Busking in Europe/Asia - Repertoire suggestions?

[The Cack]

Hey,

So, I'm plotting this Across the World busking tour.
My band has plenty of original material, but I'm curious as to those who've done it:

--What worked?
--Did foreign material work better?

I'll ask some more later, but this hangover is killing me...

 

[Sam and Laura]

Late response.
I've been playing trad music from the British Isles, Irish, Scottish and the like.
Seems to go down well there, average 20euro an hour...
Then again it might be pity, and Laura playing the maraca next to me

 

[The Cack]

Late response.
I've been playing trad music from the British Isles, Irish, Scottish and the like.
Seems to go down well there, average 20euro an hour...
Then again it might be pity, and Laura playing the maraca next to me

Yeah, you never know with some people's responses. Pity becomes impressed becomes "uh, I got a buck and you should get a beer".

What instruments are you guys playing? I'm thinking banjo and guitar for the road, as the banjo works for trad Irish stuff (tenor) and the "exoticism" of bluegrass...

 

[keg]

in Japan begging for money is same words as robbing people,so be careful.its all in your tone.

 

[The Cack]

in Japan begging for money is same words as robbing people,so be careful.its all in your tone.

Duly noted!

 

[Sam and Laura]

We're playing a mandola which (in case you don't know), is like an alto mandolin, the half way point between a mandolin and a bouziki. Laura rocks a trumpet, but we coulld not get our hands on one, so she has to make do with her maraca.
In france, seems like I get my 2 hour bonus when someone comes and sticks a 20 euro note in my hand.
But, a word of caution, do NOT busk in Marseille...beautiful city, shit busk.

 

[The Cack]

Just to resurrect this thread, but....

WE BOUGHT TICKETS TO EUROPE!

If anyone's got any suggestions for playing abroad, that'd be swell. How's Israel for busking? Turkey? India? Portugal?

As for anyone doing this kind of madness (we're gonna be busking around the world... Kickstarter to come...), we found this website http://readyforbusking.blogspot.be/ which seems to have thorough busking research per town.

Anywho, any help is wonderfuckingful