I´m writing this for everyone.
I know many have different motivations, with our Performance.
Neither unworthier then the next.
So,.. it´s a letter of thought,... for all.

I´m in Karlsruhe today.
After four full days of the Streets, the weatherman´s prognosis of rain, was enough to keep me in bed.
OK, he WAS wrong,... but I didn´t feel guilty. This one was on him.
Walking the Streets, at 14:00; seeing what I was missing,.. and scouting pitches;
I listened to three different accordian players, on three different spots,... battling with the same song. God, has humour.
Other then that,.. well,.. slim pickings.
At thing same time, my partner-in-crime, Monika, said, " pheww, rough crowd. Glad we´re not playing."
True.

Karlsruhe. 200,000 folks. The pedestrian-zone, full of foriegn economic refugees.
No criminals, mind you; but a fast, un-interested crowd.
A "work hard. Do anything for a dollar" crowd.
Hard. Fast.

We walked a half of a mile out of town, The Westside.
Art Nouveau Buildings.
Latta Machiotto Cafés.
A couple gallerys.
Bio (Organic) Vegetable Shops.
On the Gutenberg Platz, a Festival was starting up. `Platzda´.
A "Street Artist" (cmmm) Festival.
Some really good acts booked.
Knäcke. Ben Smalls. Circque Ché. Even the Magician, Jadoo.

At 19:00, the party started. ,..still nö rain., god not only has humour,.. he like to see a good Show.
One nice Show after the other.
Pleasant. Peacefull. Calm. Queit. Clean.
aahhh. Nice.
,but,.... no Foreigners.
No economic refugées.
No Arab Moslems, in kaftans or burkas.
No Russian construction workers, with vodka bottles.
No Slovenian Roma, baby in one hand,.. a paper cup for begging in the other.
No African.
No German Punks with torn pants and pitbull.

Sweet. Pleasant. Calm. ..., safe.

500?,.. maybe 700 squeekey clean Germans enjoyed the evening,
...paid for, by the tax payers.

....................................................................................................

My thought is: shouldn´t we, as Artist, be out there playing for the masses,
..,as well as "the cream".

yeah, it IS a tough crowd.,..
my experience shows me, though, more Financially then Artistically.
BUT, what if we don´t?
What IS happening?
,...who will we be playing for, in 15 years?
,.. and WHAT will we be performing?

Culturally, where will we be standing?
...,ok, money in the pocket,
but culturally, as humans,.. where will we be standing?

I feel, as Street Performers,..as Street ARTISTS,.. we have great potential., culturally.

As Humans, a moral responsibility.

wish us all well,
gallagher

p.s.: Forecast is for "Rain" tomorrow.,... we´re playing!

Beautiful post.
Thank you.
I wish you well.

-Brian

It is a beautiful post thank you.

Thank you for sharing this post.

On a regular pitch I have I see something very wonderful. My front row of kids some with there shiny scooters seating next to the kid in hand me downs/ hand outs. I see the spectrum of the well off to the not well off along with the not so desirables all standing there laughing and smiling at what there seeing. They also interact with each other. It great to be in the middle of it.

Love the post just thought I add.