pitch invaders

[Figo]

we've all been there you have sat on a pitch for hours waiting for the crowds to appear and then 20 min before u decide to start, some basterd walks up and starts busking away.

now most performers are cool they will respect your claim on the pitch but there are always some that are just knobs and go well screw you it's my pitch now,

How would you deal with this situation, coz sometimes being nice just doesn't cut it.

for example last friday i had been on the pitch for 2 hours waiting to start at 12 and 3 gypsy guys rocked up and started playing opposite me, i asked them nice i asked them not so nice and they still wouldn't leave so i talked to them in the universal language of my amp is louder than your amp, shit i know hence why i'm asking for different tips on dealing with a pitch invader that just won't piss off and die

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

Have you considered buying a bigger amp?

[Evan Young]

being the drastically stronger performer has a lot of diplomacy advantages, and the bigger amp certainly helps your strength. You don't have to be nice to everybody who isn't nice to you, but if they have a change of heart and play fair you should let them.
my dialogue tends to be; "I'm going to be doing a show at 7pm. You playing here won't effect me much, but the back of my crowd will be standing on your tip jar ignoring you. I just wanted to let you know before I started."

[Daniel Mooncalf]

The good news...

Sorry if I mentioned this once, but in strip approximately 200 feet long, there was a Spanish acoustic player, Me, a baloon guy, and some alt rockers with an amp spaced about 30 feet or so apart.

It was awesome. I love playing a pitch with musicians that aren't painfully loud, or horrible (usually drummers).

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

Pearl Street in Boulder, as you would know well, Evan, is inundated with sound this summer. The main pitch is squeezed between fully amped 5 piece contemporary rock bands and break dancers with live drums. All of this not such a problem IF the city would allow us amplification. But no. My first hat was small enough to bring tears, then my second was half that. Sweeet.

[Evan Young]

is it the thursday night concert thing your talking about? They should allow us amps during those concerts.

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

Well, yes and no. Because it was Friday, but this was at a similar sound level. Looks like Thursday concerts are expanding.

[Evan Young]

hmm, Boulder is a nice place to go on vacation. I'm glad I'm not grinding street shows there all summer, every summer any more.

I'm jealous of silent acts sometimes, but even a silent act will have problems when the focus is all screwed up by concerts and stuff.

Pearl St. Mall puts those concerts on as a way of keeping the locals interested in the downtown area rather than it just being a tourist/college hangout, and they have success with that. If they would just let us use a small amp we'd be fine and wouldn't loose out on a prime night of street performing (kind of essential for a professional performer, and they should be trying to encourage the professionals who do a good job).