...you might come across these guys....
                         
                             http://fuinfun.com/index.php?page=00143&full=1

Can you believe those white breads on the subway? How can anyone not appreciate that? Uptight, need to get....that's enough Jay, time for your meds..

rofl....agreed! Look at the guy with the dark overcoat, dark hair, with his back turned to them...attempting to act as if whatever he's reading is more interesting....poor guy has the worst case of caucasianitis I've ever seen!

Superb link, loved it! Digged it too! 
Cheers bc

These guys should be arrested!!



Man, I wish more people would have the guts to be like those fellows. I have frequently witnessed street artists in Amsterdam doing amazing a capella work like this - and I've done some it myself in my student years (but we were with 3 at our best days). Most people seem to ignore these gems of creativity, or worse - I've seen railway security asking a similar a capella group to kindly move out of the station building. Disgusting. I remember it was even closer to the end of December than it is now...

I could be caught playing guitar in the train. I've also witnessed a group of 4 classical musicians playing in the train, but most people cannot deal with any hint of color in the grey sheath of their daily lives. We're a long way from home, but as people gradually learn that loosening up is more and more becoming a requirement to progress in life, things are getting better. Yeah, I can feel it....

 Actually, in New York City, this is a common occurrence.. All along the various subways, in the park, "street" performance is everywhere...  San Fransisco, is the same way..  Everywhere you look there is someone making music.. not to mention the magicians, mimes, painters, jewelery makers, airbrush(graffiti) artists.. It is in EVERY major city here...  and there is room for everyone.. more creep up all the time..  I myself have threatened to go buskin, though have not done so yet..  many people pass them by, yes, but the few that linger, and listen, make it all worthwhile.. Here is something I found interesting about street performers and how people truly view them, as they are rushing around in their mundane existence..  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html

 The washington post arranged for Joshua Bell, arguably one of the greatest violinsits of our time, to play incognito in the le'enfant station in Washington DC..  very interesting things happened...

           I'll let you read it for yourself..

                           JimK

Well, we have street performers in Europe too, in all the big cities. That's not the point... The point is that they definately do not end up performing INSIDE trains even though they can be very good - and set an excellent atmosphere. As said, the dutch railways do not tolerate performers inside their buildings (atleast by my experience) let alone in their carts.

What I also meant to say was: you get a lot of groups of "kids" hanging around town everywhere, looking suspicious to every passer by. What if they got themselves that splendid hobby of musicianship, they could still hang out on the street, talk and chat with eachother, and make a buck in the process. Ofcourse this would require people to take an interest in street performers... And for the kids, it would require loosening up.

I enjoyed that story you posted btw. About $40 an hour seems about right - it's what I managed to make on the few occasions I played the streets.

I might be mistaken but I think this video was taken in Paris

excellent point, Pup! I believe I've seen that work before. To my understanding, just that kind of example gave rise to the "doo-wop" music of the 40's, 50's and 60's (no doubt, there are other examples of music styles that evolved from a "street-level"). Fascinating stuff! I've always been interested in this...

That was my understanding as well...

The article is from the Washington post and is about Joshua Bell playing at the L'ENFANT PLAZA STATION in Washington DC.

Cool article Jim.

I suppose it's all relative, I do think that if say Mark Knopfler were to play more people would have stopped!