Everyone who lives in Austin knows of First Thursday. It’s the first Thursday of every month on South Congress, an evening filled with festivities, art, and sales. Street performers are already relatively common on South Congress, but the number of acts on First Thursday increase dramatically.
Being a street performer requires a lot more courage than it would typically take to just play a show. This seems like a reversed concept, but many people who are in successful bands have never played on the street. In some cities, it’s a job specifically reserved for the homeless, while in other cities it is respectable and exciting. There is a humbleness and sense of thrill that comes with playing to strangers who never expected you to be there. Gaining attention of streetgoers helps a musician understand how their music affects people and who it appeals to– and mostly, it is inspiring as a musician or an appreciator to simply spread the love of music, with no censorship or price tag attached.
I played on the street for the first time two years ago in Hong Kong, in a “street performer” district that is famous there to tourists and locals alike. I sang three songs on my ukulele, and accumulated a total of 86 cents. It was still incredible. I remember very clearly a little girl who was maybe two years old listening in on two songs. I often wonder what that little girl thought of me.
I played on the street this past First Thursday celebration, and I found that people were a lot more receptive than they were in China. Maybe because I suck less, or maybe because people in America are just generally more open about their opinions and what pleases them. Who knows. I made a total of $30, which isn’t half bad for something I would spend the evening doing in my room anyways, and the longest duration someone stood there and listened was two songs. That worked out well in my favor, considering I sang the same four songs for over half an hour.
When I’m playing on the street, I’m often surprised at the reactions I get. More often than not people just walk by. But pretty often someone will stop and listen or smile at me. They encourage me. I live in a wonderful city where there is no stigma attached to doing what you love and sharing it with people. I often find myself wondering sometimes whether people would still treat me that way if I were an old man with missing teeth. Is it my musical ability, or the way I carry myself?
From street performing I’ve learned maybe it’s just a little bit of both. The most important lesson I’ve learned is that if you can play to a bunch of people who don’t necessarily even look at you and just walk by, you can play to anyone or take on anything that comes your way, whether in the music industry or otherwise.
TX Creative P1 