The Power Of Busking: Melb Artists Share Their Experiences

TOM CHRISTEN (FROM HARSHMELLOW AND DREAMWORM)

I was playing in Flinders Lane around Christmas time a few years ago. I was playing acoustic covers and a homeless guy stopped near me and started freestyle rapping along with my guitar playing. Somebody threw a $2 coin in my guitar case and I gave it to the rapper and told him he'd earned it. There was an older guy sitting on the upstairs balcony of the cafe on the other side of the street. After the homeless guy had left, he motioned me to come over. He threw down a $100 note and said he saw the interaction with the rapper and he "liked the way I handled the situation".

Pic by Ian Laidlaw

KIZZY DAVIES (POSSUM)

I haven’t done a whole heap of busking, but just in general the generosity of folks is so memorable - sure you get some $$, but how about the guy who came up and insisted I take half his sandwich? He ripped it apart with his bare hands just to give it to me. Or the one who gave me a choice of a freshly purchased apple OR banana - astounding! Little kids come up and dance in front of you, sometimes adults come up and dance as they go by, and it’s so memorable because it’s energy that they didn’t have to give you when you’re just a tiny blip on their day.

Pic by Ian Laidlaw

AMLA PERIAKARPAN 

"Receiving two $50 notes in funny ways during my last two On The Road busking sessions. The first $50 was thrown into my violin case by someone who was drunk and most likely didn't realise he threw that amount in. I didn't even realise it was a $50 note until the barbershop owner nearby told me to look at my case haha. The second was after I saw a $50 note fall onto the ground further away from me. I then started running with the $50 towards the three men who I thought may have dropped it and not realised that they were missing it. They then told me to keep it, as honesty is gold, and that I deserved to keep it. It turns out I needed the two lots of $50, as I forgot to bring my microphone during today's busking session and used that money to buy one from the music shop nearby."

RICHARD LONDON

"The 5-year-old girl dancing around my money bucket was the most memorable. Kids have not seen much because of Covid. Her father stayed there with her for about 10 minutes then her mun turned up and danced with her, it was really nice to see."

DUPLICITY (BRENDAN CANDY AND SUE KIDD)

"With only limited busking experience and first time hitting the Melbourne CBD; not to be deterred, Duplicity jumped on the train from Belgrave station and headed into town. Such is the opportunity that On The Road Again provided. Greeting fellow OTRA buskers as we walked along Swanston Street, our collective excitement and joy to be performing again was palpable. Smiles all 'round, setups ready to go way before time, every one of us keen to make music. The last two years have been tough across the board, there is no denying. The most humbling of moments was when, on two separate occasions, our music connected with two men who are sleeping rough. When they throw money into your case, that is GOLD."

CONOR MORRISSEY

"My friend and I were a clarinet/keyboard duo, playing pop songs at the Camberwell Market at Christmas time. A grumpy-looking person came up and put some money in the case, and out of breath, exclaimed, “Thank you for NOT playing carols.” It was a really small thing, but we both felt that we were a unique sounding act, and in a funny way it was nice for someone to like that we stood out. It gives me a great belief that busking is for everyone, and the opportunity to express yourself in public is available to all."

RICK GRIMM (FROM DRACO REX)

"One of my favourite things about busking, especially playing hard rock and heavy metal as a busker, is being a point of exposure for young people to the style. Occasionally I'll be fortunate enough for a toddler or someone around early primary school age to ask their parents what I'm playing and you can see that something has been unlocked inside them when they hear about heavy metal. I don't think there's anything quite as rewarding as getting the opportunity to show a kid how to throw the horns for the first time. My most memorable event would probably be seeing two families with kids around preschool age both really start getting into the riffs and having a dance and in that moment meeting each other. The two kids started to kind of run around in the tiniest mosh pit you've ever seen. It feels good to know that even without the context and culture that surrounds hard rock and metal, the music itself is powerful enough to pull out that kind of energy from people."

JAD PINNONE 

“My most memorable busking experience that I had was quite recently. I’ve recently just upgraded my setup and have added more equipment to it. I finally felt like a proper busker because before I was doing it with just entry level equipment but now that I’ve upgraded its pushing me to want to improve and try new things.

