The haight isn't really the best place to busk money wise, but it's definitely where I always have the most fun. If you have a duo going I've found you'll make lots more. One day I hadn't made anything in like 4 hours and then a little crusty girl joined me playing a drum and we made like $30 in an hour. Portland's always been good to me but now they have that sit / lie ordinance bullshit so downtown sucks if you don't have an instrument you can play standing up.
Dameon
Well-known member
I think Portland is generally bad for spanging because #1: It's not a huge tourist spot. And #2: It has a high homeless population. I live in Seattle (when I'm living), and I think Seattle has lots of homeless. I was amazed last time I took a trip down to Portland and saw all the homeless there.
Really, you will ALWAYS do better if you're doing something more than spanging. Even if you're just dancing badly and singing way out of key, people look much more kindly on a traveler doing something to earn their money. You remember when you were little and walked door to door offering to mow lawns, and people would pay you WAY more than you were worth because you were willing to work? You can still do that! If you're healthy enough to be traveling, more than likely you're healthy enough to go door to door offering some service. Everybody's heard the story about the guy with the "will work for food" sign who gets offered a job and turns it down because he's not actually willing to work, and that's what a lot of them think of when they see spangers. When you show you're willing to work, rather than just looking for handouts, people will be more willing to open up.
And myself, I always feel better about money earned than money given without having earned it.
When I'm busking, I've had people try to give me money while I'm still setting up, and told them to keep their money because I prefer to feel like I've earned it. I've had people try to give me money when I'm just sitting at a bus stop playing to pass the time and told them to keep it because I'm just playing for myself. Obviously not a luxury you can afford when your wallet and your belly are empty.
Really, you will ALWAYS do better if you're doing something more than spanging. Even if you're just dancing badly and singing way out of key, people look much more kindly on a traveler doing something to earn their money. You remember when you were little and walked door to door offering to mow lawns, and people would pay you WAY more than you were worth because you were willing to work? You can still do that! If you're healthy enough to be traveling, more than likely you're healthy enough to go door to door offering some service. Everybody's heard the story about the guy with the "will work for food" sign who gets offered a job and turns it down because he's not actually willing to work, and that's what a lot of them think of when they see spangers. When you show you're willing to work, rather than just looking for handouts, people will be more willing to open up.
And myself, I always feel better about money earned than money given without having earned it.
When I'm busking, I've had people try to give me money while I'm still setting up, and told them to keep their money because I prefer to feel like I've earned it. I've had people try to give me money when I'm just sitting at a bus stop playing to pass the time and told them to keep it because I'm just playing for myself. Obviously not a luxury you can afford when your wallet and your belly are empty.
This is gonna look really ignorant/stupid, but what is flying a sign? Is it sitting there with a sign? Pretty cool. We don't get things like that in Cork, free souls etc, I know some pretty cool buskers, but that's it. We have pretentious hippies floating around, but I've never heard of spanging or flying signs...totally been brought up to live by the money, live by the money...
:crew:
:crew:
Yeah loads of buskers, but not people trying to make a few quid holding a funny sign! People usually have an ignorant attitude towards it, that the person is a lazy bum etc. While it's not eactly getting out there and "earning", it still brightens up someone's day, should they choose to get the stick out of their ass....
So, is spanging another word for busking?
Dameon
Well-known member
Spanging is very different from busking. Spanging is walking around (or sitting in one place) asking "do you have any spare change?" Busking is sitting there, performing to entertain people without pressuring them to give you money. You can spange in entertaining ways, but that doesn't make it busking.
There's lots of festivals that are either focused on buskers, or at least allow them. In Seattle we have Folk Life, which has tons of buskers. The problem with busking festivals is that you don't make much unless you have some sort of exceptional act. When you're competing with dozens of other buskers, you have to really stand out in some way. Just being a really good musician doesn't cut it.
Oh, and one tip: I read back through the thread and saw somebody say you have to play standing up in Portland because of the sit/lie ordinance. Actually, if you're a street performer, you're exempt from the ordinance, so long as you don't play in one spot for more than an hour. Just a useful tidbit of information.
There's lots of festivals that are either focused on buskers, or at least allow them. In Seattle we have Folk Life, which has tons of buskers. The problem with busking festivals is that you don't make much unless you have some sort of exceptional act. When you're competing with dozens of other buskers, you have to really stand out in some way. Just being a really good musician doesn't cut it.
Oh, and one tip: I read back through the thread and saw somebody say you have to play standing up in Portland because of the sit/lie ordinance. Actually, if you're a street performer, you're exempt from the ordinance, so long as you don't play in one spot for more than an hour. Just a useful tidbit of information.
veggieguy12
The Captain
What are trying to make money for? I get kinda hung-up on the whole notion of making money to buy shit you could just take in the first place. Even with citybus fares, most times in my experience, the drivers are not jerks, and will let you slide under-fare or even free if you go for their sympathies.
Of course, some things just can't be had without cash - good luck!
Of course, some things just can't be had without cash - good luck!
BrokeWhiteBoy
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DFA
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