Comments on: The Big Busk: London Busking Explained

By: Muskadash

Muskadash — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 22:24:00 +0000

If you want to busk in the streets, apart from at Covent Garden or the City, can you just turn up and start playing without applying for an audition?

By: Mark87kk02

Mark87kk02 — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:36:00 +0000

Yesterday I called the London Underground (Customer Services Centre) here in London (0845 330 9880) and they told me that there are NO longer positions for busking in the tube at this moment. Actually, they sayd, there is a waiting line of 2000 peoplesThis is just incredible …. and sad!Mark

By: George

George — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:02:00 +0000

Make your own pitches bro nothing worse than travelling down to a pitch only to find another busker has taken it!

Look for somewhere without too much traffic, but a good amount of people. Near supermarkets in more residential neighbourhoods. Also try to time it right, weekends = tourists, sun=people in better moods. Rush hour can be good, but then businessmen in a hurry to get home aren’t ever going to be your number one customer (although you do get the occasional power-hungry rich maniac who used to listen to Bob Dylan, watch out for these fat cats – they got big bucks)

By: George

George — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:59:00 +0000

T-ka

Licensing (outside of the near-impossible to achieve London Underground licenses) does not exist. Police will tell you that you need a license to busk, then not know where to get one from. I once spent a good few days researching how to get a “license” for the borough of Camden. By the time I finally found contact information for the right department, I was told that they were no longer giving out licenses.

Dicks.

George

By: George

George — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:57:00 +0000

as a London busker I have to say that outside of the South Bank and Covent Garden, there are very few places you can get away with a long performance without having to make concessions to the police. Usually they will just shut you down, particularly if you’re playing in a tourist heavy, central location (Leicester Square, Camden Town). However, if the cops are decent (and your not making a horrible squawking noise) they might let you keep playing provided you move your case or whatever money depositary your using out of sight – therefore removing the element that they consider “begging.”

However, most of these places are playable in the late evenings on weekends, as the police generally have enough to deal with without running after musicians. That said, you have to be wary of drunks and even worse, cokeheads!

If your good, you’ll make money – simple as. It might not be much everytime, but I can if the weathers good make around £20-40 an hour, but you’ve got to be on your game!!

Peace
George (spraypainted guitar and vocals)

By: groovedetective

groovedetective — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:13:00 +0000

Does anyone here remember the 3 guys who used to frequent the busking scene in Covent Garden in the mid 90′s. They were guitar bass and drums doing a lot of jazz funk beats and grooves. Couple of black guys and a white guy who I think was the drummer. Battery operated amps….electric bass and guitar. man they were good but never got to see them anywhere except here. I used to get up there a lot in those days. I iften think about the tight grooves they had going. Very cool. Where are they now?

By: T-ka

T-ka — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:17:53 +0000

Hi,

Is there somewhere on the web a list of all the boroughs in London where you can busk and if you need a license or not?

Thanks!

T-ka

By: Clayto Devanny

Clayto Devanny — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:51:35 +0000

Hello there. Could anybody recomend good places to busk above ground because getting a license for the underground is quite difficult to sat the least.
Any suggestions welcomed.
Cheers, Clayton

By: Filipus

Filipus — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:02:09 +0000

Hello everyone. Can anyone let me know the name (and where I can find) of the singer in the photo, that is said to sound like Cat Stevens? Please, please, it is really important that I find him. Look forward for your help.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 20:15:01 +0000

Busk the scene and think the scene is great, if only there was a scheme running to work with buskers on the above ground circuit in the City of London. So much good work is going down the tube, and otherwise just dreary ole london Town above ground. Come on peeps, its a lot better than allowing straight out beggars to work the pitches. Out and out musicians, are short oppertunities to present their caseload!