(COSTA RICA) San Jose has buskers singing the blues. Avenida Blues, a traditional blues band in Costa Rica, is finding national resistance to their style of music and performing. The buskers have been working for the past months filming their performances on the streets, issues with police, and concerts at large national festivals in the country.Due to severe lack of interest of the blues in Costa Rica, they are trying to get exposure with the international blues community. With different administration changes, the police have taken down several artists, jailed some others, and have confiscated equipment. A strike in January resulted in a movement called "Nuestra Calle" when there was the reported abuse of power by local authorities in the arrest of a sax player.

The Avendia blues band has been working hard...

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(SAN ANTONIO) The city of San Antonio, Texas has opened the streets to buskers and street performers. Also under re-consideration is nearby Market Square and La Villita."The main purpose is to facilitate the development of neighborhoods, cultural centers, and businesses in the downtown area to create a thriving Central Business District that fosters a warm and inviting atmosphere for residents, employees, and visitors."

The Downtown Street Performer Policy was passed last year but it took a long time for many buskers to hear about it.

Public parks are among the most encouraged places for musicians – and performers of any kind, for that matter – to share their art. Many parks across America are off-limits when it comes to performing.

Read what happens as a busker gently tries to inf...

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(THE NETHERLANDS) An article at TheCityAtEyeLevel.com in the Netherlands has published an article portraying busking as a viable means of rejuvenating city streets. Some city's methodology include Glasgow, Melbourne, and Singapore."Busking is at risk of being licensed out of existence, with permit systems, auditions, fees, written application processes, equipment bans, scheduling and branding making the spontaneous, surprising art in public spaces a thing of the past."

The article goes on to discuss street performing policy, proposed permit systems, and a starters guide to encouraging busking in your city.

Many buskers prefer to be self-regulated but there are always a few who abuse this type of system. This can lead to public disputes where there is strong disagreement.

For more info,...

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(ENGLAND) Busker and supply teacher Phil Gray was happily busking away when a passerby casually took the hat off Gray's head and disappeared.It all seemed to be a joke until the grim reality set in. The hat was gone - never to be returned.

Fortunately, an audience member was shooting a video with his cell phone of Gray performing when the incident occurred.

Gray claims the creep who stole his hat had talked with him several times earlier in the day.

In the video, you actually see the crime committed. The thief was later picked up but no hat was to be found.

Full story and video

LONDON | A city in central England says two buskers who plagued a suburb by repeating the same two songs have been banned from performing for two years.The Birmingham City Council said the street performers angered residents with late-night and out-of-tune renditions of “Wonderwall” by Oasis and “Faith” by George Michael.

Acoustic guitar player James Ryan, 40, and Andrew Cave, 39, who used garbage can lids to accompany Ryan, were banned from busking by a judge at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.