Have you ever met a street performer who has real talent ?
@wildlittlefan (4680)
Hong Kong
February 6, 2011 4:06am CST
We always pass by some begger on the streets and they did nothing but would only beg for money because of different kinds of reason.However, there rae some people who are not begger on the street because they are doing some performance to entertain anyone who will pass by their spots.Some of them may play guitar,others will probably daning around. I hav just met an old man on the street today, I was attracted by his music and stop to listen to him(Ususaaly I won't because so many street performers in my city were terrible in their performance.)This old man was playing a Chinese traditional music that everybody knew it. He played with a Chinese flute and he played it so well, that so many people were willing to stop and listen. I think he shouldn't be on the street and use music for his living like that. He could actually go and teach someone and get pay more. Well, May be there is another story behind him, who know?Actually I heard that many of the street performers were just playing for fun and not for money. I remember some of them in Canada siad they just looking for some big boss from a night club or entertainment business pass by and discover their talent and hire them for a better job.Will it work, I don't know. But I know many of them are so talented and better than many so called singers or musician.What do you think? Share with us?
2 people like this
6 responses
@irene66 (1669)
• Philippines
7 Feb 11
We have many beggars too in our country.
Those who do not have talent just sit down and beg.
However, for those who have talents can do tricks and other things to amuse people and be paid.
But their are also beggars without talent who remedy things and try to play some instrumentals.
Most of this people are really good in music.
@wildlittlefan (4680)
• Hong Kong
9 Feb 11
Irene, I understand what you said because I have been to your country before. I think there are always differences between a beggar and a street performer in the western world. As you dais, a beggar will perform nothing but only as k for money. But a street performer always will do something whether it is a play , a drama, dance, and singing , or playing with musical instrument ,etc. to amuse people pass by.These people are not really a beggar in a sense since they earn their living with some skills. I didn't know that until I study in Canada. It was because their were so many people like that in where I was born . We meet them everyday and we called all of them beggar. I think it is quite insulting to those people because thy are not a beggar. They perform and get their few bucks for life. They were not lazy people but just they don't have an opportunity to earn more with their limited skills. Well, I think there are just full of talented people on the street and perhaps we need to appreciate them more even sometimes they are really blocking the street. Life is not easy for them anyway and I think few coins to few dollars will give them encouragement to go on and live their life with dignity.Have a good day.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
9 Feb 11
Oddly enough, in the area that I live in, this is not something that we have the opportunity to see very often. I can actually only think of one time in my life where I've seen someone performing outside to try to get money and that person was actually a bell ringer for the Salvation Army. Only instead of ringing a bell he had his guitar out and was playing Christmas carols. It was quite an amusing time, but something we don't see much of at all.
@kykidd (6812)
• United States
6 Feb 11
This is exactly how Willie Nelson was discovered, and now he is a famous music, maybe even what you might call a legend of country music, here in the United States.
If you ever go to Nashville, that's where Willie was discovered, you will see a number of people who have actual talent that are playing on the street. They are usually found there more often during the busy season. Yes, some of them are probably doing it for a living, but I think that a number of them are playing there music in hopes that someone will discover them. There are a large number of great musicians in that city, and so many people trying to just get a lucky break.
I used to think that I wanted to be a musician, or a country music singer. I even received the opportunity to sing on stage in Nashville myself one time, along with on stage here in my own town. It is a great joy although it is a lot of work. I don't think that people realize how hard musicians work on a day to day basis.
I wish the best for the gentleman that you met, and hopefully he doesn't have to be there, but only enjoys it.
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
6 Feb 11
there are a lot of people with real talents but sometimes they dont have the guts to go out there and prove it to the world. some people who has just good looks and has connections are the one who are popular. sometimes life is really this way. there are a lot of asking alms on the street singing and playing instruments and they are really good. some of them are even blind. there are also people like you mentioned that only plays for fun as a hobby or playing us to release tensions and stress and music is one good way to shred that all out.
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
6 Feb 11
In down town Chicago there are a few street performers who are pretty good. There are a few folk singers, and some dancers that are not bad. I have also seen talented artists sitting right there on the side walk creating really clever pieces of art. My husband and I even purchased a piece of art that one guy did, that was out in California on Venice Beach many years ago, what he did was amazing. I think it was only like $10.00.
@friendsofmusic (1)
• Israel
6 Feb 11
There are many fantastic musicians in the subway in New York City. They play in the subway not because they have to, but because they want to. They enjoy sharing their talents with the public, encouraging communication between strangers through their performance, thus turning the city into a nicer place.
I know this because I follow the blog of my favorite street musician - the 'Saw Lady': http://www.SubwayMusicBlog.com She plays the musical saw in the subway, even though she also performs at such places as Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden and Lincoln Center. This is a video of her in the subway:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE_9gYFEJeQ
This is a video of her at Symphony Space:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0nJQU7ul7Y
So, you can see that musicians who play on the streets are just as respectable and talented as those you see on the concert stage - they can even be the same musicians you see on the concert stage!