“I haven’t busked in a while and it just felt so good to be back out performing and doing what I love. I’m currently experimenting with different sounds and techniques including bringing forth the sound of my cultures and just seeing people walking again while I was playing it felt like life was back again. I’m grateful to programs like this one as it helps me build my career and fund for other equipment and studio time.”

Pic by Ian Laidlaw

MATT KATSIS (FROM TIMBAKAT) 

“It’s fascinating to me how this thing called music can affect us all in different ways. There’s something that draws us to it and for me, seeing a crowd slowly grow from the first song but then by song four or five there might be a small audience gathering lending you their ears for a while is a great feeling. There’s no reason people need to give you time out of their day and that is both the challenging and fulfilling thing about performing on the streets, creating community in that space. That’s the best-case scenario, but either way I put out the best energy I can and hope that people out there will pick up what I’m putting down. 

“To share music with people where otherwise we may not get the chance to beside that very moment is a special thing, I think it’s what’s kept me going back to busk after all these years especially in Melbourne.  The cool thing is that you don’t need to wait until a gig comes around to try something new, whether it’s an altered guitar tuning, finding your way around a new effects pedal or just trying out a song I’ve just written – the setting is generally relaxed enough to roll with it and see how it unfolds. Sometimes what I’m trying to achieve triggers another realisation and might be better than what I was intending in the first place, so there are nice surprises in that aspect. 

“The best thing about busking would have to be the reactions and excitement that can come from people who I see are really digging what I’m doing, it can create an electric feeling for everyone around and when it’s vibing, it’s amazing. There’s been a lot of problem solving over the years, from what I can actually carry on a trolley that won’t break my back but still work for the sounds I’m wanting to get across. Because there’s no power points to plug into, for a good few years in the early days I was using a battery that must of weighed at least 25 kilos - add to that your PA speaker, leads, mixing desk, pedalboard, guitar, mic stand etc - it’s one interesting game of Tetris stacking the trolley and not having things slide off as your pushing this thing down the street, that became an art in itself I reckon!

“It really has been an eye-opening experience for me and I’ve met so many interesting people over the past nine years busking in Melbourne. When you’re out in the great outdoors and the sun is shining, it’s a mild, mid-20-degree day there’s nothing better than rolling in to play some music on the street.” 

Pic by Ian Laidlaw

KAT STEVENS (FROM KAT AND PADDY)

“My favourite busking experiences are closely linked with the laneways, in particular one laneway - Centre Place. When I moved to Melbourne I used to busk in that little alcove just before the arcade entrance. I remember the vendor opposite would give me free coffee. I remember one man stopped to listen to me play Over The Rainbow and told me a story about his son who had died and that song was played at his funeral but not in a sad way, in a loving memory way. 

“I remember the time someone put $50 in my violin case. I remember the woman who walked past on her way to work and asked me to play at her wedding which was in Point Cook and I got there by getting a lift with two guests because I didn’t have a car. In fact, there has been more than one wedding come out of busking! I remember getting free eggs benedict breakfast after a busking from Marios who owned the café in Centre place and heading to Flinders Street Station to get the train home feeling happy and full.”

Pic by Ian Laidlaw

SEB SZABO

“I was busking on the corner of Bourke St and Swanston St and a woman approached me swiftly from across the pavement. Ordinarily a person would drop some change into the guitar case, but she wasn’t holding change - she was holding a fresh and sealed Bubble Tea that she’d just bought from the stand opposite me. This was slightly odd, but very kind (I hadn’t had a drink all day) so I gratefully accepted it, and she left very quickly without saying a word. I was surprised and pleased by this surprise, but then noticed she’d also given me the receipt for the bubble tea. Did she expect me to exchange it? Nope, she’d written her phone number on the receipt. While I was flattered and impressed by the bravery, I never called. The bubble tea was delicious though.

Pic by Ian Laidlaw

TAHNAYA WYNN

“My most memorable busking memories are when I brighten someone's day with my music. I absolutely love when children start dancing as I am playing. It brings me so much joy and fulfilment to entertain and give people some joy they didn't expect in their day.”

Pic by Ian Laidlaw

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For more details on On The Road, click here. Busking performances will be revealed the day before they happen via the What’s On Melbourne Instagram.