I got a late start today, leaving the house around 5:00. I decided to go right to Rose St., since it's often good that time of day. I got one of my usual spots, but then it ended up being quite slow. There were some people going by, but they weren't tipping. Was it my dorky socks? After a bit, a homeless person set up across Castle Street, and I was aware that he wouldn't like my presence. Since I wasn't making money anyway, I left and headed to the Mile. I figured this wasn't the best time for money-making, but I was determined to go out anyway since I want to earn as much as I can to travel in the Fall. There was a painter on the cathedral steps, and a guy playing banjo and harmonica at the arches. He was obviously new, though, since he was directly in front of the memorial. Despite having nearly violated that many times, I found myself cringing at the disrespect of blocking a memorial.
I assessed foot traffic levels at Cockburn St. and the police box, and decided to once again set up at The Door. Might just be my new spot at this rate! It was about 6:30 at this point. I actually had a very nice evening of playing! I forget this, in the Fall and Winter, mainly, that I get good tips once the sun has gone down. People are strolling, everything is mellow, and folks like accordion wafting from somewhere. Good to remember that! So here we go:
Wednesday, 5 September, 2012:
1. I was just beginning "So Long, Marianne" when a busker walked by, a teenage boy with a guitar who I'd seen before. He obviously recognized it and smiled, and flashed me a thumbs up. I was happy, because no one ever recognizes this one. He went on to set up on a bollard near the police box.
2. A family went by with a really cute little boy. He shamelessly stopped to listen, as his family continued on. He would occasionally glance down to see where they were, but didn't budge. Big smile. He walked right up to me after a song but just stood there, so I stepped down and invited him to push a button. He hit a couple treble keys then went to investigate the bass side: good choice. He pushed every single button, in a logical order, actually, before his mother came up to collect him. The world's next accordion player? I think so.
3. Members of what appeared to be a high school trip (young men in matching red windbreaker track suits) from somewhere in Eastern Europe, I would guess, walked by as I played "The Final Countdown." A few of them whistled along. That is all, just a cool effect.
4. A young couple stopped by and commented on student loans. The guy had a jacket with a German flag, so naturally I assumed they were German and I spoke really slowly. Turns out he's from New York and she's from....the same state I'm from (HA, take that JP. Just went back and removed the details for ya). She was baffled to have run into someone from the same state, but I'm used to it by now.
5. As I was talking to them, who showed up but Scott. Super Scott. Too bad, I had thought all the circle guys had cleared out, but Scott was going to do one more show. I really didn't want to move, since the other spots I like were taken. So I waited. I left all of my stuff set up and people did continue to read and respond to my signs. A couple even tipped! The aforementioned people thought I should keep playing, loudly. Probably could have. It was just frustrating because I had finally gotten set up, and Scott was doing a show for like a handful of people. And his jokes are terrible! I wouldn't have minded so much if it was one of the pros. I got really cold just sitting and waiting though, so I decided to send Scott to get me a warm drink after, but then he just took off. Oh well.
6. One guy stopped to listen for a while, then came and asked if I'm local. Turns out it's almost his birthday and he might want to hire me to play. Cool! I swore off birthday parties after a disaster earlier this year (blog post still yet to come), but I think it would be okay for young people.
7. Oh, this was from earlier, on Rose St.: I saw a very interested hairdo! A guy with very short dark hair walked by. At first I thought he was wearing a yarmulke, then realized that the circle was just bleached hair. Weirddd! And in the middle of that was the beginning of a bald spot. Maybe the bleached circle was just a dose of hair-growth cream gone wrong? Interesting, whatever it was.
8. A young lady stopped to listen and saw the San Francisco patch on my backpack. I told her I lived there in 2011. "All of it?" she asked. Funny, that's not usually the follow-up question. "Well, a few months." It turns out she's from Sacremento, and she's just beginning a semester abroad at Oxford. Lucky duck! Made me feel oooooold.
9. An American couple took some pictures, and they were about to go on their way when the woman decided to ask me for directions (for that, not the photos, they tipped). I provided directions, since I'm totally a local now, but in doing so demonstrated my accent. They asked what I'm doing here, and I gave them the standard answer, and the woman showered me with encouragement and praise for doing what I'm doing. It's so important when strangers remind me of this! Thank you, lady!
10. Three things happened at once. First, at night I try to play only slow, mellow songs, and there are some I bring out only for such occasions. One is "Lies" from the movie "Once." I began to play it when a couple stopped to listen. Now, I hadn't played this song in a long time, so I really had to focus on it. Also, the couple was so cute, clearly on a nice romantic date, just snuggling up and listening to some accordion. I didn't want to mess up their date by sucking, so I had to focus even more on playing well. However, while all of this was going on, a police car came up this [pedestrian] part of the road and stopped right across from me. Two officers came out and went swiftly to the three [red] telephone boxes. At first I thought they were just hiding behind them before jumping out to surprise the bad guys, but they seemed to just be checking them. Was there a bomb? No, nothing. After just a minute they walked back to the car, laughing. So of course I had to watch that whole thing while also trying to romantically execute a song I hadn't done for a while! Worked for that tip!
11. Lastly, I played "La Vie en Rose." I was about to play one more song before packing up, but I heard someone continuing to whistle that famous melody. Yesss. That's what I call a successful performance.
I packed up at nine, totally freezing, and headed homeward. I daresay I can get away with bumming around the house all day (or, really, being a good tourist and getting out there) and still get a good busk in, if these hours stay good. Soon I'll have money saved up to travel!
P.S. One last thing: the Royal Mint issued a special line of 2012 London Olympics/Paralympics 50p coins. They were designed by the public and selected in a contest, and they've been in circulation since the end of 2010. Naturally, buskers see quite a few of them. I have eight so far (six different designs) out of thirty. Damn. I'll see how many I can get; it's fun to go through my change after and see if I got new ones! But it makes my heart sink when I think I have a new one but it's just a boring libraries, firefighters, or girl scouts coin. Lame. But tonight I got Aquatics!
P.P.S. I was cold. My head was cold (it gets cold with short hair!). But I look bad in hats. What should I do? I had a great idea: piano hat! I could ask one of my knitter friends to do it on commission, or I could try to dust off the ol' needles and make one myself. Exciting!
The end!
No comments:
Post a Comment