I have a friend who’s one of those musical genious types that pretty much only plays to the walls of his room. He’s kinda broke, so I told him I’d be willing to go out with him to 3rd Street in Santa Monica (where various street perfomers are a regular part of the scene) and he could play and maybe make a couple of bucks. He says he’s willing to give it a try, but doesn’t think we’ll make much, not because of lack of talent, he means in general. Anybody have any idea about this sort of thing? We’re not looking to make millions, but it’s kind of a long drive. Still, it might be nice to get him out in the public. He’s one of those people that can draw a crowd easily with his playing. (Rock guitar stuff.) He’s just on the shy side.
I tried it once, when I lost my subway money and all I had was my clarinet. Sure, it’s a clarinet and not a guitar. I played near central park and didn’t make shit. I don’t even remember how long it took me to make a lousy $1.50 to get home.
I made a quarter performing on the guitar once on the street. That really sucked. I learned it has everything to do with location. I have made around $30 in an hour just playing around and not really playing any songs. It was like getting paid to warm up. Some of the street performers here who play at the top of the metro get some pretty good money.
I have also been a street psychic. I got paid to read people’s tarot cards. That paid pretty well. I made somewhere around $5-50/hour depending on how busy the area was and how much time the other person had to kill. I did that in college some too. I used to read for some of the nuns (for free).
I sang with my guitar-playing friend on the Charles Bridge in Prague. It was a huge tourist spot, and we made decent money and had a lot of fun. Tell your shy friend (I’m shy too) to just play for himself and have a good time.
I played a sopranino recorder in the Paris Metro when I was nineteen. Sat on the floor (it’s okay, it was a posh station…Louvre, I think) with a cap in front of me for about an hour and a half. I had lots of hair and an army fatigue jacket and ratty jeans, so I kinda had that hippie/Dutchman look going.
I hadn’t known the French Government still MADE coins that mall.
Ditto what everyone else said. I’ve never done it for money, but have done it to drum up interest for various other things I’ve been involved in, singing groups, acting troupes and the like.
One of my roommates did street busking when he was living in Toronto. Apparently it’s normal (in the summer) to make upwards of $40/hour. If you live around a good tourist area go there. I live next to Vancouver’s (if not Canada’s) largest tourist site, Granville Island. There are people who make their entire living busking down there. Really. These people play in the market 9-5 every day. In the summer there are other sorts of entertainers down there, the best of which will bring in $300+ for a 2 hour show (my dad loves talking to anyone… he almost always strikes up a conversation with buskers in the market – thus I know what they pull in). Their shows are amazing though.
DItto to Niggle. Victoria, BC, is one of those fabulous towns whose population doubles in the summer … and everywhere you look are street buskers, magicians, clowns, jugglers, painters, balloon artists, and just about everything else you can imagine. Damn I love it there!
You can make very good money if you are willing to bust your butt … try a good location (as has been mentioned before). If you see a place with buskers, chances are it’s a tried-and-true location. Don’t just jump on their bandwagon, as you are bound to piss someone off: but pick a place nearby.
You should also note that you need a busker’s license in some locations.
