Busking in Europe
Robert Vancko CHE UnderGrad
a busker in Europe.
Germany: While it is true that there are a lot of laws, there is hardly
a more lucrative place to perform. Of all the places I've been, I've had
the best luck there. We got kicked out of Heidelberg and were asked for a
permit in Munich (which we recieved immediately) but other than that no problems. We performed in Mannheim, Mainz, Wiesbaden, Strassbourg, Trier, Kaiserslautern, and a few other places. Wiesbaden and Trier were excellent, but there were
quite a few of the South American music groups there every time we went.
The key to Germany are the "long" shopping days: Thursday (every one), and
Saturday (the first of every month). At other times people are often too
rushed to stop and watch. Another good thing in the summer are all the
festivals. People go to have a good time and relax, so they are not in a hurry.
We performed in Luxemburg city and made lots of cash, until we were
asked for our permit. We could have gotten one, but it was a Saturday and
we were underway so waiting around until Monday didn't seem too attractive.
We also had good luck in Innsbruck, Austria until 10 p.m. when everyone has
to leave. The atmosphere and pay were both good. That's about it for last
summer, oh Prague I heard was not good because there are 200 people waiting to
perform and no one waiting to pay.
Cheers!
Rob Vancko
Paul Allen (PAC)
> Thought i would write and include some of my experience as
>a busker in Europe.
>Germany: While it is true that there are a lot of laws, there is hardly
>a more lucrative place to perform. Of all the places I've been, I've had
>the best luck there. We got kicked out of Heidelberg and were asked for a
>permit in Munich (which we recieved immediately) but other than that no
>problems. We performed in Mannheim, Mainz, Wiesbaden, Strassbourg, Trier,
strasbourg is in france. pedantic i know. but many a poor soul has been
killed in the past over disagreements about this fact.
>Kaiserslautern, and a few other places. Wiesbaden and Trier were excellent,
>but there were
>quite a few of the South American music groups there every time we went.
and everywhere else in europe too. at first i thought it was the same
band maliciously following me around europe trying to brainwash me
with their tunes. i soon realised that was simply paranoia and that
it was more likely that way back in the mists of time an evil genius
found a 9-piece south american band and cloned them many times,
sending them off to all corners of the globe to hog busking spots the
world over. then i found out that your typical band member can earn
more in one day in a western capital than he could in an entire week
in his home country. and he was a civil engineer!
>The key to Germany are the "long" shopping days: Thursday (every one), and
>Saturday (the first of every month).
thats worth knowing. the worst audiences are the ones who want to be
somewhere else. usually because very soon they are.
>At other times people are often too
>rushed to stop and watch. Another good thing in the summer are all the
>festivals. People go to have a good time and relax, so they are not in a hurry.
> We performed in Luxemburg city and made lots of cash, until we were
>asked for our permit. We could have gotten one, but it was a Saturday and
>we were underway so waiting around until Monday didn't seem too attractive.
>We also had good luck in Innsbruck, Austria until 10 p.m. when everyone has
>to leave. The atmosphere and pay were both good. That's about it for last
>summer, oh Prague I heard was not good because there are 200 people waiting to
>perform and no one waiting to pay.
thats strange because there was only one other juggling performer when
i was there for four days this summer. maybe everybody got negative
vibes from last year. and the pay wasn't too bad provided you never
want to leave prague. not a patch on germany i agree.
tourists get used to the cheap prices (unfortunately).
> Cheers!
> Rob Vancko
i've just remembered one other thing about permits. all permits that
i've had experience with have been geared towards more passive longer
performing buskers like musicians rather than short half-hour shows.
they offer you permits for between 5pm and 10pm on a specific date
rather than giving you a general carte blanche to busk whenever you
want. this is supposed to reduce over-crowding i guess, which it does
admirable well to the point of absurdity. it can't be for quality
control though because they never audition you. there were no permits
in amsterdam and it was crowded, yes but generally everything was
sorted out amicably between us on a
first-come-first-served-is-it-my-turn-oh-shit-you-go-first basis.
what is the point in permits? i suppose it gives the beaurocratic
types something to feel important about.
paul
ps i think the suggestion for a lets go busking world-wide guide to
street performing locations on moocow is excellent. the guide on
moocow that is, nothing to do with acrobatic bovine performances.
i could do it but it won't get done immediately (subtle hint for
somebody else to step in here).