A Street Performer doesn't stop an 'audience',
they create them.

When most speak of "street performing",... or "busking";
what they're mistakenly confusing 'it' with, is,...'out-door performance'.
(Commonly, the term "Magic" and "Magician" is also being confused,
with 'animation' and 'Anamator'.)

All respectible venues,...professions,..and Crafts.

Street Performing, however, in my opinion,
has to do with creating a spot,..
a 'stage',..where previously none was,...or expected.

When folks head out to Pier 39,..walk thru Jackson Square,
...stroll 'the Mall', in Boulder,...the Ramblas, in Barcelona,
...Covent Garden, London,..the Pompidou, Paris,...
they're NOT hoping to catch some fish,
look at the flowers,
shop for wine,
go to the Opera,
...or museum(!).
They're out to catch a Show.
Some of the best Shows in the world!
Shows that are honed for these audiences.
Techniques, past thru the years,...for this situation.
Etiquettes known and practised,..by 'the Lookers', as well as 'the Givers'.

An honourable form of theater.
A definate skill and 'school' of discipline.

The fallacy many have, however, is:
'These techniques, skills,....'expectations!'
are the same,...on 'open Streets'.'
Ouuch!..!

Gaddy mentioned, in an earlier Thread:
"If you own the space that you are in, then if somebody else walks into your space, you own them by extension as well."
This is very true!
However, we must,..on 'open Streets',
first,...create this 'space'. This spot. ..this 'Stage'.
A 'space' where NOTHING is expected!...!!!

We don't "stop an Audience."
We create 'a space',...
then "Lure with Spectacle!"
(Jimmy Talksalot gave his greatest piece of wisdom(!),
...away FOR FREE(!..!),
...in the book title!)

No,..it doesn't always work.

The second 'great Wisdom', of the Streets, is:
"There are times, more often, then in other Theater forms,
that things DON'T work."
(Paddy, an experienced Street Performer, from this site, put it quite 'openly':
"On the Streets, the first thing you learn is: you're going to suck.
Once you learn how to handle this,..things get better!")

. . . . .. . . .. . . . . *. . .. . . .. . ... . ... . . .. . .. .. .. . .. .

Where can one learn Techniques, Skills,..'philosophies';
applying to the Streets?

That's a good question!

There are a lot of really great DvDs, Books,...pamphelets,..weekend courses,..
youtube tutorials,...
most dealing with,... 'Outdoor Entertainment/Entertainers'. : (
...that,..'other guy'.

There's very little on Street Performing.

I really don't know.

Jimmy Talksalot's book,..and writings, and observations
are really inspiring,...
well written,..
and 'dead-on'.
However,...he doesn't seem to practise them,...(?).
New Orleans,..French Quarter. San Diego tourist parks,..
all great Stages(!),..
but,..
why not Baton Rouge?
why not,...Toledo?
why not,....Pottsville?
So,...I'm not really sure about guy.
A bit of Karl May, I find,..
(...and I love Karl May!)

. . . . . . : . . .. . .. .. .. .. . .. ..

To learn, I believe, EVERYONE here(!) has the brains...
,..maybe,..not 'the need' (?).
,..or 'nerves'?..?

Danny Hustle started, when he was down to his last 5 bucks!
...the 'need' was,...present.
He thought about it,..analysed,..
then went down to the parking lot of the local Liquir store.
Space,..folks,...created a 'stage',..
earned enough to buy Fried Chicken(!), for his kids that night! : )
(His Show became better, and bigger,..and more 'established'!
Now he's playing 'bigger Stages'.)

Analyze the problems,...solve them.
...from YOUR prespective.
You can do it.
You can be good, at it(!).
...of course,.."You'll suck,..every now and then." (thanks Paddy)
gallagher

p.s.: Pre-reading this, to 'coffee-maker extraordenar', she scoffed. : (
"Drink a coffee before you write!
Don't post it.
WHY should anyone want to be,..a 'Street Performer'?..!!?"

That's a good question.
Obviously,...SHE'D already drank a coffee!

Wow. This was awesome. I wonder what I said that inspired it.

But I'll say this, and maybe it's a little sad.

We're not all gallaghar, we're not all mindpro, we're not all Gazzo.

Some of us are not "analytical," we can't look at what we've done and tweak it without a LOT of attempts.

Some of us are never going to travel Europe with our families, traveling different cities, performing cold.

Some of us are lucky if we can generate the energy to get to the "hang out" area and perform in front of the pizza parlor.

Sorry if I'm being a wet blanket.

Yeah Ed, you're right,
that was "a little sad." : (

My point IS:
We,..have the possiblity(!),..to 'make the moment'.
Where, What, and When,...doesn't matter.

My Theory of Street Performing is:
We hold a 'magic', to make the 'boring ordinary'
something 'special',
for the 'boring ordinary'.
AND(!), in doing THIS,
our Lifes become,...'special'.

At least,
this is what I attempt.

The places,
the people,
the 'Shows',
...the experiences,
become special.
'Truely'(!) special,..
not hyped b.s.

Try it.
Taste it.
....lick the blood.

THEN,..magnify it(!),
by sharing your experience,..
not as a gloat, bluster, or boast;
but as an experience,..
that blew you away, as well.

Tell your Stories(!),
to US(!),..
to folks who can....'relate'.

You'll be surprised.
.....how many there are!
(Especially TODAY! In a world of 'feke'!)

I,.. WE(!) love hearing the stories of
knolls conquered by,..'the common',..
and the view he saw!

Others, as well.

We can relate.
We can be inspired,...motivated,..
soothed from our own climbs.

'Lucky'?
...not sure about that.
I feel it to be more like...'Hungry'.

The next time I meet an accordian player,
on the Streets;
and he crys to me:
"Oh,..I wish I was in 'the States' playing!"
....i'll give him YOUR address!..!!

I wish you well.
And I HOPE to hear some stories!
gallagher

p.s.: Mentioning 'Hunger',...
there's a pretty good book,...
and IT IS WINTER(!), in P-town(!..!),...sö....

Knut Hamsun,...'Hunger'.
It's a slooooow read,.
he wrote,
like a 5 Star Chef(!),... lots of spice and slow broil,..
But,...you'll like it(!).
He writes of someone,...
with,..
THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE THOUGHTS(!)
then you!

You'll like it.

Gallagher, another wonderful, thought inspiring post.

Ed, gathering up the energy to hang out and perform in front to a pizza place is more than 90% or magicians will do…. It’s incredible difficult to stand on a sidewalk and perform. Most will never perform on the street.

Take pride in it. And use it to grow…you have more potential that you realize.

Thank you. I will. But I will realize that I'm not going to see Europe as a busker. He'll, I'm not even going to see the US as a busker! But I'm going to do the best that I can.

We can do no better than our best. We can sleep well knowing this.

Thank you for sharing this