It's survival of the fittest as some resort to dirty tactics in face of stiffer competition.

Outwit, outplay, outlast.
That motto from TV reality series Survivor also holds true for the buskers in Orchard Road.

The current economic downturn is certainly not music to their ears as they have seen takings drop in recent months.

If that's not enough of a worry, they also have to fend off competition from both legitimate and illegal buskers.

But more of that later. For now, the downturn is a more worrisome test of survivor skills.

Take the case of Mr Donald Wee, 51, who strums the guitar near Shaw House.

'More people are donating coins instead of $5 or $10 notes,' he lamented.

He used to earn about $100 in two hours but can net only $40 now. The former security guard went into busking four years ago when he could not find another job after he was arrested for fighting....

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I'm a comedian, juggler, one man band and stilt walker out of Seattle. Early on I did some busking, and while I occasionally busk, most of my bookings these days are paid events.

I still hold busking in high regard, and consider it one of the most elemental, difficult and rewarding types of performance to do.

My website: http://comedyrocket.com

May your pitch be full of happy customers, and your bottle be full!

nisantasi

(WWW) If we visit college professor Stephen Baird's Facebook page, we find lots of pictures, links, and related pages towards the pandemic-suppressed art of busking and public performing. An ex-busker, Stephen has been researching this for decades.Of course, not all news is good news. Because of the global pandemic, buskers have been banned in several places including the New York subway where it's been a tradition for years. But in the meantime, we view Pogo Fred, the Red Trowser show, Gazzo, Woody Guthrie, Waldo and Woodhead, Will Soto, Hurdy Gurdy guys, and several others making the professor's current page.

"For as long as there has been a subway system in New York, there have been musicians decorating it with sound. However, they haven’t always been welcome. Performance Today host Fred Child t...

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Craic In The Granite' returns again to Aughrim, Wicklow, Ireland. As usual we will be hosting a Busking Competition at the Pavilion and will be presented with the Deirdre Heffernan Memorial Trophy and a cash prize. www.CraicInTheGranite.webs.com