Duluth street performers need a city permit to ply their trade
Wesley Lynch
Issue date: 4/1/09 Section: News
"If you're not, you probably might as well not perform. You should maybe do something else like be an accountant," he said.
Hannah Rediske just so happens to be a part-time accountant, but Saturday, she was playing the accordion in a performance along with Michael Sturm on the guitar.
Sturm is a more experienced busker than many of the others who turned out.
"I've done it on and off for 10 years," he said.
Sturm and Rediske make up an Irish pub band called The Langer's Ball, who plays in pubs around the Twin Ports and in the Twin Cities. He said that busking is a good way to supplement his income as a band member and guitar repairman.
"Some days you make enough for a cup of coffee, and some days you make enough for a full tank of gas," he said.
In Sturm's experience, the public is generally okay with street performers, and if they're not, they just keep walking.
"The only people that heckle you are other musicians," he said.
The chances for heckling have apparently gone up as the number of musicians auditioning was almost double last year's. Lamkin said that 18 buskers performed last year as compared to the 31 that did so on Saturday.
Performances began to exceed rental time for the theater as more and more buskers flowed in throughout the afternoon. Much to the dismay of many in attendance, acts had to be shortened to one song each for the remainder of time.
Lamkin said that the event will definitely be held again.
"It's the best free concert in town," he said.
Hannah Rediske just so happens to be a part-time accountant, but Saturday, she was playing the accordion in a performance along with Michael Sturm on the guitar.
Sturm is a more experienced busker than many of the others who turned out.
"I've done it on and off for 10 years," he said.
Sturm and Rediske make up an Irish pub band called The Langer's Ball, who plays in pubs around the Twin Ports and in the Twin Cities. He said that busking is a good way to supplement his income as a band member and guitar repairman.
"Some days you make enough for a cup of coffee, and some days you make enough for a full tank of gas," he said.
In Sturm's experience, the public is generally okay with street performers, and if they're not, they just keep walking.
"The only people that heckle you are other musicians," he said.
The chances for heckling have apparently gone up as the number of musicians auditioning was almost double last year's. Lamkin said that 18 buskers performed last year as compared to the 31 that did so on Saturday.
Performances began to exceed rental time for the theater as more and more buskers flowed in throughout the afternoon. Much to the dismay of many in attendance, acts had to be shortened to one song each for the remainder of time.
Lamkin said that the event will definitely be held again.
"It's the best free concert in town," he said.
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