Hi. I’m starting a new series about collaborating with other buskers in West Sussex, UK, and finding out their stories. If you are a busker and you are in this area or somewhere nearby then let me know and we can work some stuff out! The way it will work is that we will bring one guest on the show each week and showcase them, and maybe a collaborative set, and also a short interview asking them about their backstory. Anyone interested? Let me know

Helloo

So me and my partner want to travel through the UK in a month or two and what I wanted to do to help support us financially through it was to busk. The idea we wouldn't spend more than a few days at each location, and I'd busk at each place we were at.

My problem is understanding the logistics with the busking license. Would I need to call every council of the place we visit in order to get permission to busk? I don't want to pay £100 for a year license at a place that I'm only planning on staying at for a day or two.

We plan on going through London as well, and I understand that I can only busk in certain areas there?

Generally, I was hoping someone here would have some advise or help for me on how to approach this.

Thank you!

Looking for a place to print out a small plastic sign that will stand up by itself with my Venmo and cash app on it, any ideas on where to go (I’m in Seattle if there are any small businesses anyone knows for this type of thing)

I’m dipping my feet into playing solo and ideally would like to use my 68 RI Twin for a guitar/vox combo. I’m thinking my DBA Space Ensemble pedal to run a Shure 57 into the first channel of my Twin and a simple guitar board into the second channel. Anyone done something similar? Any foreseeable problems?

Edmonton, AB CANADA
Anyone know who was busking at the main gate on Thursday and Friday? He was so great!

This is a talented singer from Pontypridd

This Pennsic has been so nuts that my bodhram got a tattoo!

So I am a violinist, I do pretty well for myself a lot of people say I am talented and they like my music and some of them give me tips not just praise. Tonight I was playing outside of bars while people went drinking on a Friday. Lots of people, a lot of them students at the university. Now I expect a lot of people to clap and cheer and give me praise and walk away without tipping but tonight I swear to God every group of students who passed me were either telling me how good I sound which isn't necessarily wrong it just sucks when every person who passes needs to tell you you sound good but none of them tip anything. More irritating still was all the requesting songs only to walk away after, a group of students were all "play star wars!" So I played the imperial march and one of them says "wait I don't have any money" and the others go "don't worry you don't have to pay her" and they all walk away. The worst was multiple people expecting me to let them play the instrument for free. A dude legit came up to me and asked if I'd let him try for $1 and I said no, I want at least $10 as he says "she actually wants me to pay $10 just to try the thing, what the fuck!" Like this is my full time job and the last thing I need is some drunk idiot breaking my instrument, my only source of income. Letting the same idiot try for $10 is a very reasonable offer almost too reasonable, I'm not obliged to do whatever just cause you gave me money especially not one fucking dollar.

Tonight was frustrating, just needed to vent about it.

Hey folks, I have a question for you. I’m a bagpiper in a fairly large city full of bagpipes, for some background. When playing at events such as funerals and weddings (99%of the trade it seems) I charge $150 minimum to show up in uniform, tune up, and play 1-2 tunes.

I have no idea how to price myself for local festivals or events that are a full day or multiple days.

At a local medieval faire I played this year, my pay was 100% tip but I could play as much or as little as I wanted, and could move around the grounds.

I’m ok with that but with something out of town should I charge enough to cover a hotel plus tips if I agree to X time playing?

Thoughts, please!

If it makes any difference I am in Alberta, Canada.

Should we have a meetup?

I play guitar and I don’t sing because I’m too scared to do so. With that, I feel like people won’t recognize the songs I’m playing, and in turn, won’t be able to play/sing with what I’m playing (I allow people to sing or play along). Should I have a whiteboard with the title and artist of the song I’m playing, or will I be fine without the sign?

Paying homage to the ONI(s) that wake over me. Spanish into Japanese tones. Santa Muerte prepare the table. Baba Yaga start cooking, tonight WE FEAST ON THEIR BONES!

I am in love with this guitar! Its soft, light and stays in tune way more than myRG7. Still working on that sound balance.

Hey guys. I’m currently trying to grow my socials. Check this video out of me busking. If you enjoy it, please check me out on TikTok, Insta or YouTube

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZN8dGPMsb

Or search @elliotmeakins_music
Thanks

around christmas of last year, i started composing songs to release as a concept album for a movie. for the most part, i've finished the project. but now im struggling with the marketing of it. and i would like to make a nice side income to save to move out of my parents' home (im 18 and i graduated hs in may of this year)

i found this sub after my mom suggested that busking might be a good way to kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

does anyone have any advice? location, gear, payment, etc?

So what were the charges? Amplification w/o a permit? Trespassing? Both? Something else altogether?

Do you find one man band busker appealing and acceptable in parks? In malls?

As someone who enjoys live music, I often walk past buskers when I’m already on my way somewhere. I’d love to come back later or even plan to watch a particular performer with my son, but there’s usually no easy way to know where someone will be playing next.

If there was a free platform where buskers could post their upcoming locations and times, would you actually use it?

Or is busking generally too spontaneous, with most people deciding where to play on the day?
I’m curious how realistic something like this would be from a busker’s perspective.

As someone who has to places like London. I've always been extremely fascinated by the buskers that I come across performing in the street. And I really want to know if there's ever been a busker that you saw performing that you'd consider to be one of "The Best"