(BUSKING) It seems as little as ten years ago, the term "busker" or "street performer" was looked upon with disdain. Suddenly, now it's the "in" title to tell new-found friends and acquaintances. Strange as it may seem, public perception has shifted in favor of said buskers. The internet has seemed to have had a positive impact on the perception of street performers world-wide.

Wannabe buskers abound on the internet. Some sites have sections dedicated to busking. Unfortunately, once entered, one finds several performers that have only been thinking about busking but somehow never found the backbone to discard their day job to busk full-time. This may be a good thing, however, as some may not have what it takes to begin with. It would probably only add to the long lines at the unemployment office.

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The group Playing For Change is the international stew stirred by Mark Johnson, a recording engineer/ producer who had a vision in a New York City subway station 10 years ago. He's travelled the world seeking out indigenous musicians all over the world to compile a series of songs performed by buskers. Johnson brought together, on tape, musicians from Israel, India, Ireland, the U.S. and several African nations to back the vocals of Marley and U2's Bono.

Playing for change

The past few years saw the release of several interesting busker documentaries. Online video sharing and social networking websites are now flooding the internet with street performers from around the world shot by amateurs on holiday.

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An article at PS Audio has some interesting anecdotals on the world of busking. Likening it to theater, the "stage" is actually the busker's pitch where the performances happen. The article goes on with a brief yet up-to-date history of busking including virtual or electronic busking.Daniel Bacchieri points out that “digital platforms are powerful tools capable of transmitting local artists to a global audience. All the world’s a stage and buskers can make it big in a connected world. In the past two decades the audience for street performers has grown from dozens to millions thanks to sharing on social media like Facebook and Twitter, on digital platforms such as YouTube, and streaming services including Spotify.”

Dr. Paul Simpson, a professor of human geography at the University of Pl...

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(CHARLOTTETOWN) Things are rapidly shaping up for Prince Edward Island's inaugural buskerfest to be held over Labour Day weekend in August.The festival will not only feature daytime performances but nighttime performances as well. The international event will feature buskers from across Canada, the United States, and Argentina including some who have broken several world's records.

Jason Henderson is the festival’s artistic director and can be seen walking over glass barefoot while juggling fire among other amazing feats. He said the idea for holding the event came last year on Canada Day.

The New Hot 105.5 FM radio station is the media sponsor for the buskerfest. Other performers for the initial event will include Victor Rubilar, Fire Guy, James Jordan, Trulee Odd, and Dave Cox.

For more information, v...

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Il Calabria BusKers è un Festival Internazionale di Artisti di Strada, un grande evento che racchiude in sé la magia del teatro di strada: clown, musicisti, danzatori, mangiafuoco, acrobati ed altre personalità artistiche locali, nazionali ed internazionali che si ritrovano per le vie di Reggio Calabria, esibendosi nelle splendide cornici offerte dalla città dello Stretto, favorendo socialità e civismo,valorizzando il territorio, condividendo l'arte e coltivando la meraviglia e lo stupore.

La strada che diventa incontro e palcoscenico indiscusso di un evento che coinvolge una città intera e la sua provincia, catalizzandone l'attenzione. E il Festival non è solo un'occasione unica per trovare, in tutte le sue forme, l'arte nella strada e tra la gente, ma è anche il modo per farla esplodere in ciò che è capace di portare con sè: la libertà, la condivisione, il viaggio.

Guardare oltre i muri, vedere la bellezza e diventarne protagonisti.Un contenitore dentro il quale sviluppare diverse azi...

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