OK, I’m broke. It occurs to me that I can take the
commuter train from Providence to Boston
and busk on the street. Probably fatter pickings
there than in Providence, and I qualify for the
senior fare.
Anybody have any advice about where to go?
How it’s done? Anybody tried the subways?
Anything about how it works would be welcome.
Thanks.
Hi Jim–no experience busking here, but you will probably need a permit to perform on the street in Boston (Cambridge, too). Here’s an article from the Boston Phoenix pointing out some problems of being a street musician.
http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/top/features/documents/04097841.asp
You might want to poke around the city of Boston web-site to see what the requirements are.
Good luck.
Please come to Boston for the springtime
I’m staying here with some friends
And they’ve got lots of room
You can sell your paintings on the sidewalk
By a café here I hope to be working soon
Please come to Boston
She said no, boy, you come home to me
She said, Hey ramblin’ boy, why don’t you settle down
Boston ain’t your kinda town
There ain’t no gold and there ain’t nobody like me
I’m the number one fan of the man from Tennessee
(and if that doesn’t curl your toes for pure cheese I don’t know what will)
djm
Thanks for this (also thanks djm for the moving song).
I’ve talked to Providence street musicians who
work sometimes in Boston; they say the
police leave them alone.
Also I’ve played once in Cambridge this year;
the police left me alone (I was stopped by
hypothermia). So I’m still game, if anybody
has info I’d like to know.
This skirmishing tween police and musicians is
a drag. In providence I was told I couldn’t
play on Thayer Street by a cop, who insisted
that there are no street musician licenses in
Providence. Finally I went to City Hall and inquired–there
are licenses, I’ve applied, they’re free but I
have to have an interview on Weds.
Just when I started respecting police again.
Man, you really cannot trust these people.
Some friends of mine retired from the street
in New Orleans, just sick of hassles with police.
They’re traveling about doing gigs.
Well I’m not that good, and I can’t work alone,
just playing flute, anyway.
So, once again, any info is welcome. If the
cops in Boston tell me to leave, I will.
There’s recently been a big turn over of the busking rules in Boston. Even Fanny Hall is open to buskers now. Yes, I know what everyone is saying. . . Fanny Hall always had buskers. No, they didn’t, they hired street performers to play there and “permitted” them to collect tips. You had to go through a serious audition process and woe be unto thee if you tried busking there without approval. That has recently been declared unconstituional, the sidewalks and streets being public space.
Really it’s a good news/bad news thing. . . the good news, you can busk virtually anywhere in Boston. . . the bad news, so can everyone else. According to some busking magician friends up there, it’s hard to spit without hitting someone passing a hat these days. There are still a few good spots around if you know where to go or who to ask.
Mark
Yes, there are good spots, but they tend to be populated with either A) VERY good players, or B)VERY loud players using amplification. Either way, it’s likely to be tough going for Jim (no offense.) I’ve seen some pretty good players in crowded Copley square making next to nothing, and some very loud players at various underground T terminals not doing much better, but sure no one would even hear a flute when some guy is playing his guitar or keyboard through an amp down there.
There was a guy playing a Didge at Park st. station last week as I passed through. Didn’t have a dime in his hat. I have no way of knowing how long he’d been there, and he WAS playing a Didge, but I thought it sounded cool…
What the hey Jim, give it a try on a weekend and see what happens. Just make sure you buy a round trip ticket, just in case…
Loren
P.S. I believe there’s a Sunday afternoon session at the Burren in Somerville, if you happen to come in on a Sunday.