Another good day! It was gorgeous out this morning, but strangely enough I got first pick of spots yet again. Awesome. It was another strange weather day where I circulated between sunscreen, umbrella, and extra jumpers, but I only had to leap into action to waterproof once. Not a ton happened, so this will be a nice quick post!
Sunday, 1 July 2012
1. It was Canada Day! I had learned to play "O Canada," with the help of my Canadian cousins, at my family reunion a couple years ago. I didn't know it would make me money one day! It was funny, I was on the lookout for Canadians, a first for me. I scanned crowds for Blue Jays hats or Canucks jerseys. I got excited at every glimpse of red. A couple of young women were coming towards me with makeup and stuff, so I registered them as a hen party. But then I looked closer and saw that they were totally decked out for the holiday! Awesome. I quit whatever song I was playing to play their anthem, which took them a few measures to recognize. But then they were super into it, and sang along! This prompted other incognito Canadians to join the festivity, briefly. Later, I wasn't watching (probably eating broccoli then) and when I looked up I saw two backs donning red "Canada" windbreakers. Missed chance! But when I decided to quit I played the song once more, just in case, and sure enough a man with a Canucks shirt and woman with Maple Leaf hat came by. "You don't sound Scottish..." they told me. Ha, I was expecting them to assume I was Canadian.
2. I realized I also could have prepared songs for the football final tonight, Spain v. Italy. Of course I know a bunch of Italian songs, but I support Spain! Mainly I just wish I had red and yellow face paint.
3. I was playing "La Vie en Rose" and a lady came next to me and started saying something. I stopped so I could hear her, but realized she was singing along in French. Awesome! But of course I had lost my place and couldn't get it back. High potential, too bad!
4. I play "Losing My Religion," but for whatever reason I usually skip over it. I decided to stop skipping over it. It's a popular song, it's mostly minor so it goes well on accordion, and it's one of my stronger arrangements. I think the problem was just that only one person had ever acknowledged recognizing it. But today someone across the street was really feeling it, so I think he must be a fan of the song. In it stays!
5. Oh, here's a note on musical development. Accordions come with a special button that you access with your left thumb to move air through the bellows without having to play a note. I use it for closing the accordion when I'm taking a break, but that's about it. I know pros use it mid-song. Well guess what? I started using it mid-song! Yesterday, actually. The intro to "Chariots of Fire" has long notes where I want to use as much bellows as possible, but I can never use the same amount of air going in as I can going out. So, to get the accordion closed so I can have the whole bellows to use for the exhale, I implemented this valve! I'm sure this makes no sense, but it makes me feel extra cool.
6. I brought along my shakers today so I could pass them to kids who were especially motivated to participate. Just left them lying in the box. One little boy just helped himself and started shaking along. I loved that! But his mother scolded him. No, that's what they're there for!
7. A really cute family stopped. All of them cute, not just the toddler with curly red hair. I passed him Flaca and he worked his magic, then I passed him a shaker and he lit up. Gave it a few shakes, then gave it back, so I stuck them in my shoes for a demo. He had his pacifier connected to his shirt via a chain of colorful wooden beads. Reminded me of my youth!
8. Another really adorable girl with pigtails, who only gets a mention because she looks uncannily like Catie who I babysit at home! She was good with Flaca, sympathetic that she was tangled and weary from the toddler treatment the previous day.
9. Okay, time for the fun one, I got my best tip yet here! A man stopped and presented something...a bottle. Was he offering me a sip of his Irn Bru? Nope, he was giving me a whole bottle of Scotch. Wow! I guess it had to happen sometime. In San Francisco I got weed, in Germany I got beer, so there we have it. We confirmed that it's sealed, so it hasn't been roofied or something.
10. In general, Flaca got a lot of attention. People were reading HER sign for the first time, generally asking about her and commenting on her. Tom and I talked about what I can do with her. I'd like to get her up dancing, but I might get jealous if the act turns into Flaca dancing and people don't pay attention to my accordion. Tom proposed I work with that, ignore her and talk to the people saying such things as, "She always does this! Interrupts my songs and steals my audience." It could actually be quite entertaining! Going to think about this more. Remind her that she has to be 50 metres away from other buskers.
11. One last thing, sort of analytic. I was talking to one pedestrian and I was very much aware of the levels: I was on the raised platform, about 10 inches off the ground, while this person was on the sidewalk. Did that make me superior? Should I have stepped down to talk? Be on the people's level? Then, later on, I realized that this situation was in reverse while I was talking to Dieter. We had been talking for a while and most likely we began with me raised, then both on the platform, and I stepped down, but I hadn't noticed these changes happen. This was so cool, metaphorically, because Dieter is a total pro busker and musician. He gives me so many ideas, stories, and bits of wisdom that help my act. Naturally he should be on the "pedestal" and I should be with the commoners on street level. I'm not worthy! Anyway, I found that interesting.
That's all! Wow! Really quick post! Time to go watch Spain v. Italy with my Spanish and Italian roommates.
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