Sometimes, they could amazed and deeply touched your heart, while in the other times they just trying to tutored your ears. Street Musician, is how they were called in English; people who are trying to expose their talent in music, and hoping for someone to appreciates them in any ways.

When I went to New York City last year, I met with an African-American people, who played Sax. It was around 8 PM. He did looked shining under the colorful light decorations from that window displays. He played “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “Fly Me To The Moon.” I watched over him from the other side of the city street that night. It was beautiful. I tried to get a snapshot but it was too dark, and too far for my compact camera that time xD; and I was too shy to take a shot of him from closer distance (*runs*).

I saw some people drop a dollar bill, or some of more into his bucket. Not so far, I met with another Street Musician, and this time was a drummer performed an incredible sounds with just one plastic bucket on the ground. I uploaded the video through YouTube. Here you go:

I dropped a dollar after that xD.

Why did I spare my money for them? Why did you too? Well, it’s the way to show our appreciation.

Street Musicians are suppose to be the entertainment figures everywhere. In Japan, we found a lot of artists and musicians and especially a band members who demonstrated their skills live, not by calling everybody is talented (and just distracting), I call them the Street’s Buddy who always make the city more alive. Mostly they are found in big /capital city where there’s a lot of people crowds.

While here, if I take a look back to my country, I could find them almost EVERYWHERE. Bus and train station where they would follow me and singing, inside the bus and train, on the traffic light stop when it’s on Red, while I’m eating in the Restaurant, they just appeared next to me somehow somewhere, on the mall’s entrance, etc; And again, not by mentioning if all of them have talents with the instruments or singing, they’re exist everywhere, in many styles, ages, genders, and purposes.

1. Styles
   There are plenty of styles that you can find among these street-musicians. Generally we know there are Sax, Drum, Guitar, Violin, Flute, etc.. But those are an expensive instruments, aren’t they? In my country, they don’t have enough money, and for alternative, they made it; the instruments. But everyone is SINGING! That’s for sure!

   Starts from Mini Guitar / Bass: Some of them are buying it, some of them just simply crafting it. The balance and such doesn’t matter as long as it looks like guitar / bass and produce sounds.

   “Tambourine“: This one isn’t tambourine, but works like tambourine. They made it from a piece of wood (around 4 - 6 inches long, and stick some flatted bottle caps with nails. I tried to look up the picture with google, but I just can’t find the right keyword to make it appears x_X it’s called “Icrik Icrik” and no official language to call that thing.

   Karaoke: Some people will bring a Compaq stereo along with them, and Mic. They will sing for you together with the instruments from the cassette. Regardless to their ability in singing, you still have to listen to them even you’re about 20 feet away from him/her, since he/she has a quite loud stereo system.

   Picture taken from: www.blogombal.org =)

   Hands: Some others just clapping their hands while singing…

2. Ages
   Most of them are older people around 18 - 30 something, but you still could see underage children who are walking around every time. The government took this problem seriously for few times, but they just can’t be stopped. Even for some children, they choose to get extra money by doing this, rather than going to school, and their parents just can’t control them.

   As far as I can recall, I never found a kid who can really do something other than just asking for money everywhere. Since giving some changes / bill for them is like “required“, if you calculate how many street-musicians can earn in a day, that’s almost like what general workers earn. No wonder many people in all ages especially children think that it’s an easy way to get quick buck.

3. Genders
   Hehehe.. Male, Female and…? She Male! xD. Don’t fall from your chair or pee on your pants if you found this unique creature jumped into your Bus and sing a song with unbelievable performance. They’re not a really transsexual people, but just those who have extra-confident wearing female’s dress, and doing heavy make up, then put whatever stuffs to create the fake “boobs” on their chest.

   If you find a street-musician in this category.. just relax, and enjoy the show xD.

4. Purposes
   For money, for fun, to do something in the spare times, or just hanging around with friends. However, instead of put a bucket and waiting for people dropping their money, they’d rather walking around and handing over the bucket/pocket to you for money.

   The problem is, there are people who really being a jerk and bad guys inside this little world. They would pick a fight if you refused to give some money. On traffic light, they would dare to scratch your car if you’re not throw out some changes, and run. In Fact, most of those kind of people can’t sing. They just show a piece of “whatever” instrument, or clapping hands, mumbling something unknown. That’s a code for them saying: “Give me money then I’ll leave.”

Not all of them are like that. I met with talented street-musicians several times, especially in Yogyakarta, that also known as the city of artists. But bad people just everywhere, so you better prepare yourself well.

If you plan a trip, always bring enough changes in your pocket, and also remember to have some changes on your car. The money is no longer as the way to show our appreciation, but that’s the only way to keep us safe, and send them away.

Oh, and one more thing, if you’re a smoker, you can give them a piece of cigarette, whatever it is. Almost all of them are smoking, and they smoke anything ;)

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 3rd, 2007 at 11:49 pm and is filed under Bloopers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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