San Francisco

[StrongEntertainment]

To everyone,
I will be working in San Francisco for the next month. Do you know any performers I should try to get in touch with while I am out there? Feel free to reply directly to me.
Robert@StrongEntertainment.com
Thanx!


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Robert Strong
www.StrongEntertainment.com

[Frisbee]

Best places in my opinion to meet the area juggling performers are at Pier 39 and at the juggling night that takes place at the San Francisco Circus School on Frederick Street every Sunday night from about 6:30 - 9ish...I think thats the time it ends.

You will meet some of the areas best here. ;o)

[scot]

If you're looking for the easiest place to street perform, don't look at San Fran. This city gives you and the tourists a feel that there is something exciting going on right around the corner. If you can't be that exciting thing around the corner you don't have much of a chance. If you can't prove that you have skill, you don't have much of a chance either. I believe the high number of beggars and near-beggars in the city contribute to the general hardness of most pedestrians.

I perform at Fishermans' Warf in San Francisco. It's good during the summer time. January and February are probably the hardest months. You have to be prepared to work hard to make money. The best pitches for me in my big circle show are at the enterance to the Anchorage Shopping Center and the Granite circle across from pier 41. I mostly go out at night since the People who occupy those spots during the day are in drug induced commas by that time. Most of the time, people who say, "I am a street performer in San Francisco" really mean, "I perform on the stage at Pier 39." Pier 39 is an easy place to do your stuff. It goes by audition only. You send your tape to Scottie Meltzer and buy performers' insurance and you're on.

I got into busking because I wanted to start out working the most difficult venues; build up my ability to adjust. Fishermans' Warf is definately not a cake-walk. There are noise and silvermen and the tourists want to keep walking to see what other crap they can buy.

Also, during the few weeks around Christmas you might want to stop up at Union Square. It's quiet and there are lots of holiday shoppers. Still the mood of the spectators is kind of the same.

Palo Alto is nearby also(less than an hour) with a pitch near the Burger king on, I think, University. I haven't seen anyone perform there, but it's a good place for a slow crowd draw.

[Byron Bertram]

Hey, I've worked The Anchorage pitch in 98. The pitch looks deceiving because it looks so small, but I've done some huge hats there, and the crowds I thought were really great. Hard to stop at first, but once you have them they rock. I might be try to come back to San Fran in a few months for a bit and would love to get some spots at Pier 39. Does anyone have Scott Meltzer's contact info?

[scot]

Scott Meltzer

Scott@ComedyIndustries.com

415-239-7747

261 Sussex Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
USA

[scot]

Stuff is a changin' The anchorage is building an In 'n' Out Burger place at the entrance. It juts out and messes up the pitch. It makes it hard right now. Not many people really want to go down there right now andy ways. A lot of people think that pier 39 is the whole thing. No one else cares but me. bye

[Frisbee]

Scot,

Why all this whinning about San Francisco?...if you dont like it all that much why are you there? I happen to think that all over San Francisco there are a lot of great pitches and the Pier, though it is great is not all that there is to offer...I got a quick bit of footage on MTV a little over a year ago just working the street at no particular pitch at all...And what do you have against In-and-out Burgers..they are hands down the finest fast food burger in the west? suck it up! ) c-ya in about a month...we will have to hang out. I move into my apartment in mid April.

[theballoonman]

the best burgers in san fran...MO's burgers on grant st...down from north beach video....
hmmmmmmmm....hamburgers....

fat guys know their burgers....
mike shick

[Byron Bertram]

That sucks, they messed up the Anchorage pitch? Shit. I was thinking of coming down in the fall. Are the Crate Slugs still working there? What about that pitch right by Pier 39? The circular piece of pavement. Are the South American band still bogarding it? As soon as they finish a set, that Carribean band starts up. That's what it was like in 98. Has that change at all? Anyone know? Any other spots beside Pier 39?



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Byron

[scot]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by Byron Bertram:
That sucks, they messed up the Anchorage pitch? Shit. I was thinking of coming down in the fall. Are the Crate Slugs still working there?

Crate Slugs? You mean the silver guys? There are a lot to deal with. The one we've been having trouble with lately hit my friend today. He punched him in the face. My friend stood up and hailed the cops toward him. We've been waiting for something like that to happen. They are all pretty easy to get along with except Eric (in the mask - plays the radio - fists of fury) and Brice (bald head clean, spandex)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">
The circular piece of pavement. Are the South American band still bogarding it?

