Diary Of A Busker Day 7 December 10th Winchester High Street, opposite WH Smiths.Time: 2:20 – 3:20pm
After a month of no busking, I decided to start again today. This was due partly to hearing a very loud noise, which turned out to be a guy playing an electric guitar over a taped backing band. I could hear him from half a mile away and thought it was a full band. I thought, well, I’ve tried Southampton, it didn’t work – I’ll try Winchester. After all, I live here and the expenses are zero.
I went home, got my Micro Cube and guitar, went back and set up opposite WH Smiths, just down from The Buttercross. Winchester’s a small town and after 10 minutes I someone said “Nice sound, Marvin”. I looked up – it was my neighbour’s partner/boyfriend. Then a few minutes later, Dave, a frequenter of the open mic nights at The Railway walked by, “Hey, that’s not a 12 string!” He’s only ever seen me with a 12-string at the open mics. Then a bit later, Frank the accordion player and his dog Kazoo. The dog was present, the accordion wasn’t. I’d been chatting with him a few weeks ago, talking about busking in Southampton. I told him I played Chet Atkins arrangements, but was playing The James Bond Theme (my arrangement) at the time. I abruptly stopped and started Chet’s arrangement of Mr. Sandman (from ’54). Frank stopped by a bit later and told me about certain ‘performers’ – meaning the drunks who masquerade as buskers, who had been moved on in the past. “…but that was when Constable Murphy was in the force, he’s left now.” Then, about the Salvation Army Band, “After they do their bit playing together, they break off in twos and take over the whole street. I’ve sometimes knocked over one of their music stands – by mistake, of course.” As he walked off, he threw some change in my hat.
Apparently, Dave Brubeck was knighted this year. I was informed of this by a man walking by during a very cold attempt at Take 5.
Earnings: £10.12