La Rumba’s Street Music Pays The Rent

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.

Melbourne buskers - www.beaveronthebeats.com

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.

Wild Marmalade - Busking in Byron Bay (2004) www.pbase.com

Wild Marmalade – Busking in Byron Bay (2004)
www.pbase.com

 

Wild Marmalade 2013

Wild Marmalade 2013
www.last.fm

 

 

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.

La Rumba - Melbourne - www.beaveronthebeats.com

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.

La Rumba - Melbourne - www.beaveronthebeats.comLa Rumba - Melbourne - www.beaveronthebeats.comLa Rumba - Melbourne - www.beaveronthebeats.com

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.

Melbourne buskers - www.beaveronthebeats.comMelbourne buskers - www.beaveronthebeats.com

Street Music, Good or Bad, Makes People Happier

Music in the streets.  Whether the music is:~

Good…

ipiyam y Raspacanilla rehearsing in Bogota streets

Jipiyam y Raspacanilla, a Colombian dance and music troupe rehearsing on Bogota streets

Bad…

On La Septima, Bogota

La Septima, Bogota

Sweet…

On La Septima, Bogota

La Septima, Bogota

Nice…

Busker in Usaquen, Colombia

Usaquen, Colombia

Official and conservative….

Entertaining on the street, but not necessarily for consumption by me elsewhere…

Hormigas Negras-La Septima, Bogota

Hormigas Negras – La Septima, Bogota

Hormigas Negras-La Septima, Bogota

Hormigas Negras – La Septima, Bogota

Music I like. Music I don’t like.

Quality musicianship, or not.

No matter to me. No me importa.

Walking every day at the moment along the always busy and dirty, often sad, and at times dangerous road in Bogota called La Septima – I count my blessings for music of any type to make my journey along that road a little more pleasant.

I need and want music to be played and heard in the community in which I walk.  The sounds of music around me, especially in the cities, makes my life and my day better.

I am convinced that it must have the same effect on everyone, even if they aren’t aware of it.  I see people’s attention drawn to the music, it stopping them in their all too busy days and lives, even if for a brief moment.  That’s a good thing.

I am also convinced that music in the streets connects me to the people around me, and them to me, in a silent but positive way.

Buskers and street music of any sort should be allowed, encouraged and supported.  Music in public spaces makes people happier.

Don’t you think so too?