best pitches in the states

[gav]

For those of you who get around, in your opinion what are the best pitches to work in the USA?

[gav]

i love you guys

Ahhhhhhh, such a sharing community. Makes me wish that I'd posted all that info on europe in private messages.

[scot]

boston and baltimore are the easiest. I had the most fun in New York. San Francisco is also fun one month out of the year.

I was threatened by other performers in New Orleans, New York, Venice Beach, & San Francisco.

I've also hit Palo Alto, CA; Seattle, WA; Somewhere in AZ; Nashville, TN.

Key West, FL is supposed to be kinda posh.

I'm sure I've done more. I don't remember.

[gav]

you d' man
Thanks Scot

[Butterfly Man]

been there ... done that ... one too many t-shirts

Hey Gav,
The United States didn't suck so much for street performers when I started out ... of course, that was when we all still used whale blubber as torch fuel.

That being said ... being as there are so few viable places for indigent street performers to ply their trade, one must be rather inventive especially if sucking up to lower level shopping mall management makes you nauseous.

Finding large public gatherings (e.g. Kentucky Derby, Daytona Bike Week) is relatively easy depending on what part of the country you frequent. Don't forget that just about every college campus student union can be a source of quick cash in between "gigs". Don't linger.

The people in the Northeast are a bit snobby (long winters reading books), so a more "intelligent" show works better (no wonder Gazzo is having a hard time eh?)

The South and Midwest are easier but they require a bit of "dumbing down", so fake a slight drawl (not too much) and have a bunch of dick jokes ready after-hours.

In the Northwest make sure you use political humor and wear Doc Martins during your show. Carry a tarp - your gear will get wet.

California has it's own thing (North or South) ... San Francisco (was, is and always will be) the best city in the US and Los Angeles, the worst. Either place, however, try to do your show like you were looking in a mirror ... it helps.

Or, if during your travels, you find America to be rather boring and tedious then you can always just say, "fuck it" and move to Hawaii.

[Evan Young]

I always have fun in Boulder Colorado. But don't tell them I sent you.
During the day you can go hiking and rock climbing, and then you do shows at night, except on the weekend when you do shows all day. Boulder can get crouded quick though.

[Lee Nelson]

get a car

I just bought a car. cheap cars. cheap gas
drive, see the states//awesome scenery and natural beauty and animals.
get the local papers as you go thru towns. make some phone calls and be the first street performer a shit load of small town festivals have ever seen
it worked for me

lee

[The Pretty Good]

Yeah and there are also saturday markets and farmers markets. I had a good time in Portlang OR. I hear San Diego is "Pretty Good" too. Dont forget Key West and mabee St Augistine. Dallas is always inviting people to Clearwater FL. There,s Burlington VT too. Mabee we should start a thread about places where we got shut down.
Daytona FL, Myrtle Beach SC, Burlington VT(not on church st.), Union Sq NYC(my fav pitch shhhhh), New Orleans LA.
I love getting shutdown on the known pitch dont you.
nice one on the guilt trip. What ever works.

[gazzo osborne]

Hi Gav!!!
The problem with America, is you are constantly battling, vendors, merchants and undisirables [i.e homeless , drunks and punks} so there is only a very few select pitches that would suit your style of performance. I've seen your show and the size of your crowds, so you are limeted with space.If you are looking for a pitch similar to "Darling Harbor " in Sydney {where homeless guys wouldn't venture"-because it is constantly protected by security companies}-the places I will give you is few and far between- "They have their " Political Regimine"-even though they have auditions 1 time per year , you have to play by their rules. My first list that I"m going to give you -are places that I have described to you that would suit your size of show. My top Six places :
#1-Boston-Quincy Market- Big Acts that work there are- Al Miller-Jim Show- Peter Panic (Peter Panic is one of my favorite shows to watch right now all ways has been) Air Bourn Dan
size of hats-depending on time of day-is between $400-700 }
#3-Baltimore Maryland-size of hats are between $250-350
#4-Savanah Georgia-$250-400
#5-Burlington Vermont $200-300
#6-key West Florida { VERY- VERY POLITICAL } between $300-600

I am writing late at night Gav- so I am going to ring off now- i will send the rest of the list later- I will speak with you then.

