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Hey folks, as you may or may not know, I'm planning on using this spring/summer to see if I can live off of performance alone (I currently average more $/hr than I did at my last job). When I busk, I usually just freestyle but lately I've been beginning to draw larger crowds than I have before and people tend to stay longer. So, I think it's time I up my game and actually make my performance a show. I had some questions for the pro's though:

What's the best run-time? I thought 3-5 minutes might be good but it also sounds rather short.

How does the use of music affect the crowd?

When is the best time to deliver a hat-line (or best times if talking throughout)?

How long should I wait between performances?

And I have a request, could somebody link me to a video of a full street show? When it comes to street performers around here we have mostly musicians and I haven't really had the chance to see a show run from beginning to end. Thanks.

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It's not true contact unless you're naked.

I'm curious about this too - I plan on giving busking a go on the South Bank in London soon (perhaps this weekend if the weather holds).

I spent a little while watching Nico performing his routine last year to take some notes as to how he works with a crowd. Here's a few things I noticed:

- Before starting, Nico, just stands still with music playing to build a crowd. I suspect Nico has an advantage here over many people in terms of attracting a crowd, as he's an extraordinary presence. People just flock to him. Costuming can probably have a similar effect for us lesser mortals. The music definitely helps to attract attention though.

- If people come too close, he'll gesture at them to move back (almost miming pushing them back - it's quite effective). As well as giving him more space, it also allows for a larger crowd.

- Once a big enough crowd has formed, he'll switch the music and begin his routine proper.

- His routine is quite short, between 3 and 3 1/2 minutes. From what little experience I have, this seems a good length. It's long enough to create a decent routine, and a short enough time to hold peoples attention without boring them. It's stating the obvious to say that if people wander off before the end, you're not going to get any money from them.

- There's no hat whilst he's performing. He doesn't produce this until the end of his routine, at which point he'll again stand still holding the hat, and let people come up and give money. There's no hat line either - but again, I think that's something Nico can get away with. Our mileages may vary.

-In terms of time between performances, that was largely dictated by the environment. There was another performer nearby with a very loud sound system, so Nico would wait for that act to finish and then start.

Anyway, this is only one type of performance, but the overall effect definitely chimes with me. It's not that I'm not confident enough to speak to a crowd, but it's just not the sort of effect I'm after.

I don't have any video of Nico building a crowd, but he's been featured here before. This is him in action:

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"Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There is mischief to have. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all."

run time, 12 minutes, i will explain later this evening why

Hey Eca, have you read "passing the hat" - good book and I think at this stage in your career you'll definitely find it useful...

http://www.amazon.com/Passing-hat-Street-performers-America/dp/0440068339/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302102773&sr=8-1

most street shows i have seen are between 15 minutes and 1 hour, 15 being short and 1 hour being long, but if you can hold people that long they will pay out.

Music is a hard one for me, all the places i have performed they don't let people use any kind of boom boxes, it all has to be self made Because of this i don't like street shows that rely on music, i like it when people can entertain with what they got and not use other peoples stuff to make them look better.

drop hints about money through out to get people used to it, then do what ever hat line you want just before your last big trick, what ever you hat line is make it real, don't just bull s*** people will see through that, be honest about why you want there money, and often times they will give it to you.

There is not magic wait time, if people stick around after your show then let them watch again, who knows maybe they really liked it and want to give more money. If they don't want to see it again, they will leave. Just give your self enough time to be rested and start again, don't rush it.

This is all just what i have experienced when doing circle shows.

If your just doing walk by's then i would say just feel it out every time. Part of why i like not having music playing with i am doing walk by's is because i can go as long as i need to in order to get a crowd, then when i think i can pull money out of them i will interact a bit, maybe pull out a few jokes and a hat line. Let every one know that i am tired and will be taking a break, and sit for a little while, and then continue when i feel the time is right.

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I am a mother pheasant plucker.
I pluck mother pheasants.
I am the most pleasant mother pheasant plucker, to ever pluck a mother pheasant.

ok lets talk a bit about street show, what i will right below is what works good for me whenever i am doing a street preformance.

i will write about the following things: clothes, seeding audience, reviving money, showtimes/waiting times, and some other stuff.

Clothes:
Don't dress like anybody else and don't dress like a hippie. but wear a costume, it doesn't have to be a full on clowns suit, but you need to stand out in the crowd. what type of outfit you are going for completely depends on your style but it must be clear that you are doing a show, you are preforming. not a penny handler with a accordion.

