Boulder Colorado

[Evan Young]

it will make you a stronger performer to get good at a show that doesn't require amplification. Makes you learn how to be subtle in different ways that play much bigger. There is a lot you can't do without an amp though, and it sucks when you cant do some of your best material.
There are some pitches where you really need one, and some where you don't. Boulder has close buildings to bounce your sound off of. Aspen is a little more open, but it's so quiet it should be fine anyway. I still don't know for sure, I never did any shows there.

[Juggalicious]

Cool -

I'm not saying I can't do shows without amplification - I just prefer not to. It's like asking a painter to paint with only the big paint brush and not all the little ones. Sure he could do it - but I'm sure he doesn't want to.

There have been many a times that our amplifier has died and we soldiered on throughout the rest of our show.

It just seems kind of silly to have a no amplification rule when they could just as easily have a low amplification rule - with very low volumes set in place. this goes for anywhere - not just boulder.

[Evan Young]

nope, street performers will break the rules every time and it takes a lot to enforce the rules and causes even more fighting. No amp rules save you in lots of places. A lot of the no amp places also have rules about drums and brass instruments as well, which is good for you.
Getting through a show with no amp is a little different than getting good at your show with no amp. it's almost like a different show sometimes, which is kind of cool.
and the paint brush thing, you will learn how to the the small things with a bigger brush, which is good. force yourself to be more versatile.
I don't mean to sound preachy to you specifically Alex. This is just my general belief, and I tell my partner for the ShowOff Show this stuff all the time cuz he is way to reliant on his amp for his material.

[Lee Nelson]

God damn I am getting old

Who is this Evan spouting all this wisdom.
Is it the same little lad I met in Boulder 7 years ago? I believe so.
I totally agree with you Evan. So much. Street performing is alot older than amps. I as a rule only use my amp when I have to. I prefer to do my show without it. Makes me more versatile and a better and more professional performer. Doesnt mean I am not as good with an amp, it just means that I am totally non reliant on it.
Wow I am still blown away by how much you have grown.
I still have the hat I got off you. And I love your photos.
See ya round
\
Lee

[Juggalicious]

I still think the preference of an amp is an opinion - doesn't make you a "better performer" - maybe it makes you more of an authentic performer paying homage to how it use to be. but the true authentics are the ones that get to all of their gigs by horse and buggy and promote themselves with hand drawn posters instead of websites.

I can do a good show without an amp. I am sure there are subtleties that years of practice without an amp would bring me. But it's just not as fun for me to work without it. And isn't the reason we do this job to have fun.

The only real benefit I see to being able to do a show without an amp is that you can work the pitches that don't allow amps. If that's what you mean by versatile then yes - it makes you more versatile.

Speaking of which... I was just at the screening of Buskers for love or money and it was awesome! excellent work chad!

If you get a chance to see it - you should. i loved it.

http://www.buskersmovie.com/

[Evan Young]

stronger vs better

Having learned to street perform with no amp, and having spent lots of time working around performers who haven't, I can say that my experience has made me a stronger act. Better isn't the word (and it's not the word I used), I have better material when I can use my amp, but my past of learning to project with no amp has helped me even when I am allowed to use the amp. I'm not going to say this is street performer gospel, but I do believe it has merit.
The strongest shows I've ever seen were done with no amp, to HUGE crowds. The best shows I've seen were neither one of those. I seriously consider stronger and better two different things. "Better" is more subjective than "stronger".

so, we haven't brought up the fact that some pitches are just too much work with no amp; they are too open to bounce sound off of and there is too much ambient noise.

[Juggalicious]

thats true. ambient noise is a total killer of the no amp rule. I guess we'll have to go festival hopping together and watch different acts to find out who the grand champion is. I'm not saying you need a blaring amp to win over a crowd. But there's just something more official feeling for me when I have an amp. Like the amp is my stage almost.

So back on topic... does anyone know if its better to work Aspen the first week in august or the last.


Alex

[jeep caillouet]

amps

No amps allowed in Aspen.

[jeep caillouet]

P.S.

It really starts to sow down the first week of August in Aspen. The last week in August is very dead,the music festiful is over the 3rd week.The next good week is rugger fest , which is the 3rd week in September and is my favorite.

[zoobie]

PUNKS!



























Did you know filming begins on Busker Alley: The Movie this summer in Boulder?

[jeep caillouet]

Howdy

Zoobie, Can't afford the gas to come your way, so I was wondering How's it going, Haven't heard from you in a while. I really miss Colorado summers. Hope your new movie does good. Your friend...

[Juggalicious]

what is this busker alley movie business all about?

[jeep caillouet]

busker movie

Juggalicious, look up buskers central. com Zoobie is the man that started that some 15 20 years ago.

[jeep caillouet]

buskers ally

P.S. He also does buskers ally.com . You might find the Information you are looking for there

[jeep caillouet]

weedtiemers

P.S. I must'ave drank too much beer and smoked a big fatty, there is a picture of me under balloons on buskers ally taken some time back in the early 80's for any one out there that would like to see it