P.S i base these $$$$$$ on the money that i think you would make if you worked similar crowds.

Gazzo

PART 1 of 2

[Jim]

Originally posted by gazzo osborne

#1-Boston-Quincy Market- Big Acts that work there are- Al Miller-Jim Show- Peter Panic (Peter Panic is one of my favorite shows to watch right now all ways has been) Air Bourn Dan
size of hats-depending on time of day-is between $400-700

Gazzo, what are you doing making up numbers and posting them on a public forum? Quite simply, those estimates are:
1) Completely overblown.
2) Nobody else's business.

Gav, I generally don't talk numbers, but I will say that without a pole and a sexy foreign accent, there is no way you can consistently make $400-$700 per hat in Boston.

Gazzo is pulling these numbers out of his load bag.

Jim

[The Pretty Good]

I thought that the hats were way over 1000 and Gazzo was playing the low card as to not get his hopes up.

[scot]

Jim,
These are actually real numbers. I checked them out. You can type them into your calculator if you don't believe me. They work!

[Steven Ragatz]

FYI: 1-800-829-0433

Steven Ragatz

[The Pretty Good]

gaz be careful I think they mean it.

[ALAKAZAM]

U.S.A

Hey
BALTIMORE:Great ampitheatre style pitch ,big shows,lot's of homeless and crazy people though,and they tend to give the prime spots to stupid cover bands who'll play for 3 hours.When i go there i get tuesday,yay.But they are still good shows.You get 3 hour spots,i can do 4 shows back to back in that time.

NEW YORK:Biggest hat's i've done away from a festival in the U.S.A.Washington sq park,you have to make a deal with the acts there,sometimes you need to do a show right next to them and blow them out in order to get in the rotation.There is a pitch in central park too,same problem.

NEW ORLEANS: If you get lucky the dragonmasters won't be there and you can work the Moonwalk [huge pitch/giant hats],but if they are there ,you have no chance,you may even be shot.But there is a pitch in front of the church,you can still do big shows there.

BOSTON:The only fallback with boston,is the weather,i've lost about 6 weekends worth of work in the last little while ,had to work a bunch of cold weekdays,for some reason it only rains on the weekends here.But it is a good pitch ,when you get the chance,you get it at the right time on the right day and it's a ripper.It isn't easy to get in though,there hasn't been a new circle act accepted since i first came here in 99...but they have cut a few.Harvard sq is still ok,only a couple of acts will go there these days and i'm one of them,but it ain't what it used to be.

SAN FRANCISCO: There is a pitch by pier 41 [the alkatraz boat] that is workable from about 5pm,before that there will be a band on the pitch all day who will not share.You also need to be careful of the statue mimes,they are very territorial and would kick your ass as soon as look at you.

BOULDER:Worked it a few years back,good night pitch for every night,i worked another spot down the street from the regular because it was too small.But it is a consistently good pitch.

L.A. i hear bad things and have never been there to work.

PORTLAND OREGON: Nice pitch for the weekends,you have to get there at 6am to sign up otherwise bands just take it all day and you get nothing.

KEY WEST: ask gazzo

So really,all the great street rules that we are used to in australia/england/europe are tossed in to the bin in the U.S.,because there is so much desperation, poverty and selfishness on the streets,Most of the time you have to fight with some asshole to get a show,sometimes you get hassled by cops, or a bucket drummer sets up next to you during your hat pitch [faneuil hall].

Verdict,there are better places to be a street performer,i'm only here to try and make it in the music biz and i've done my fair share of starving.
CANADA on the other hand,is the best place i've ever performed.
Later
AL

P.S. By the way jim,Gav has a pole and a sexy foreign accent.