Thats My Song

Two Chinese people were playing the erhu and what looks like a Chinese version of a banjo on the platform when I arrived at the Union Square subway station. At the Music Under New York busking spot a thin guy was playing electric guitar with an effects pedal. He was playing an endless melody while…

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Organic Playing

As I got to the Whitehall ferry terminal a guard with a black dog asked if he can check my busking cart. “This is the 1st time I’m asked to have my stuff checked in NYC” I told him. I handed him my back-pack and he said “just put it on the floor”. Turns out,…

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A Different Bag Every Day

On my way up the subway station’s stairs two guys offered to help me bring my busking gear up. It turned out that they were the two guys I saw at the 14th street subway station last Friday – Guillermo and Martin, who were the ones sitting on a bench and fixing a string on…

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Black Friday at the Union Square Subway Station

When I got to the Music Under New York busking spot at the Union Square subway station today I met the duo Mikanic there. They were just packing up their busking gear. Originally from South Africa Mike and Nick were accepted into MUNY three years ago, but have spent the past year in South Africa…

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Everybody is Out, Playing

As I got to the Music Under New York busking spot at Union Square there was a guy sleeping on the right hand side bench. He had a guitar lying next to him. On the left bench there was a lady with very swollen legs, also sleeping. At 12:15 the Chinese erhu player started playing…

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Sending ‘Love Letters’ on My Pants

When I got to the Music Under New York busking spot at the Times Square subway station there was a cup and spilt coffee on the floor… As I was setting up to play a sanitation lady came to clean the cup away, but the spilt coffee was left on the floor next to me.…

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Some People Are Diamond And Some People Are Coal

A guy passed me by as I was lugging my busking gear up the stairs at the subway station. He then retraced his steps and came back to help me, saying: “I thought someone was with you – that’s why I didn’t stop to help”. That someone he thought was with me was a younger…

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The MTA’s Jingle

On the platform at the Times Square subway station there were two tap dancers. The sound coming from their hoofing was too echoee. Probably because the board they were dancing on was not flush against the floor. This reminded me of the time I used to tap dance in the streets many years ago. Nobody…

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Train Panhandler Retired to Florida

Nobody was playing at the Music Under NY busking spot at 14th street when I got there. As I was setting up my busking gear a European sounding lady asked me: “sorry, can you tell me the time, please?” Immediately after that two Japanese ladies asked me how to get to the ‘L’ train. I’m…

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Halloween at Times Square

Juan Castillo was playing the mandolin at the Music Under New York busking spot at the Times Square subway station. He had a friend with him, helping him to sell CDs. In the store window some movie was playing on the big screen right by our spot. Juan was watching the movie while playing. It…

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