Recently I just started street performing in Chicago. The hats are O.K. but its really hard work. I perform mentalism, so I carry only 2 small props with me. One problem I have found is that the table is SO inconvenient to carry (Cumbersome). I would love to have a nice light weight alluminum alloy table, but since I'm in college and performing for money, its a little out of my price range.

Anyways the Taste of Chicago (Festival) is coming up, and I'm gearing up. There should be at elast 3.5 million a day going through the tastes faire grounds. I'll be setting up near Buckingham Fountain. If you're in the area stop by and say hello. The taste starts Friday, and if you have any helpful hints before them , post 'em, PM them, or email. Thanks!

I'm leaving here Sunday night and will be there Monday....look me up.

koz

I often thought it would be nice to make a small table that hangs from the neck, like the old cigarette girls in nightclubs. I don't know if something like that would work for you. It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult or expensive to make. Maybe a member has a "blueprint" for such a thing. I know I'd be interested.
Nando

Why not a tray stand. Come to Taste and check out mine.

koz

I guess Ill see you Monday, koz. I like the tray I have, and its nice to have a place of authority. Its separates you from the rest of the passers-by.

If you are looking for a place to perform put out a rope, it creates a stage, helps create an edge. It's a really good idea. There is a chapter on the new Cellini video about using a rope.

I'm leaving here Sunday night after working a fest here, then driving to Chicago, 12 hours so I don't know how much I will work Monday, but I will work a little bit I'm sure.

koz

I'm anxiously awaiting the performance.

:: A Rope! What a concept!

Do you have your street performers license? I have been checked 2X this year.

I was just going to ask that same question. Chicago's finest/fattest can get mighty testy with un-permitted buskers.

Cheers!

I get my permit on Monday, thanks.

koz

Dr_Zodiac,

It seems strange to me that you need a license to perform in the street. What is the legal justification for requiring that?

Would you still need a license if you performed for free?

Do most major cities require that street performers purchase a license?

I thought you needed a permit everywhere for street performing unless you were doing it for a business.

I think the justification is so that the city can track these performers and regulate them, by threatening to revoke their license if they don't do what the city wants.

What tends to be the standard rate for a license? Where I am at they want $75 per day worked!!! Which seem just silly.

Thank goodness for private property.

Ojasa

$50 a year in Chi-town.
And yes, it is so they can regulate the steady under world. I had a group of 12 kids from the ghetto who were running a scam today. They all wanted a dollar for their new basketball jersey's. These kids had wads of $5's. they asked me for money and I comments; but your not in school. Everyone was amazed that I knew rey rey wasn't in school. How? Its summer time, but it appears that rey rey was kicked out.

I walked away a very powerful icon, yet they still wouldn't go away. they all wanted to see the magic man. Darn are they annoying!
2 hours of them, and finally I made some cash off of palmistry. Its amazing, I tell them it's a scam , no ones psychic and I walked away making more off the psychic readings then off of magic.
This street performings a TOUGH business!

:: Side Note ::

You MUST Check - in at Jackson and Columbus and get a "designated" street performing area (Changes every 2 hours, this bites) , or they will fine you! All of Grant Park is privately leased I guess, and I was asked by a cop outside the perimeter of Grant Park to sign in. I guess the edge of the park is used for a higher permit solicitor. This is what I got after an hours wait for a new spot! To quote the great Scooby Doo, ZOINKS!

Zodiak, give me more info on the Taste? How long did you work and how long can you work? If I come can I work 7 or 8 hours a day?.

koz

8 hours easy 11-7 they check permits hard, and keep you moving every 2 hours. I hooked up with a gypsy psychic crew, so lets hook up, and Ill get you the good spots like A, B, and G those are the high traffic areas especially later in the day. Last shift at 5 until 7 is best spent north of Buckingham Fountain hustling.

People are full, they have a few bucks, and you can collect red frequent buyer tickets and get one heck of a free dinner every night. I PM'ed you my cell #, I'll be there every day. I and many other magicians using no tangible selling objects make $30 a hat , with no real show. If I perform a real show for people, hats get a bit more, they love straight jackets! Its hard work, and Chicagoans are cheap. If you do balloons along with your magic, you will bank. I just added intuitive "psychic like" readings and I make a KILLING! Magic is a hard sell.

Taste sucked! I got ***** and went someplace where I was welcome.

The taste as I have heard, is the hardest hat and place in the world to work. Others have told me if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. I would reccommend Michigan avenue near Water Tower Place and Nike town as location for busking.

Z

If they had let me work there I would have made $1000 a day. There were just tons of people. The people in Chicago were very generous!!! but the people who ran the Taste didn't understand how to make the street performance stuff work.

koz

Well, the psychics ruined it for us! There we're all so pushy and wanted to bend the rules!

Dr. Zodiac,

In a busking situation, what mentalist effect(s) do you use to draw a hat? I am trying to decide on an opener.

Steve