Brrrr it's getting cold... even in the mountains of North Carolina, it doesn't help that my usual pitch only works at night and getting people to stop is hard enough as it is, without it being too freakin baltic.

I've read and heard, however, that it's possible to busk indoors... just get a friendly barman, Café owner etc to agree. A search on this site though simply turns up a few anecdotes about table hopping for tips or, in one case, something that sounds suspiciously like the other "street magic" ( and then asking for tips) for my liking.

So, my question... has anybody actually performed a sidewalk or circle show in a bar or restaurant for tips? Anybody managed to persuade a "mall" to allow busking? Anybody got any advice/ war stories etc? I'm really getting to like busking and don't want to stop simply because the climate is uncooperative, but nor do I wish to freeze. Oh... and travelling too far is out so I can't up sticks and head to the tropics.

cheers

tom

I've written about this at the other Café and at my blog under the title "busking indoors."

http://jimmytalksalot.blogspot.com/

I hope it's helpful.

Posted: Nov 4, 2007 11:12pm
Also check out Bro. Paul West in his DVD "X Marks the Spot" he shows you a method of doing it.

I did the bar/club thing for several years. Owners got to know me if they didn't already. Never did the hit and run thing common with the Guerrilla magi. I may cold call a table or two, but that was more typical of the way I would work in any place where I was actually being paid.

Generally either someone would ask me over, knowing who I was, or the owner had friends he wanted me to entertain. From there, the other tables/groups came easily due to eye contact. The places I would work were places where people went to have fun... not talk business, or other buzz killers. It was extremely rare that I didn't meet smiling faces. I had about 5 regular haunts a week, and got to be known fairly well in most of them. This was on top of the 2 or 3 others where I was paid to be there.

I found it to be very profitable to be known. Other people singing your praises does wonders for the bottom line.

Didn't drink, but had a nice method for converting drinks bought for me into cash. Bartenders love to play the game if it fattens their tip jar, too!

Good money most of the time (average $50. - $100. an hour or more)... better luck than I've experienced setting a pitch on a street corner. A few hours out could cover a utility bill quickly. Survival was the point at that time.

~michael

Michael Baker,

great post.

Thanks guys....

I'm going to check out "x marks the spot" as soon as I've finished all the other books, DVDs etc etc that I feel I should work on ( trying to stop spending money on magic, time to make money with magic).

Thanks for the link to your blog Jimmy... I'm sad that my work filters blogs out, how else am I supposed to be unproductive?

Michael... were you doing a close up set ( as per table hopping) in the bars or was it a bigger playing show,did you work each table or a few tables at a time?

Many thanks

tom

DON'T FORGET CELLINI'S BOOK!!!! Great stuff in there as well for fly pitching restaurants. Bro. Paul's stuff is FANTASTIC!!! And the price can't be beat! Where the heck has Brother Paul been anyhoo? I miss his posts.

Best,

Dan-

Tom,

My work was more like table-hopping, although there were some instances, like in bars where many people are standing around, near pool tables, etc. where I would work a group while basically surrounded. In these cases, I could "broaden" the show to impact the group accordingly.

I never set a traditional "pitch", per se, although I was definitely busking. Malini, among others used to work this way. The risks and intrigue are not much different, depending on where you choose to glean some pockets, and you don't have to wonder if they've been drinking. It's a given. Done mostly at night, there are fewer sunburns and more vampires! Ha-ha!

I do occassionally go the traditional route outdoors. I don't busk the clubs anymore (although it was a living for awhile), but if I set an indoor pitch (circle or doorway type show), it is actually a sanctioned event sold to a client for the essence of street fair atmosphere. I find there are lots of people (clients and their guests) who like to act like they are living near the edge of grit. Ha-ha! What the heck... their money spends, too! It's also a heck of a lot more fun than strolling (something that became a lot less fun after turning 50 and fat). It's more like a stand-up show with a theme, and better hours. Also, less formality still allows for a free-flowing party when formal shows freak out the host's idea of how they want things to go.

~michael

I feel the same way about walk around after doing it for so many years I'm done.

that's why I was so interested when cellini said he just walks in clangs a glass and begins his street show for the place and hats em at the end. as soon as I tryed it I felt all the difference in the world. no more uncomfortable approaches to a table uninvited.

of course after the show some tables want to see more and I do some close up for more tips.

Eric Evans says in the winter months he does pretty good at it.

Cor blimey... walking in, clanging a glass and starting a show ( presumably after asking management).. that takes some serious guts. I'm still at the stage where the crowd build is the scariest part of busking but hey, if it means I can busk all winter I'll give it a try!

Thanks for all the advice guys.

tom

I've had a couple of gigs at Roger Williams Park near the playground. Did pretty well too. The owner of the carosel at first hasseled me because he thought I was selling something and they had a special permit for vendors. When he realized I was performing, he actually offered to let me come into the carosel building a work there! I tried that once. I simply couldn't compete with the carosel and the video games off to the side. No one stopped (one guy did watch and tipped really well, but he was a friend of the owner and he wasn't there for the carosel.) I'm certain one or more of you guys could have gotten a good sized crowd to stop, but I'm not there yet (may never be, time will tell).