I'm really glad I kept at it, busking is still a huge passion for me these days.”