Subway Conductors’ Window Habits

As I was setting up to play at the Music Under New York site at the 59th street & Lexington subway station a lady wearing an MTA coat walked by, leading a bicycle. She called out to me “Natalia, you’re all right”. That means she bothered to read the MUNY permit banner which I hang…

Read More

Don’t Break Any Guitar Strings

At 11:30am, as I was setting up my gear at the Music Under New York spot at the 59th street subway station, a lady sitting on the bench near by said to me “How are you?” She recognized me and was happy to see me. What a nice start of the day. A guy told…

Read More

Lady in Wheelchair and Guy Didn’t Pay Fare

Going up the stairs to catch the train to Manhattan a blond girl carrying a guitar asked me if I want help lifting my cart up the stairs. It turned out it was Mimi, a Blue Grass & gospel musician who has been playing in the subway on and off for a few years. She…

Read More

A Black Sweater

Mason’s group, “N” tune, was performing at the Music Under New York spot at the 59th street subway station when I arrived. They are not members of MUNY – they freelance. Mason wasn’t with them today, but they had a returning singer wearing a long coat – he used to sing with them a long…

Read More

Names are Superfluous

As I came up the stairs, lugging my busking equipment to the #6 train platform at the 59th street subway station, a lady told me she was having a bad day. It was her first time ever taking the subway in New York City (she is from PA) and a lady had just fainted and…

Read More

Singers Everywhere

As I was playing at the Music Under New York spot at the 59th street subway station I could hear the sound of singing faintly drifting in the subway station. I wasn’t sure where the sound was coming from. Chill, Bow and two friends were “doing the trains” – walking from train car to train…

Read More

Day Before Thanksgiving

On my way to the Music Under New York spot at the 59th street & Lexington subway station I ran into Frankie, playing guitar, singing and whistling on the N/R/W platform. He told me that he was at the 96th street station this morning, then went to Times Square to use the bathroom (the only…

Read More

The Smell of Winter in NYC

When I got to the Music Under New York spot at the 59th street and Lexington subway station, there were 3 guys singing there, accompanied by a 4th guy on keyboard. They are “N” Tune – an R&B group which sings songs from the 50’s through the 80’s. Really nice, older guys, who sing beautiful…

Read More

East Side Buskers

When I arrived at the Music Under New York spot at the 59th street subway station at 11:40am I found Tai Qi singing ‘Ave Maria’ there. He is an opera singer from China – really nice guy, tall with a bass voice. He had only been playing for 40 minutes when I arrived, but he…

Read More

Blogging and Busking are Similar

I arrived at the Music Under New York spot at the 59th street & Lexington subway station at 11:35AM. A nice oriental gentleman helped me carry my cart up the two flights of stairs. Matt, an NYU journalism student, watched the scene and asked me a bunch of interesting questions about my blog and busking.…

Read More