What the F*ck is Busking!?
Nothing to do with corn husking or bucking broncos (unless you incorporate them in your act), busking is a great way to get money for some beer and grub by doing ridiculous things in public.
Ever see those street artists with an open guitar case? They’re buskers. A mime doing a whole lot of nothing to bizarre music on a train platform? Busker. Busking is all about hanging out in a busy area, playing tunes, performing an act or doing just about anything you can imagine someone would want to see. If you feel like stuffing a pillow in your pants and singing “Baby Got Back” (poorly) you could put a hat out and potentially get some money.
What type of busker are you?
Singers and Musicians
These buskers pick up anything from a beer bottle to a cello and jam memorable tunes like “Billie Jean.” Some of these guys are so good, their audience wonders why they’re on the street and not in the symphony. But fear not; you don’t have to be radio-quality. Busker music ranges wildly and can sound like Freddie Krueger playing a chalkboard.
Mimes
Ok guy, where is the wall? Rope, what rope? Yeah, these annoyingly entertaining black and white wonders are also in the busker category.
Magicians and Storytellers
Does the crystal ball predict that you’ll get lucky tonight? Can you conjure up a bunny (or other furry rodent) with a flip of your hat? Do you have the ability to tell a cool story that will entertain? If so, this is a rather easy way to busk.
Any “Interesting Talents?”
If you can paint yourself silver and stand still all day, you can be a living statue. If you can juggle, hula hoop, or jump rope impressively, you can make money doing stuff that kids do at recess. If you can swallow your whole arm or—even better—a snake that then crawls out of your nose…well, you fit the freak category and people will pay to see it.
While busking should be fun, know that there are people out there who take it pretty seriously. Pro buskers roam all around Europe. These performers dress up in very fancy getups, perform amazing feats and truly earn their money using props.
Where You Can Try It…
If you don’t want to get your ass kicked and your cash stolen, pick your busking location wisely:
Alexanderplatz, Berlin Germany: Busk for beer and brats
The Berlin Lacht International Street Festival, held three times each year, draws in buskers from all over. Renowned for its buskers, expect the competition to be fierce. Bring your A game.
Montmartre in Paris, France: Be a contortionist for croissants
Unless you are a pro, this is one place not worth setting up the guitar case. It is the artistic center of Paris and has some of the most talented performers and mimes in the world. Then again, if you are incredibly good at silently convincing people you’re in a box, we’re not going to stop you.
Anywhere in Barcelona, Spain: Sing a catchy song for a Catalan
Barcelona is a really popular place with great weather and a lot of cash-laden tourists. When the weather is nice, people get generous with their coins. This creates a good amount of competition, but again, if your act is good, you won’t have a problem. Get ballsy and head to Las Ramblas, a pedestrian mall with some of the best living statues around.
Don’t worry if you’re feeling nervous your first time (we all are). While busking is legal in most countries, according to Busker Central (“elevating the public consciousness” about authentic busking since 2005), it’s illegal in many places in the U.S. Basically, if you see other people busking, chances are you’re good to go.
It doesn’t take much raw talent to busk. To busk like a pro, you need some mad skills. Taking it to the streets because you want to act like a zombie, light your farts or play a trumpet through your nose might earn you enough to pay for a train ticket when you get your ass run out of town.
Adam is an avid adventure traveller. He prefers motorcycles, but would ride a Llama if necessary. His passion is photography and writing. Never really knowing what each day brings, he never makes plans or wears a watch. Follow him on his website; No Map Nomads, Facebook, or Twitter
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so thats how you get free beer on beach, you and a guitar or some poor shos
Very interesting!!
Nice info! Paul McCartney once tried busking and got about 15 pounds=)
Here’s wishing everbody a happy, health and prosperous new year!!!
Check out the Buskers Festival in Ferrara Italy in August.
Dude.. seriously.. you shouldnt put info like that acting like you know everything about busking when in fact you dont. Not that i care but going around pretending you can busk in Las Ramblas, Barcelona is absolutely ridiculous and might actually get some beginner buskers in trouble.. the cops wont let you unless you have a permit which takes like 3 years to get.. and you might end up in the police station for doing a perfectly respectable act.. i know because it happened to me. So to everyone out there thinking Barcelona is busking heaven because you see some statues and this guy says so.. its not.. you have to be very conscious of cops and basically do renegade busking.. which will not be your best experience if youre just starting.