tour planning

[Jimbo]

hey there folks, friends and foes (and Byron)

I'm heading down south to do the NZ and Auzzie run, but have no idea about possible pitches, places to stay, or any of that stuff. for two years I've been waiting to do this tour, but always get scared and wuss out just as I decide to go. This year I'm gonna be a man and dive in head first and let the current carry me. I'm just looking for a bit advice as the where the rocks in the stream are.

any help would be great.

thanx alot

[ALAKAZAM]

Australia will rip your heart out and show it to you,but you'll go home a better performer,and you'll have a wicked time.
See you in the sun.
AL

[Rex Boyd]

Just go. Accept the unkown. Treat the whole trip as a learning experience. Wherever you go I don't think you'll be dissappointed as every city has changing scenes and pluses and minuses going for it.

Number one priority: meet the other performers on the street and do your best to make friends with them. Occasionally you will meet some asshole. Most performers you meet however will be helpful and quite possibly the guy who at first acted like an asshole will become one of your best friends : )

Enjoy the ride.

Rex

[Jimbo]

this much I know, i find myself becomeing to candy doted when it coms to the street. always doing easy festivals, and even my home pitch, at first it was a bich drawing in corwds but now it has gotten to easy for me, not sure if the town has changed or i i've gotten better. and thats why i wanna go to australia, to have my ego taken out and stomped on, so i can peer into it's inards and find out what kind of performer i really am.

my question is though, where is it legal and where is it not, is it legal in byron bay, and other such awsome places that i can't wait to visit.

[Jimbo]

after taking a second look at my last post i feel it is my duty to call myself an illiterate moron. my appologies to any one who might have been subjected to my horrible spelling and even the terrible grammer in the post i am currently writing i mean it's the longest run on sentance i've ever written infact i may just keep on going and attempt to get the world record for the longest run on sentance how hard can it be i've allready removed all the keys from my key board with any punctation well all except the numbers but i have removed the shift key well here i am....aw fuck it.

[Peter Voice]

Mostly you'll find busking is legal everywhere you go but you'll also find it is regulated somehow too. Phone calls to city and town Councils ahead of time will usually get you the info you need. There are good gov't websites that show you all the councils and ph. numbers etc.. Search by "State (eg. Queensland) Local Government".

In the big cities like Melb. and Syd. there is the CBD council and several surrounding councils all with separate permits. Mostly, they are free and reasonably easy to obtain (there are exceptions). Regional towns with malls can be fun to work. There are a few no go areas but usually enough pitches to go around.

What sort of show do you do and do you have to carry a lot of props into the country? If the authorities think you have come here to work without a permit, you will have considerable grief at the airport. If you can afford it, leave as much of your stuff at home and pick up what you need here. The streets will chew up your gear as well as your soul and that way, at least you'll have something left when you go home to rebuild your shattered life. Do not mention performing in any documents. Actually I wouldn't mention Calgary out in the bush either as you could find youself astride a crazed bull in the ol' cattleyard.

The next 4 months will see literally hundreds of acts throughout the whole country. You'll work harder, play harder and learn more than you will in five years at home. And you'll make some friends for life.
Good luck and I'll see you around the traps.