Yeah, it's the Peruvian Band, then the steel drums. Mixed with dog guy and some drag queens, maybe a clown. I usually just work at night but Lately I've been hanging out. Sometimes I can get a show it there. Union Sq is ok. It's closed for renovations now though. I don't really know very many other pitches. Some things downtown would be alright if I had amplification.
scot nery

[Byron Bertram]

Sounds like the same shit that was going on when I went there. So the Anchorage pitch is pretty much screwed for circle shows? How're the shows at Pier 39? I know they moved the stage, and I'm sure everybody is still bitching, but have people been pulling off good shows there lately?

[scot]

You can still do shows at the anchorage but it isn't a good idea right now. Yesterday Brice, the other silver guy, was second on the spot. He left his stuff there all day. We would be willing to share the spot with him but, he won't put up with that. We didn't see him all day and he came back at night after our shows. He pulled a roll of quarters out of his pocket for packing his fist and chased us into a restaraunt. We called the police and he left before they got there. When the officers left, he was back hiding by Chris's car waiting for us. It was pretty obvious ( he was holding an umbrella ). Then, since we wouldn't come near the car , he picked up a brick and was about to throw it through the rear window. Chris started shouting "look at all these witnesses. You do not do that. That is a crime." It stopped him and eventually he left. I'm done though. I don't want to go to the warf any more. I'm tired of dealing with thuggary. I'll just start getting gigs and stuff. They've turned it into a game noone wins.


Pier 39 is ok. It's clear in the back of the pier and a lot of people go in and never see it. You can get good shows going there.

[Byron Bertram]

Hey Scot, that's fucked man. I'm probably be coming down at the end of April or May sometime, so keep me up to date on the scoop. If you need any support or back up at the Anchorage pitch, I'll be in your corner. (Not implying I want a blood bath or anything)

Also, have you tried working Berkly Campus on the weekends? Or Palo Alto? How're they?


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Byron

[scot]

I'm outa there now. I checkt out berkeley one time and it seems they have trash drumming in that square place. It's an ok place to practice. It had some weird energy like I wasn't asian enough to be there. Either that or there was a bug in my electric collar.

Palo Alto (eng. tall pole*) was ok. Don't make anti SUV or Abercrombe jokes there. Slow crowd build. Try taking your own light with a light bulb socket to ac plug adapter for maximum something. It was fun. People were nice. It was hard to get a crowd together but a fun challenge. People will wait for a while since nothing is going on there. The pitch is near BurgerKing at the Litten Plaza on "University? Street"

I think I gave some info on this post. Now I'll leave it up to everyone else that busks in these areas.


*Discussed with my friend in nashville** tonight. It actually could be based on the drug induced movie "Shaft".


**My current and summer location

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The Lonnie Anderson of juggling,
Scot Nery

[Irina]

San Francisco is no-good for big shows, I saw incredible travelling buskers there, not able to fing a pitch. It is very 'local" - you set up, and somebody comes by telling you that they were working this spot for 20 years...Did anybody else had a problem with a yo-yo-dude? He's scary....Boxing champion and all, he gave me really hard time in 2000...And he comes to any newbie working Pier 41 and intimidates them, though he's a typical "illigal vendor", not an artist or a busker... But, honestly, there are no good places for big shows on the Wharf anyway. As to clowning, acoustic music, any kind of walk-around 'take-a-picture-with-a-freak" deal - it's great. As long as you are small and roaming - that's the place to work. Union Square is great for X-Mas, from the day after Thanksgiving till X-Mas Day, it is THE PLACE. Market street is another option. Check out Jack London Square in Oakland - they have farmers market every Sunday and welcome buskers. Berkeley has a great street fair for X-Mas, and as long as you are working for tips and set up on a corner - they don't mind. I don't think they mind anything in Berkeley anytime...As long as 1st Amendment goes - SF is the nicest place of all, the liberal capital of America, cops are wonderful, people are the friendliest, and it's a pure pleasure to be there, except for unbelievable rent...I'm actually looking for a cheap room starting august...let me know if you have one...Irina

[This message has been edited by Irina (edited 04-24-2001).]