Don't Panic--It's Organic!

Today was an absolutely wonderful Sunday afternoon of busking at the Stockbridge Farmers' Market.  Some buskers book this market ahead of time, and a few times while I was away the woman in charge, Beth, called to see if I was free since no one had booked.  I called her a few days ago to tell her I'm back in town, and this Sunday was open!  I played here once before, in February, and it was amazing then.  I just hadn't gotten around to going back since, mainly because I was doing marathon Saturdays that left me totally exhausted. 

Despite this good fortune in scheduling, I almost didn't go today.  I wasn't feeling great and it was kind of cold and windy, but I remembered that I just spent all my savings on this trip so I can't turn down any opportunity to make some money.  So glad I did!  As I walked the mile and a half North to Stockbridge, the sun became progressively more out.  The market was bustling with loaded customers, dogs, and babies in strollers.  I set up where I had last time: next to "The French Connection" crepe truck, near the little tent with tables and chairs.  I was right in the sun, and soon rearranged my sweaters (jumpers) to remove number three, later number two, and finally number one, exposing my full piano dress.  Sun felt so nice!  It's generally such a nice scene, with lots of tasty things for sale (including the firewood and homemade clothing booths--mmm!).  Every once in a while the Chocolate Tree guy would ring his bell and yell, "Hot chocolate!  It's definitely hot and its definitely chocolate!  And don't panic, it's organic!"  One cheese vendor strolled over to listen a few times.  The woman closest to me, selling home goods, clapped after almost every song.  It really boosted my morale having support like this!  In general, I got a lot of smiles, a lot of people lingering to listen, and a lot of compliments.  Really felt so good, since I'm so sick of busking!!

I was really focusing on playing well, since the market is quite concentrated and the poor vendors wouldn't be able to get a break from my  music.  I skipped songs that I'd be likely to mess up, for the first run-through at least.  Going to launch right in, there's a lot to say today!

Sunday, 3 June, 2012:
1. My first tipper dropped a pound and declared, "The sign got me.  I have student loans too!"  Yeahh!

2. Not a lot of kids lingered.  Some watched from afar, and one little boy refused to come any closer when his parents gave him coins to give me.  He shook his head with a look of terror on his face, and eventually just bolted off in the opposite direction.  Well, you win some you lose some.  There was a braver little six-year-old girl named Sophie!  She was just the best.  She announced that she had just learned to ride a two-wheeler in one day, which her father confirmed.  I showed her Flaca first, and said I had gotten her in Mexico.  Sophie told me that she had been to Mexico and the Dominican Republic when she was younger.  I demonstrated Flaca and told her how the cymbals don't line up anymore.  "You should get a new set of cymbals," she suggested.  She gave F a dance, and since she was so cute and interested in the whole act, I asked what else she wanted to try out.  Went for the accordion itself, good choice.  I kept it on but let her push all the buttons, and she actually did a surprisingly good job choosing buttons that went well together.  After that she asked for the kazoo, but it's super spitty so I denied that but handed her the new red maracas instead.  We went for a simple song, The Wheels on the Bus, and she was perfectly in rhythm!  Young Sophie explained that she had used maracas in school.  Let's hear it for music in schools!  When they left (to go home and have lunch), Sophie announced that she wished she had a piano at home, because she would probably learn to play it in one day.  Couldn't agree more.  Great kid!

3. Speaking of Flaca, when I was packing up an older woman noticed her.  Something told me to ask if she was a master puppeteer, and she responded, "Well I used to be!"  I handed her over, but the lady didn't make her do a perfectly choreographed tap-dance or anything. 

4. I used the kazoo only on Kaiho songs, House of the Rising Sun, Ring of Fire, and Chim Chim Cheree, but had some more ideas of how to use it (bassline of Eleanor Neary's, melody of "I Want You Back" so right hand can do high chords, What is Love?, etc.).  The new kazoo's already sounding bad!  I think I need to put something through it to dry it out before I pack it up.  I've been leaving loads of spit so maybe it's affected by that. 

5. My current set list is about an hour long, and I didn't want the vendors to have to suffer through more than two hours.  I wasn't particularly in a hurry though, so for my second run-through I did almost all of the songs I have listed.  Usually I skip a bunch of them!  There were some that I have skipped for too long that I now forget, but others were still ready to go.  These got good responses!  Beth, the lady in charge, gave me an appreciative yelp after "La Donna E Mobile," one of the crêpe makers did the same after "Funiculi Funicula, a shopper asked for song identification after "What is Love?", and I caught a woman's lips moving along with "Ob La Di."  I don't really have good reasons for skipping these songs; I'll have to reconsider!

6.  A man asked if I know "Ace of Spades."  His wife's request.  Nope!

7.  Might as well bring out the gold (I want to go to bed so I'm going to just copy/paste this one from Facebook):  I came the closest I ever have to crying while busking this afternoon.  A vendor wearing a theme-appropriate apron covered in fishes came over and dumped a huge pile of coins into my box. She saw my quizzical expression and explained that they were donations from vendors (actually "traders"); she had gone around and taken a collection of tips for me. I was so touched; I always assumed I was driving most of them nuts. Totally made my week. ♥ (And I was playing the Love Theme from Twin Peaks when it happened, which made it extra emotional.)  This warmed my heart so much!  Sealed the deal that I want to play there always and forever!!


8. I started seriously trying to use both my feet at once in some songs, which means two tambourines, two maracas, and a string of bells.  Most of the time it was chaotic and made me fall over, but it worked really well on "Call Me."  I'll try to take a video rather than explain this one!


I forgot to bring my notebook so I don't have notes, so this is all I've got for now.  After I packed up I walked around and talked to a few people, mainly the Chocolate Tree guy because I wanted to worm some free hot chocolate out of him (totally worked).  I apologized that he was in the line of fire, and he said it was fine but confessed the the kazoo was too much at times.  Good to know.  I can see that; maybe I won't be in a rush to add it to all songs after all.  It's main purpose is to show off my multitasking abilities!  I took a little walk through Stockbridge, being careful to not spill hot chocolate on my piano dress, and when I came back there was another accordion player set up at the entrance.  Poor traders who thought they were getting a break!  If I had stayed just a little longer he would have seen me and had to move on!  I mean.....good thing he came when he did so he got a spot!  (Maybe one day I'll learn to not be super competitive and jealous when it comes to other accordion players.) 

I left the market truly satisfied by my act, and feeling once again that it's worth it to be over here spending all my savings to have the experience of busking here.  I've been a little nervous about continuing this for another three months, and yesterday's disappointing day didn't help, so a session like this was invaluable.  Big props to Beth at the market and all the amazing families and vendors!  Hopefully see you soon. xx