Busk A Move

These days Woodlock – who mix everything from Coldplay to Daft Punk into their repertoire – are part of the ever-evolving fraternity that reside on the street corners of Melbourne’s CBD. “All the buskers meet up in this room every Wednesday and it’s kind of like a lucky dip to work out who gets which spot for the week. The age range is huge so although we sometimes chat with others, I’m not really good friends with the 50-year-old flute players.”

"There was this legit ball game where busking was something that people did for a living"

Competition is fierce, but with potential daily earnings of up to $1,500, this comes as no surprise. “That’s not only $1,500 dollars; that’s $10 a CD, which makes doing it so worthwhile. Not only are we making that money but we’re getting 150 potential fans who could come and watch us again. We have our tactics when it comes to planning our set. Covers are a good way to get people’s interest, so we’ll usually play one or two covers at the beginning of our set. Of course, if you want to sell CDs, people aren’t going to buy your content if you’re just a cover band. It’s a fine art.”

Now, with their second EP, Labour Of Love, under their belt, the band are taking their show on the road. “We’re all pretty new to [the touring circuit]. It’s scary but it’s also exciting. Our first tour did really well, but this will be our first time in Perth, where we’re playing a couple of shows, as well as Tasmania.” They add a fourth member to the group when touring to offer a fuller sound in order to more accurately replicate their recorded works. It also results in a different set-up from their busking. “If you see us play in the street you might not want to come and see us at a gig, but with a full band hopefully we’ll be able to convince you to see us again.”