[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 30, Issue 87

[Aalprice@xxxxxxx]

Hi.
 
Busking in Europe can be a case of hit and miss.   I spent six  monthes 
traveling around France,Spain and Italy and had varying degrees of  suckses...see 
what i did there?  
 
Going down the west coast of France was good...good reactions on the whole  
from the folk and no hassle from the coppers.  Reached Biaritz and got  
approached by a very friendly cop who told us we needed a license to play on the  
street which we could get from the maire (the local mayors offices/council  
office).  After we got that we where then sent to another place about a  mile from 
the maire and had to basically audition for two guys in a room.   These dudes 
where the buskers quality control.   If your chops weren't  up to it they had 
the right to stop you playing.   As for the money  aspect in Biaritz it was 
cool to put down a guitar case for money....no  sweat.
 
Then on into Spain.   What a revelation...the Spanish are the  most welcoming 
of folk.  2am in central plaza in Salamanca we where  surrounded by at least 
40 people going nuts singing ,dancing and loving every  thing we did.   They 
gave us everything from money,cigarettes,beer and  oddly wee cones of toasted 
chesnuts...and very nice they were to.    And i have to say that that was the 
reaction we got the whole way  down to  Granada in the south where we even got 
4 gigs in a very small bar when the owner  heard us play in the street.   No 
cash for that though,but all the  cerveca and tapas you could 
handle....admittedly they had to blow the dust  of the BIG beer glasses as we introduced them 
to the drinking habits of three  thirsty Scottish lads.
 
Then Italy....mmmmm!!!  We had a knife pulled on us by two  eejits/beggars in 
Rome and in Seinna a big ,and i mean BIG copper threatened to  remove my 
lungs with the business end of his truntion for playing a not to  bad...as i 
thought rendition of Take Five.   I don't  actually speak very much Italian,but i 
kinda got the jist of his gesticulations  and big red angry face.  Anyhoo...we 
did have a blast in Italy and met  loads of really nice people some of whom 
i'm still in contact with.
 
The upshot of all this means that as busking goes,just get out there and do  
it.  Music is truelly an international language and the whole  experience 
taught me that people from all over are basically good of heart and  there is very 
little difference in us....fully restored my faith in the human  spirit at a 
weird juncture in my life.
 
I could ramble on,but my pointing finger is getting sore typing.
 
        Regards to  all.,Al.      _www.littlealprice.com_ 
(http://www.littlealprice.com)