Re: [Harp-L] Musicians and Police

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Feb 4, 2007, at 10:15 PM, Will Vogtman wrote:

> Mr. Canterbury,
>
>   From my perspective, police officers seem to enjoy harrassing  
> musicians..

Not true

>   Intellectually, I certainly DO NOT believe that musicians are  
> particularly targetted.

Good

>   However, in the moments when I am accosted, I have the gut-level  
> reaction that I am being targetted.

You are

> What am I and my fellow musicians doing to attract such negative  
> attention?

You're making sound. Sound attracts attention

> What can we do to avoid the situation?  I assure you that I play  
> good, quality music at reasonable volume levels.

You can't avoid this situation. Here's how it works. People will  
complain or HAVE  complained over the years that although people  
should be allowed to play & hear the music THEY like, this doesn't  
mean that they have to subject others to have to listen to it. While  
your music may be quality and at low tones to you, another may see it  
differently.

A person sitting in the park may be there for a reason, and the  
reason may be peace & quiet. I know that when I go to the beach, I  
don't want a radio playing near me. I am there to enjoy the beach,  
not someone else's taste in music.

examples: I no longer go into some restaurants because (invariably)  
someone will put on the music and it will be contrary to my taste.  
Not to pick on Waffle House, but I don't want to listen to 'New'  
country when I'm trying to have a nice breakfast. Pizza Hut? usually  
some kind of rock & roll. If I had a business and there was someone  
playing in front of my place, I would want them moved for the simple  
reason that not everyone might like what is being played OR that  
anything is being played at ALL.
I would be sensitive to the environs around my establishment as it  
could affect my 'rice bowl'.

There is a family across the street. Every now and then, very loud  
trash music comes out of that place. Sometimes the garage door is  
closed but the volume makes the door into a drum and it shakes the  
very ground. I don't know about you, but I can't stand walking around  
the house and hearing that droning noise and feeling my concrete  
floors vibrate underneath my carpeting.

There is a character who skates around Venice Cal, and on top of  
dressing to specifically attract attention, he plays a guitar. He is  
too loud AND he sucks. Now the problem is that even if I go walking  
down the esplanade, he will STILL be in my ears because he SKATES.

Some places are more amicable. The Eaton Mall on Younge st. in  
downtown Toronto has musicians on all 4 corners. It seems to work  
there. It's expected. N.O.La. same deal. Key West same deal. Finding  
the right spot is a tricky slippery slope.

>   Thanks in advance for your time.  I hope we can avoid future  
> confrontation.

The key is to pick a place that will cause the least consternation.  
An abandoned storefront, or a place where foot traffic is moving and  
doesn't linger enough to cause a nuisance. Stay away from the corners  
of parks where the lunchtime business crowd is trying to eat their  
sandwich in peace. Subways are usually ok as long as you're not too  
loud and bang the sound off the tile walls. Stay away from the fronts  
of business'. Also, don't impede pedestrian traffic, or hassle  
people. Don't annoy a captive audience (see below)

We all know the scenario where the sax player strolls up and down the  
subway car squawking into peoples faces, and if they don't get an  
immediate 'contribution', they squawk LOUDER and closer.

Unfortunately, there HAVE been musicians? in the past who have been  
nuisances, and therefore the police (generally) are keyed in to this  
potential situation. There have also been fist fights and even  
stabings, and at least one shooting that I know of first hand. Cops  
are basically lazy and don't want the paperwork, so if they go to run  
you off, the best thing to do is quietly leave and set up somewhere  
else.
In 27 years of doing this sort of stuff, I have never seen a street  
musician arrested.....for the music. that is. It's usually their big  
mouth

smo-joe

>   Will Vogtman