I Got Photos!

By Natalia Saw Lady | March 16, 2007 |

I was supposed to play at Union Square today, but it’s 32 degrees and snowing/freezing raining…so it’s too cold (not for me but for the saw – the blade doesn’t vibrate properly when it’s cold. That’s why my cut-off temperature for playing in the subway is 34 degrees).
I’m sad to miss the opportunity to play at Union Square – one of my favorite spots. So, instead, I’m checking my e-mail and – what a great surprise – photos from Union Square!

Christmas Eve 2006 at Union Square

So many people take my picture when I play the musical saw in the subway and I always think to myself as they are snapping their cameras: ‘maybe they’ll be nice and e-mail me a copy…’ but usually they don’t 🙁 That is why I appreciate it even more when people do send me the photos!

Bonnie sent me these photos (isn’t she a good photographer?!) along with this nice note:

“Hello Saw Lady!

I saw you on Christmas Eve day – I was running around trying to get a million errands done but HAD to stop & take a couple of pictures. I put one of you & a young admirer on my blog, with a little writeup about this fun break in a busy busy day.”
Bonnie’s blog about the day she saw me in the subway

Dec. 24th 2006 at Union Square
Funny – in this photo of me with both my hands up – I know exactly what music I was playing at that point! (A piece my husband wrote, titled ‘When I’m Alone’).

Union Square on Christmas Eve 2006
The photo with the kid is the nicest, because of the kid. By the way – I don’t usually wear an elf’s hat – that was just because it was Christmas Eve… 🙂

It is nice people like Bonnie that make playing in the subway such a good experience for me.
THANK YOU, Bonnie!

Posted in Union Square Subway Station

8 Comments

Bonnie on March 17, 2007 at 3:53 am

You’re welcome! Very cool, to be on your blog! I’ll link back if I get a chance this weekend – that’s the best trivia, about how the temperature affects a musical saw.

Although not trivial for you!

mister anchovy on March 17, 2007 at 9:30 pm

thanks for your comment and for visiting mister anchovy….I was pretty bummed out getting chased out of the market this morning, but I’m sure I’ll find other good spots soon enough. cheers from Toronto.

rosie on March 18, 2007 at 2:32 am

Hey there, Saw Lady. I bounced over to you from Bonnie’s blog. I love reading about your day and how things go playing in the subway. There are bits of city life I still get nostalgic for…NY subways, London tubes and MARTA being at the top of the list. You see such interesting people there.

Michael on March 18, 2007 at 10:29 pm

hey Natalia: hope all is well…really busy with the other doc, and have slowed down PFK until Denis is freed up from rehearsal- he’s co-starring in Bway’s “Inherit the Wind”…ran into a guy playing a mini banjo at Union Square Park last Wed (when the weather was so great)…had the camera and asked him to play a few tunes and talk to me…I asked him who his favorite subway musician was- without a beat he said “the saw lady”!…hope to catch up with you soon…

Yuki on March 20, 2007 at 2:07 am

I wish I was back there, you seem to know a ton of subway instrumentalists- or whatever you wish to call them.
I forgot everything about new york; are there any little outlets to plug in your instruments?

I like people like you, having music on the subway sure makes anyone’s day brighter.

Saw Lady on March 20, 2007 at 2:04 pm

Hi Yuki,

No, unfortunately there are no outlets musicians can use in the subway – you have to be totally a self contained act, meaning: use an amp that is battery powered. There are a couple of locations where there are outlets, but if the police catches you use the outlet they really don’t like it…

Thank you for the nice comment!

Nonosse on March 23, 2007 at 5:39 pm

The little kid knows now that elves do exist.

Gus on March 24, 2007 at 12:45 am

I enjoy your blog on busking in the NY subway – as a long term busker myself it’s always been an ambition of mine to busk in the subway of NYC.

Melbourne,
Australia

Bonnie on March 17, 2007 at 3:53 am

You’re welcome! Very cool, to be on your blog! I’ll link back if I get a chance this weekend – that’s the best trivia, about how the temperature affects a musical saw.

Although not trivial for you!
mister anchovy on March 17, 2007 at 9:30 pm

thanks for your comment and for visiting mister anchovy….I was pretty bummed out getting chased out of the market this morning, but I’m sure I’ll find other good spots soon enough. cheers from Toronto.
rosie on March 18, 2007 at 2:32 am

Hey there, Saw Lady. I bounced over to you from Bonnie’s blog. I love reading about your day and how things go playing in the subway. There are bits of city life I still get nostalgic for…NY subways, London tubes and MARTA being at the top of the list. You see such interesting people there.
Michael on March 18, 2007 at 10:29 pm

hey Natalia: hope all is well…really busy with the other doc, and have slowed down PFK until Denis is freed up from rehearsal- he’s co-starring in Bway’s “Inherit the Wind”…ran into a guy playing a mini banjo at Union Square Park last Wed (when the weather was so great)…had the camera and asked him to play a few tunes and talk to me…I asked him who his favorite subway musician was- without a beat he said “the saw lady”!…hope to catch up with you soon…
Yuki on March 20, 2007 at 2:07 am

I wish I was back there, you seem to know a ton of subway instrumentalists- or whatever you wish to call them.
I forgot everything about new york; are there any little outlets to plug in your instruments?

I like people like you, having music on the subway sure makes anyone’s day brighter.
Saw Lady on March 20, 2007 at 2:04 pm

Hi Yuki,

No, unfortunately there are no outlets musicians can use in the subway – you have to be totally a self contained act, meaning: use an amp that is battery powered. There are a couple of locations where there are outlets, but if the police catches you use the outlet they really don’t like it…

Thank you for the nice comment!
Nonosse on March 23, 2007 at 5:39 pm

The little kid knows now that elves do exist.
Gus on March 24, 2007 at 12:45 am

I enjoy your blog on busking in the NY subway – as a long term busker myself it’s always been an ambition of mine to busk in the subway of NYC.

Melbourne,
Australia