Folklife Festival Workshop

Today I was part of a panel discussion on the "History of Busking". This was a part of the workshop series with the festival. I was honored to be a part of a panel consisting of Artis the Spoonman, Jim Page (Both whom I worked with 15 years ago at a Merck Pharmaceutical corporate gig on the East Coast), Jim Hinde, a chick named Blue (singer/song writer, guitar player) and a Street Poet.

We shared our passion on the subject and each demonstrated a bit of our art. It was a good way to connect with my mission. I love street performing and it had treated me well for over 20 years. I spoke of my training with Cellini during my formative years and my travels around the globe.

What a long strange trip it's been


Jim Page

Mountain was out today

Video Clip Du Jour - From The Archives

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Sunday

The modifications that I made to my performances on Sunday were minor. I brought a stool to stand on for the coins and the rings. I like being above the audience so that the people in the back of the crowd can see what I'm doing. I know it's not polite to move your stool in public, but hey; I do what I have to. I also brought my mini portable sound system.

I had a good time and made good money despite the cheap crowds and HIGH walk rate. C'est la vie. Wil was nice enough to pick up Buster and bring him down when he and Carie were going. It was nice to see their smiling faces in the crowd.

I had to break down a couple of times during the afternoon due to rain. But most of the day was beautiful and sunny despite the strong winds. A funny thing happened during one of my multiple card selections. I had nine cards or so selected. I started to reveal them. The first and second were on the money but then a bunch of misses! Damn!! My controls must have been way off and I had to bail as did have the crowd I was gathering. Oh well, it happens to the best of us I guess.

The Street Fair ended at 6PM. I decided to break down at 5PM and spend an hour walking the site with Wil, Carie and of course my son Busta John. It was nice to walk around and see what I had been missing all weekend.

Eraser Head Continues to Get The Grades!!!

Saturday Night

After a busy day of busking at the fair I was pooped. I got a call from Julie telling me that she and the girls (Grace, Kathy, & Laura) were all getting dressed up and going to the Pompas Room for drinks and dancing. How was I going to pass this up. So, I took a shower, shaved put on a suit and tie, overcoat and hat; lit a cigar and headed out into the night.

I got to the Pompas Room and was impressed with this Retro-Swank Upscale Jazz Club.



I didn't see the Julie so I wandered upstairs to El Goucho to see If she was up there. I saw Kathy from across the bar. So beautiful in her black dress, her blond hair and her smile that lit up the room. I called Julie and she said she was downstairs, so we went downstairs. On the way down I noticed a Cigar sign that pointed to a beautiful smoke filled cigar lounge. I made a mental note to go in there before the evening ended. Julie and I checked our coats, hat & purse, got a cocktail and hit the dance floor. The music was as nice as the surrounding. Julie and I danced to a slow song. The woman singing on the stage commented on our dancing and asked if we had taken lessons. I guess this is either a good thing or a bad thing. Hell, I was dancing with Julie a tall, thin, beautiful, educated woman. . . what did it matter to me.



The time flew by, we danced and talked I had a bite of Julie's shrimp and crab cake and some more Crown Royal. I did a few tricks for some people I just met. Then I disappeared and reappeared sitting in an overstuffed leather arm chair in the cigar lounge with a friendly fellow clipping and lighting my cigar.



I soaked in the ambiance of the room then took out my cards and practiced shuffle and dealing work. Ahhh this is the life, I though. I need a gig here!

I don't know how long I was there but after a good while, I noticed Julie at the entrance looking for me. She noticed me and came over. She said I needed to come back downstairs and dance with her. She didn't need to ask twice. I left my cigar burning in the ashtray and danced some more with both Julie and Grace. I felt like I was in a movie. Everyone all dressed up and the room looking like something out of the Coconut Grove.

At the next set break Julie wanted to go dancing at the Fairmont.



When we got there, to our dismay nothing was going on but a wedding reception that was winding down. It was funny that the bartender immediately pegged me as a magician and asked Julie if she was my assistant and did I cut her in half. I met the wedding planner, did a couple of tricks for her and a few other people, gave her my card and we vanished into the night after another drink and a few more tricks for people we met as we were drinking.

We ended up at a bar in Capitol Hill called Chop Seuy. A far cry from the previous two places. Punk/Thrash/Rock Music and the tattoo clad nipple pierced generation x-ers, that I relate so well with. The reason we were there was so that Julie could take her last match and ignite the powder keg of a previous relationship and blow us all up. I think that happened, but I missed it. I must have been taking a piss or at the bar. Who knows.

I left and went to Sage's. And danced to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy with Dolly till dawn.

Saturday AM

I got to the street fair around 10:30AM. There was already a good amount of people there. As I walked up University Avenue I scouted for a good spot to work. I passed several musicians along the way that I recognized from the market. There is a bit of an art to finding the right place to work. Part of it has to do with knowing how big a crowd you want to draw and how not to effect the normal flow of traffic in these situations. Draw too big a crowd in the wrong place and the festival coordinators will most certainly shut you down.

You can be a street corner act, or an intersection act. I have always been a corner act. Guys doing the bigger tricks like the Bed of Nails and the Straight Jacket Escape and those that work 360 or a circle, like some juggling acts, work the intersection. I found my pitch at the corner of 47th and University. I liked my spot for several reasons, the cross street was nothing but food (ensuring decent traffic) and there was a Flex-Car (some sort of fuel efficient car sharing service) sticking out at an angle on the corner. The car helped me shape my crowd to a nice 3/4 round and protected my angles.

The forecast predicted rain and the sky was overcast, so I got right to work, "Show time!! Magic Show! You won't want to miss this one, I've seen it a thousand times, it's great"

Cellini taught me well. While I never had his work ethic, I believe I have the formula down. He taught me so many things. Get the crowd, keep the crowd, get the money. Be the first one there, the last one to leave, and never eat out.

I saw Scotty Walsh latter in the day. He paid me a nice compliment, His first show he did a $70 hat. He told me that he had me to thank for him being there doing what he was doing. Made me think about something my dad told me once, he said, "to many people. . . . you are their Cellini". Interesting notion.

I made good money on Saturday. . . I had to. It had rained all week and I probably didn't do $100 Monday - Friday, so I had to make it up on the weekend. Having been street performing for months this pre-season, my voice was strong and my endurance so-so. I would make some minor modifications the next day.

University District Street Fair

I worked all weekend street performing at the U. District Street Fair. This is the first festival kicking off what I hope to be a fun and profitable spring and summer of street performing. I had a good time and busted out some decent shows.

Friday Night

Friday night I went to The Spring Showcase at the Fifth Avenue Dance Studios where Carie works. I got to see her and the rest of the instructors and some students dance all of the other dances. Fox Trot, Waltz, Charleston, Tango, Rhumba etc. She was by far the best dancer there.

Wil was there as well, video taping the show.

Afterwards I got a call from Steve Amaden who was at the Fenix. I haven't been there in a couple of weeks due to budget cut backs. Rick had to lay off 11 people from the club as well as cut other expenses like the magic. Steve said I should come on down and see the band Berlin play. The lead singer is Terri Nunn, Pam's (Steve's wife's) cousin and Pam was going to sit in with the band for a number. The song they did together was an interesting interpretation of Peter Gabriel's "Big Time". Pam sings in a band called Queensryche .

While I was there, Rick came up to me and told me if I wanted to come in and work for tips I could do that. . . . we'll see.

Quote Du Jour

"A magician is the worst type of egocentric exhibitionist who despises those who can do things better than he; tolerates those who can do things as well; and simply adores those who are inferior." Dr. Jacob Daley