Is this the worlds greatest busker?
It must be bloody hard scraping together a living as a busker these days.
With weekly TV talent shows, YouTube videos and a constant feed of the extraordinary on Facebook, what makes you stop and watch?
And what makes you want to pop some cash in their cap?
In the last week or so I’ve seen two buskers who have really stood out.
The first was in Trafalgar Square; a Mecca for musicians, entertainers and floating Yodas.
This chirpy chap was dressed in full dinner suit (including top hat, white gloves and silk scarf) and he was playing a euphonium to a quirky 1920’s backing track.
And what made him stand out?
Just the flames that shot out of his euphonium’s brass bell!
Yes a flame throwing euphonium. Loved him.
But then I saw the most specular thing at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle.
None other than Darth Vader (with a massive cardboard head) playing a keyboard and singing Gangsta’s Paradise.
I only managed to capture the last few seconds of Gangsta’s Paradise on my phone but he quickly leapt straight into the Star Wars Imperial March – missing every 3rd note, but who cares?
The point is both of these buskers were making money!
The message is: You’ve got to stand out.
Floating Yoda? Two a penny.
Hipster strumming a 12 string and killing an Ed Sheeran song? So what – boring!
Jokey juggler taking twenty minutes to get to a five ball waterfall? Seen it 20 times!
Guy playing a flame-throwing euphonium or a massive-headed Darth Vader performing Gangsta’s Paradise? Now we’re talking.
Be Brilliant!
Michael
You can watch them both performing here…
Battle of the Buskers from Michael Heppell on Vimeo.
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