Posts Tagged ‘busking’
Mostly New Yorkers
I was suffering from lower back pain for the first time ever. Somehow a bone moved out of place in my pelvis and I had to skip two busking permits on account of being in too much pain. Normally I drag my busking gear up and down staircases in the subway, but today, due to…
Read MoreAching Soul
At the Music Under New York busking spot at the 34th street subway station an Andean flute player was playing. He has been there since 10am. He only plays in the subway on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The rest of the days he sells Ecuadorian stuff, like bracelets, sweaters, etc., at street fairs. He has…
Read MoreSnakes Don’t Like Vibrations
There were a lot of people waiting for the Staten Island ferry on the Manhattan side. A policeman with a dog checked out my busking gear. “Are you playing at this side today?” the cop asked me. “No”, I answered, “on the other side”. I was happy that he recognized me. I boarded the boat…
Read MoreVideo From Union Square
This video was taken last month while I was busking at the Union Square subway station in Manhattan: (turn off the music player on the right hand side bar before viewing the video) Thank you Jennie Block for the video!
Read MoreWhere Do You Place Your Voice?
Remi, the Haitian singer/guitar player, was at the Music Under New York busking spot at the 14th street subway station when I got there. He has been there for an hour, he said. He likes to play at St. Marks Place, near where he lives. He has been there for 10 years now and has…
Read MoreHow Many Grandchildren
At the Music Under New York busking spot at the 14th street subway station Raices Group were performing: Edgar on flute and Geo on guitar. While I was waiting for them to be finished, a group of MTA construction workers wearing yellow/orange vests walked by. One of them said to his friend: “Hey, it’s the…
Read MoreOne Good Deed Deserves Another
A young guy helped me bring my busking gear up the subway stairs. When we reached the platform there was an unusually large number of people there, because the train wasn’t working. I forged my way through the thick crowd and the guy who helped me before followed behind me. When we got to the…
Read MorePass the Hat
Every now and then I come across poems about busking. I really like this one: Photographer: © Nicholas Loomis Pass The Hat/DubbleX You stand in hot uncomfortable noisy subways Underneath the city Musical notes intermingled with your passing jingle Dollar bills and spare change find their way into your hat You play and play until…
Read MoreWe Have to Check Our Stocks
On the train on my way to my busking spot, the guy with freckles who sings on the trains with the a-capella group of the guy who walks with a cane said ‘hi’ to me. He is on his way to meet the other singers at their usual get-together place at the 57th street subway…
Read MoreSlow But Enjoyable
As I was climbing the stairs to the subway station, lugging my busking gear, a mute gentleman with a bad leg offered to help me bring my busking gear up the stairs. I was very touched by his kindness through his own hardship. While I was busking at the Union Square subway station, the four…
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