How to Be an Authentic Street Performer? 5 suggestions for the aspiring street busker: a blog about the art of busking and what it takes to start.
Street performance is more than just a pleasurable activity, like listening to music or watching a movie. There’s something very special about being a participant, not just a spectator, in a musical performance. And it’s even better when you’re creating that music yourself. This type of experience is almost impossible to find without developing some sort of talent for playing an instrument or singing and performing publicly. For most people, this is a long and arduous process.
But becoming a street performer is much easier, because there are no standards for quality. You don’t need to be good at all. In fact, I think the worst street performers are the best, because they’re so authentic! They’re doing it because they want to do it, not because they want money or fame or anything else like that. That’s the key ingredient: authenticity.
When I travel around the world with my banjo, I’m always amazed by how many people come up to me and say they wish they could do what I’m doing. They have this impression that it must be very hard and
How to Be an Authentic Street Performer?
5 suggestions for the aspiring street busker: a blog about the art of busking and what it takes to start.
Busking is one of those things that seems easy, but isn’t. It’s also something that people want to do, but can’t. Despite this, street performers are now becoming more prevalent and of a variety of skill levels. As a result, I’m often asked how to get started in busking. Here are my tips:
1. Have a unique act or at least a unique spin on something common. It should be good enough that people would pay money to see it indoors.
2. Go out and do it! The only way to get better is by actual experience performing for an audience (not just for yourself.) I watched some mime video once and then went out and did a show in front of some real people. They thought I was great! They had no idea how horrible I really was (and still am.) Why? Because they had never seen mime before! In their eyes I was brilliant because I was doing something new and different, not because I was actually good at it. It doesn’t matter if you’re
I was young and naive when I first started busking. It was a terrible experience but it did teach me one very valuable lesson:
If you want to be an authentic street performer, you must be willing to accept criticism.
My first time out in the streets with my guitar, I got heckled by a guy who thought I was playing too loudly. At the time, I didn’t know how to deal with this type of criticism so I immediately got defensive and responded that he should go back inside if he didn’t like it. The more I think about that moment, the more embarrassed I feel about it because what happened next still haunts me to this day. As soon as he heard me respond back in an angry tone, a crowd quickly gathered around us and before I knew what was happening, the heckler had everyone on his side and they were all pressuring me to stop playing or leave. In the end it took two police officers to get rid of them.
It was my fault though because I let them win…and they were right. The truth is that street performers are public servants and their responsibility is to serve the public. If they don’t remember that then they will never be good at what they do.
Want to be a street performer? This is how you do it.
Street performers are (usually) authentic, so don’t try too hard to be hip. It’s only a matter of time before busking in an ironic mustache and monocle becomes a thing. Until then, just be yourself.
The best street performers do what they do because they love it. If you’re planning on making money from singing or dance or magic tricks—you’re doing it wrong.
People who are passionate about something are interesting to watch. They take chances and stretch themselves beyond their comfort zones, and when they succeed, the audience experiences that success with them. And when they fail? You’ll be surprised by how many people will stick around to watch you pick yourself back up again.
If you’re trying to make money, your audience will feel like lab rats in an experiment—they’ll know that they’re being used. If they feel like they’re part of something real, then they can use their imaginations to forget where they are and let your performance draw them into another world.
I get a lot of questions from people who are just starting out and want to know the best way to become a busker. Here are five things I suggest:
1) Practice, practice, practice. You have to be good at what you’re doing. It may not be that difficult to make some change if you’re on a high traffic street corner but if you want to make a living at it? No way. You have to be really good and worth the money people give you.
2) Get a permit. Seriously, this is super important and I think people underestimate it’s significance. First of all, if you don’t have one you can get fined or thrown in jail or both. Second of all, it gives you legitimacy and respect in the eyes of your audience as well as other street performers and police officers who inevitably will come over to tell you how long you’ve been there and ask for your permit number (which they can check online).
3) Find your own thing! This is where I think most new buskers miss the mark. They hear about busking and think “Hey, that’s something I could do” so they go out on the street with what might be the first idea that comes into their head
1. Get a license. Make sure you have a license to perform. You don’t want to get ticketed or fined for performing without one.
2. Find your spot. Look around the city and decide where you are going to perform. Consider high traffic areas, busy streets, popular tourist spots and popular shopping districts.
3. Dress the part. There is no uniform for buskers, but you should look the part of a street performer if you are trying to make money that way.
4. Practice your performance. If your act is not perfected then you are not going to make any money from it as a street performer.
5. Pass the hat or use a tip jar. You can put a tip jar out in front of you, or simply ask people for change after your performance as they walk past (keep in mind that not everyone will give you anything).
1. Be Unique
It’s simple, but it cannot be stressed enough. You have to be different. There is a reason why we remember the names of a few street performers and not the rest. They were unique in one way or another: they looked different, acted different, dressed differently, used interesting props, or played different instruments.
If you want to get noticed, you need to make an impression. Find that one thing that you do better than anyone else and then highlight it! Maybe you can play an instrument really well. Maybe you look good in a tutu and roller blades. Perhaps you are great at magic tricks or juggling fire balls (always use caution when handling fire). Whatever it is that makes you stand out from the crowd; do that thing!
2. Love What You Do
You will spend a lot of time on your feet performing for long periods of time with little rest in between. It can be tiring and grueling work if you don’t love what you do. There will be days when a storm rolls in; ruining your show and your equipment or people just simply walk by without stopping to watch. The only thing that makes it all worthwhile is the joy of doing what you love and sharing it with the world.