Seeding audience:
to start a show and make money you need people to watch it. if you see the video that gratefull posted about leadership, this is about the same idea. you need by my opinion at least 2 or 3 groups. and to come back to the video mentioned above, individuals are a group when they are alone, but 3 people can also be one group. basically you need different people that have no connection to each other .
So how to get a seeding audience, lets just say you are on a square and people are walking by. you can try to look for eye contact and bust out a cool trick to make people stay. put some intresting stuff there and a sign that the show will start at a certain time, also you can say the show will start in 5 minutes. and if people want to be entertained they will wait for your show. there is also another thing you can do and that is to make a short walk around the square doing something intresting to get attention and tell people that your show is about to start ( personally i do not like this method because it is a little bit pushy ).

now who are we aiming for?
we are not looking for: working people, people that doing quick daily things ( groceries ), groups of 16 year olds and kids younger then 3. we want people that are in there relaxation mode, people that do not have to go to there next appointment. we want tourist, shoppers, old people. these people are more likely to stay and watch. you can recognize lots of these people on how they behave. walking slower, talking more time to look around etc. know your target group.

receiving money:
So we want money. at busking/walking by performance, there is a container with seed money in front of you, but for street shows i would suggest to ask for a contribution at the end of your show. and make it PERSONAL. tell people that this was the end, tell them who you are what you do, where you are from, your reason behind it. why you need the money. and make this good and solid story, not some rehearsed line. and be honest.
also don't start on one side of your audience, either let them come to you, meet them half way or start a around 1/4 from the left or the right and let it go in the 3/4 direction. if you do this you gain the most. people will also leave if they have to wait to long to give you anything.

show times and waiting times.
i said 12 minutes, but why. this is because you need people interested long enough, but not so long that they are going to miss out on the things they have planned and leave. if they liked it the might stay for the next show. and with around 12 minutes you can do around 3 shows per hour. key again here is money, you can do a walk by performance of more then an hour with hat infront of you but you can also do a real show that has an end and you ask for some financial aid. in my experience a show will gain you better pay but walk by's work better with drunken people, and on a terrace.

now how about handling annoying people.
i think we can better dedicate a new topic on that. but what is most important, don't be afraid. people around you will help you when bad stuff happens. ( most of the times ) also an 100mm acrylic is 635 grams of pure hate.

i hope this helps you guys a bit, don't forget to hold trials and don't be afraid to ask for feedback from audience members that watched the show

also if you have ever the change to meed bob ( and you will know which bob onces you have met him ) he is an huge source of information.

also i do not know how things are on the other side of the pond, and here is also differs a bit per country

Thanks everyone! Between the advice given here, and the advice/insights I received at the Tucson Fest, I think I'm ready to take "the next step". Got a bit of planning to do, but I think I got this

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It's not true contact unless you're naked.

cool, let us know how things went

www.performers.net ~ excellent resource for street performers with essays and tutorials and experiences.

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www.dawndreams.ca
www.thebuskingproject.com
https://twitter.com/#!/dawn_dreams

That site is great! Thanks for the link Dawn!

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It's not true contact unless you're naked.

i'll add as well that you should pick your days! Nice hot sunny days you will get a big crowd, all in a good mood and all out shopping/ making a day of their trip in to town, but I often find this doesn't translate to lots of wonga! best money I have earned was when it was bloody freezing, or wet, or snowing (!) as you seem to get a bit of the sympathy vote too!

The run up to christmas will see you through january and beyond if you're willing to put in the hours. Also I find if I can't make it out to be set up and performing before 2.30 pm it's generally not worth the hassle-(in the UK at least - other european cities obviously have later shopping hours)

Families with young kids will get most of their shopping done by about 3.30 (they will be your biggest customers) and after that point I find you have to deal with yoof and gangs of trouble making 16YOs who just want a free show! You will make some money, but I find you can lose more than 50% of business after this point.

oh yes, forgot to mention - EYE CONTACT!!!! v. v. v. important - don't just be looking at your hands the whole time. also If you spot a timid looking child/group of kids hiding behind parents, crouch down to their level and perform for them - the parents will appreciate it and they'll give them money to give to you.

Also (not really a show thing so much) but listen out for your standard naysaying hecklers - 'its on strings' will always illicit a pass of my free hand around the ball with a glance upwards at the non existent string to prove them wrong - also the 'let go of it then' one will normally get me to do the iso where it looks like your not touching it at all (there's a thread on here somewhere about this). I find this kind of interaction works as a subtle put down and other audience members close to the heckler will have a good chortle at their expense- things like this add to the whole presentation = more cash!