Hearing music in the streets makes people happier.  It makes their days and nights in public spaces better – even if they don’t realise it. So says I anyway.

If it’s original music being played on the streets, even better.  The people in those streets are blessed with exposure to new music. It’s also a grass-roots way for artists to share their music with the world.  Successful Australian bands like Blue King Brown and Wild Marmalade made their way on to venue and festival stages from busking in the streets of Byron Bay.

 

 

 

For many artists, playing music in public spaces is a regular and sure income they can rely on to pay their rent.

The Papa Bear of Latin music in Melbourne, Leo Salvo, plays different gigs in venues around the city every week. When I spoke with him in Melbourne recently his gig count for that weekend was 6.

One group he plays with is La Rumba.

Leo told me he makes more money playing a few short Saturday sets in the Bourke Street Mall than he gets paid for playing a whole week of gigs in Melbourne venues.  That money is made just from the band selling CD’s. No guitar case or hat to take donations. For Leo Salvo and the rest of La Rumba it is a sure and regular income to pay the bills.

Here’s a video of La Rumba playing in Bourke St Mall…

Shame on the venues.

Good on the people in the streets of Melbourne for supporting the artists whose music makes their days and nights better.