Liverpool!

Greetings from the road!
As you might know, I am currently on a two-month Europe tour. I have brought along my accordion with hopes of busking every once in a while to help cover my costs, but mainly to have more stories. I busked for a few hours last week in Liverpool, and it was mildly interesting, if not lucrative! Here's what happened:

Thursday, 5 April, 2012:
There was a very nice map online of busking pitches in Liverpool. I wrote them down, and consulted with the owner of my hostel about good ones. I ended up on Church St., which was certainly bustling! The problem was that it's in the heart of the shopping district, which, as we learned in Edinburgh, sucks for busking. It's the wrong kind of people. I should have explored the other pitches more to find an ideal one.

1. Someone asked if I can play "Patsy Fagan A.E." Nope.

2. Two men stopped and lingered for a bit with their fancy cameras. I actually talked to them quite a bit, and one has emailed me his photos. He came by as I was packing up with his wife, and they were super nice! The wife said, "Hope you get a good easter egg!" As if the easter bunny finds nomadic gypsies!

3. A family stopped, and I introduced Flaca, extending her out, assuming it would be the little girl who picked her up. Instead, the older brother grabbed her! He's definitely older than my male customers usually are. Nice.

4. I should mention the kazoo. I've been thinking about how to expand my act for the festival, since there will be so much competition. I've decided that in addition to rigging up Flaca's pulley-dance-system, I shall become a one-woman band. I bought a kazoo and a mini tambourine to start experimenting with on the road. Ideally, the kazoo will take melodies and the right hand of the accordion will accompany them. "House of the Rising Sun" is a perfect example, since you can do a nice flowy accompaniment on the right hand. Here's a video of my first session: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfYLKxQ-m-Q

I'm disappointed by the kazoo. It's wooden, and it cost more than the plastic or metal ones in the shop, so I thought it would be really awesome. The tone isn't great, though, and the range is small. I had such an amazing kazoo as a kid, and I've been unable to find ones equally good! This one won't do. I still played around with it on other songs, such as "Parlez-moi d'Amour," "Ob La Di," and "Ring of Fire," giving it the trumpet bits! With practice, it'll be a good addition. Regardless of it not sounded good, it certainly got me more attention! Not more tips, but more lingering eyes. That's a good sign! Just imagine when I also have the tambourine attached to my ankle!

5. I should also mention Beatles songs! Of course, I wanted to play them in Liverpool. I already play "I've Just Seen a Face," "Ob La Di," and "Let it Be." I had practiced "Hey Jude" and "Eleanor Rigby" a bit, and tried to wing "Eight Days a Week" and "From Me to You." I promised some folks on FB a video, and there is one of "Hey Jude." I just have to get it from my hostel friends!

6. Had a standard drunk guy. He came up, reeking of ether, and noticed that I was playing Adele, which I sometimes do these days. He started singing along, and came up right next to me, a bit closer than I preferred. He said that he's actually been looking for a female singer, would I want to sing with him. Nothaaaanks! I was glad that my hostel friends showed up to confuse him, and he walked off.

7. Two men came by with an accordion and a saxophone! They were friendly buskers looking for their pitch. One checked my left hand and asked if I was married. Okay.

8. The kazoo was lying upside down in the box, and a little girl with full face-paint looked in the box and asked "What is it?" I said, "It's money!" She said, "No, the wooden thing!" Hm, there's so much stuff in there, I was surprised she had noticed. Gave her a little demo.

9. Some people told me they had seen another female accordion player out by the docks. Her name is Jenny and she just started busking in Liverpool. Cool!

That's all I have written down. I thought about going to the train station early when I had to leave the next day to busk more. Figured I'd play tons of Beatles, which would be good for both people coming into the city and those leaving it. But then I didn't!

I want to busk here in London, but the weather's shaky and it seems that I'm getting sick! Standing out in the cold generally isn't a technique for re-gaining health, especially if it's threatening to rain, but we'll see. We'll busk again one of these days!

Cheers,
S^3