(UK) If only all the nations of the world would observe a National Busking Day, it would make for a better planet. Towns and cities around the UK have created special National Busking Day pitches where you share your talents and perhaps make a few quid, too. Locations included Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Canterbury, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Gateshead, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Margate, Newcastle and York.

Everyone from professionals to beginners took part in the first annual affair - whether they specialized in music, magic, comedy, physical theatre, living statues or dance.

To commemorate the celebration, the Express newspaper published the top 11 celebrities who have been filmed busking which include the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Olly Murs, Tom Jones, and (sorry)...

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A new coffee-table book for lovers of Venice Beach Street Performers has just been released.

In case you don't know, Venice Beach is the second most visited tourist area in Southern California with Disneyland being the first.

The writers of the book evidently found a guy who passed the 30 year mark. He was performing when most of today's self-proclaimed "king of the street performers" were still in diapers.

Also included is a humorous story from Mad Chad Taylor on how he first started juggling chainsaws thanks to some goofy commercial maker.

The book includes some killer photos...

Check it out

Buskers, especially muses, will benefit from the world's first drum machine in a real wearable t-shirt.Now you can actually wear your instrument thumping out sweet digital rhythms as you perform your new routines. With an amazing 7 voices, drummers can create loops with unlimited tracks through 9 different drum kits for up to 3 minutes in length. The drum machine shirt is, of course, machine washable.

Thanks to ThinkGeek - Stuff for Smart Masses, also available for muses are 2 other interactive t-shirts including the Electronic Rock Guitar shirt with programmable guitar. Then there's even the the Electronic Music Synthesizer shirt with which you can program synths to untold of levels.

Musicians wanting a cutting edge performance can now band together and pitch their show by simply wearing their guitars,...

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(NEW YORK) Central Park buskers at the Bethesda Fountain Terrace have been booted off their long-standing pitch by an effort to establish a food and booze court. The city has posted a new "Quiet Zone" sign there and have been ticketing performers - even handcuffing one opera singer and taking him away.

Parks Department spokeswoman Vickie Karp said the musicians are the problem and have "completely blocked the stairs. The public wants quiet zones and have repeatedly requested quiet places for passive enjoyment of the park."

The food court and bar will feature $8 to $10 beers, $8 glasses of wine, and $7 to $9 sandwiches.

More...

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(SEATTLE) As far as Seattle is concerned, you're a star awaiting your new reserved pitch in Soundtransit's transport hubs. Their blog announces the Sounds of the Sound program expanding options for serious buskers.
Interestingly enough, the world of busking is making a comeback after the horrendous covid19 global shutdown from a few years back. This severely affected the shopping and hospitality industries not to mention the performing arts.

A big black and white star adorns the pitch where buskers are free to express themselves and accept tips without hassles.

“The buskers are great,” wrote one blog post. “They make the station feel more like a destination, not just a place to pass through. Keep on supporting them.”

For more information and locales, check out the link below.

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