Posts by Natalia Saw Lady
Music Under New York Audition 2009
Yesterday I was at the annual Music Under New York audition – the audition for performers who want to get permits to play in the NYC subway. Having passed that audition myself many years ago I can identify with the musicians flocking the audition. This year 270 musicians, dancers and living statues submitted an application…
Read MoreThe Smell of Baked Goods
As I was transferring trains at Union Square I saw Dan Stevens playing guitar and singing at the Music Under New York busking spot. A woman was dancing with a little kid to the sound of the music. My busking spot for the day was at the Whitehall Ferry Terminal in lower Manhattan. An older…
Read MoreCops Photographing Buskers
I held the elevator doors at the Times Square subway station for a slow walking oriental gentleman. He said to me: “you play the musical saw”. Saw Lady: “You’ve seen me?” Gentleman: “Yes. I play violin”. The elevator doors opened and we said our goodbyes. I sat up at the Music Under New York busking…
Read MoreMoving Garbage
A nice young man helped me bring my busking gear up the last two flights of stairs just in time for the train’s arrival. That allowed me not to spend any time waiting on the open subway platform in the cold. At the Music Under New York busking spot at 59th street there were two…
Read MoreShe Has Three Cell Phones
Getting up the four flights of stairs to the subway platform was hard for me today because I am recovering from having strained a muscle in my back. I was hoping somebody would offer to help me bring my busking gear up the stairs, but everybody just walked on past me 🙁 While on the…
Read MoreVenus and Florida
I got to the Manhattan side of the ferry to Staten Island in the nick of time to catch the ferry. The doors were already closing, but the guard held them open for me. I sat up my busking gear at the Music Under New York spot at the St. George ferry terminal. A guy…
Read MoreHow Strong is Plastic?
There were no trains going to Manhattan today… they were working on the tracks. So, I took a train going the opposite way and switched to a Manhattan bound one a few stops away. It took me about an hour and a half to get to the Music Under New York busking spot at the…
Read MoreWorst Busking Day
When I arrived at the Music Under New York busking spot at the Times Square subway station, Agua Clara, the Andean band, were playing at the spot, with Graywolf selling CDs for them. “I’m inside now”, Graywolf told me. Graywolf has been homeless for some time now. He’s staying at 115th street and soon will…
Read MoreNo Matter How Much Money You Make, That’s How Many Bills You Have to Pay
On my way to my busking spot of the day, through the train’s windows, I could see a guy playing guitar near two ladies selling churros at the 59th street & Lexington subway station. At the Music Under New York busking spot at Union Square Salieu Suso was playing the kora. He’s been here since…
Read MoreBusker Haiku
From time to time I chance across poetry that has to do with busking. Here is a nice haiku poem by Matt: finding the tune his master lost a busker’s dog © Matt © Heidi Younger Sketch for painting of ‘Saw Lady’ busking by Heidi Younger
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