A musiÂcian in VanÂcouÂver, British ColumÂbia took to the streets and busked some ZZ Top, much to the delight of a young child waitÂing for the bus. From the moment he starts playÂing “La Grange,” the child bops up and down, then twirls in a cirÂcle, losÂing herÂself in the song. On YouTube he writes, “I don’t often see this, but when it hapÂpens it’s always 99% kids that are doing it. Before they become jadÂed (age 8), they still have that sponÂtaÂneous spark, that reacÂtion to music that we all used to have. EmoÂtion is no.1 priÂorÂiÂty and they express it withÂout shame.”
If this brightÂens your day, even a litÂtle, conÂsidÂer givÂing the busker a tip on PayÂpal or PatreÂon. As he explains on YouTube, he’s had–like many of us–a rough year. He writes:
1) I’m glad everyÂone is enjoyÂing this video but I want to menÂtion a few things.
Street playÂing is not all fun and games and dancÂing kids. Doing this for 7 years. I regÂuÂlarÂly face not only verÂbal abuse, but physÂiÂcal assault as I work a few blocks from downÂtown eastÂside VanÂcouÂver. I’m surÂroundÂed by addicts, drunks, and peoÂple who should be in menÂtal homes.
2) I’m unemÂployed. All live music includÂing buskÂing, is banned. I lost all work last year and received ZERO comÂpenÂsaÂtion. I had a very bad year in 2020 and only recentÂly came out of a depresÂsion.
3) I make ZERO from youtube no matÂter how many views I get. I don’t run ads. And more imporÂtantÂly, even if I did, most of my videos are instantÂly copyÂrightÂed and auto monÂeÂtized by record labels because they are COVERS. If you see an ad, it’s the record label colÂlectÂing. If you liked the perÂforÂmance, please think about supÂportÂing me on patreon/paypal tip/bandcamp.
4) I’m a musiÂcian that writes his own music and has been doing it for 20 years. Check out my bandÂcamp page to see what I can realÂly do with a guiÂtar.
5) It’s a lot of unpaid work to post these videos all the time so please try to help me keep the chanÂnel going. Many thanks to those that have supÂportÂed me! It means a lot!
6) I get asked this 100 times a day so here’s the answer: I play on the street and not in a band because all the clubs closed years ago. I used to lead many bands from 2006 to 2018. That’s all gone. Live music is dead, as well as banned. It’s also a lot more hasÂsle, and less monÂey, to run a band than play by myself.
AnyÂone who has music work to offer can conÂtact me at sh***************@ya***.com
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Crowd Breaks into Singing Bon Jovi in the Park: The PowÂer of Music in 46 SecÂonds
Street Artist Plays Leonard Cohen’s “HalÂleluÂjah” With CrysÂtal GlassÂes
Neil Young BuskÂing in GlasÂgow, 1976: The StoÂry Behind the Footage
Should have played “WaitÂin’ For The Bus”