Busking

geeza

geeza

geeza

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As some of you may or may not know i enjoy spinning poi and have done for about a year and a half now. I came upon this in another thread

'doing it in public i've had mixed opinions.... people come up and insult me occasionally thinking i'm a circus freak...however i was waiting for a friend for an hour in birmingham new street train station so i got my white socks out and started messing about... i turn around and there was like 2 quid on my bag.... so i left it there in a more open position, and i earnt about 6 or so quid in an hour just by playing'

If I started spinning in the middle of briggate street in Leeds (busy) I would probably make more money than i do working at the crappy call centre im at now, and it would be a lot more enjoyable! maybe ask if people want a quick lesson and some information for a quid or something aswell. (hand out some www.homeofpoi.com cards or whatever)

What are your views and takes on busking? Seems like quite a good idea if i dont get moved along by police. However I dont see why I should when theres quite a few people singling, playing violin etc in Leeds and many other cities
 
geeza said:
....

What are your views and takes on busking? Seems like quite a good idea if i dont get moved along by police. However I dont see why I should when theres quite a few people singling, playing violin etc in Leeds and many other cities
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I don't mind good quality busking/performing but take note some places require you to have a permit, (I haven't done it but some people I knew at six form used to), .... if you do need a permit and haven't got one then you may well get moved on whilst others are allowed to continue.
 
geeza said:
As some of you may or may not know i enjoy spinning poi and have done for about a year and a half now. I came upon this in another thread

'doing it in public i've had mixed opinions.... people come up and insult me occasionally thinking i'm a circus freak...however i was waiting for a friend for an hour in birmingham new street train station so i got my white socks out and started messing about... i turn around and there was like 2 quid on my bag.... so i left it there in a more open position, and i earnt about 6 or so quid in an hour just by playing'

If I started spinning in the middle of briggate street in Leeds (busy) I would probably make more money than i do working at the crappy call centre im at now, and it would be a lot more enjoyable! maybe ask if people want a quick lesson and some information for a quid or something aswell. (hand out some www.homeofpoi.com cards or whatever)

What are your views and takes on busking? Seems like quite a good idea if i dont get moved along by police. However I dont see why I should when theres quite a few people singling, playing violin etc in Leeds and many other cities
Click to expand...

I like the sort of entertaining busking that warrants me thinking you deserve money, or just to be able to take up a space somewhere. Sounds like you fall right into this category.

I don't like the sort of busking that is a homeless guy and a dog playing a little recorder, blocking up a walkway, and is more an excuse for begging than busking.
 
I know someone who busks with a guitar..

Dresses scruffy to make himself look 'hard done by' and rakes it in! :eek:
 
I think the key to it my brother discovered was moving around day after day, people will give you more money of they havent seen said performer in ages, or if theyre doing something different.
 
I occasionally spin for hours on end anyway, just for the fun of it at home. Would be quite interesting to see people reactions, a lot of people have asked me whats that or why do you do that. I could see some people quite enjoying it and wanting a go whilst others shout abuse.

Theres places in town like antigravity that sells products aswell so could point them in that direction and maybe get something out of antigravity or use their products for demonstration

Saw a guy in birmingham on saturday using devil sticks, which i always find facinating.
 
memyselfandi said:
I don't mind good quality busking/performing but take note some places require you to have a permit, (I haven't done it but some people I knew at six form used to), .... if you do need a permit and haven't got one then you may well get moved on whilst others are allowed to continue.
Click to expand...

I dont really see why you would need a permit, your free to do things in parks etc so why not on the street? Its not like id actually be asking for money, like the guy said in the other forum, he was just playing around and someone threw money at him.

Does this then mean that if you walk along with some funny clothes on or a hat or whatever and someone throws money at you then the police will come over and tell you to geta permit?
 
i say go for it. Poi are awesome and if you crack out the fire poi you're bound to get a crowd going:p


kinda like your situation, i remember when me and my brother were in copenhagen a while back and we were bored so started playing around with my hackysack and we got a proper crowd going it was brilliant, if not a bit confusing lol
 
geeza said:
Does this then mean that if you walk along with some funny clothes on or a hat or whatever and someone throws money at you then the police will come over and tell you to geta permit?
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No, it means if you're busking (I assume in one spot), that you may need a permit. In the same way as a market stall.
 
I rather like poi, however I tried to put on fire poi with my hand not realising there was hot screws holding the clothy type thing together.

I'm all for busking, the only type i've done is musical. We set up a stage on a massive flatbed truck and played until we got moved on.
In one day we made about £270 and made the local newspaper, we considered finding a journalist of a proper newspaper and parking up outside their house or a radio station or something but never got round to it.

Also done the solo acoustic thing, which gave me enough for a few litres of strongbow.
 
love poi, was in thailand and some of the thai lads were extremely good at it. was mesmerized by it for an entire night and got loads of pics of them. was tempted to get a set myself, but had no money at the end of my trip.
 
Never seen spinning poi, but enjoyed wandereing through our busking festival a few monhs back, was nice to make a day of it...why not do it with poi, kinda sick of hearing people singing oasis songs to be honest anyway
 
mrmoose said:
was tempted to get a set myself, but had no money at the end of my trip.
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2 old socks and a couple handfulls of mud or 2 round objects. sorted

Might go into town one afternoon next week or next saturday and give it a try. Should be interesting if anything as to the reactions i get from people
 
Nik Turner out of Hawkwind was a busker in the 60's. He still does it now (apparently) and makes more money doing that than what he ever did with the band.
 
There is a guy outside where i work how sells the big issue and around 5pm every day he comes into our shop and gets his money changed and there is always around £80 in £1's and £2's.I was pretty shocked when he first came in and seen how much he was making a day.
 
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