complicity

[jugglermatt1]

Maybe staying in a city with at least 20 workeable pitches has made me self righteous . Over there in the USA ive heard theres less than 20 pitches in the whole country , whichnis a little sad no ?
And when was the last time you saw a child or anyone with a concentration longer than 5 mins ? If you pull a good crowd , then hammer anyne who leaves , Its easy to go on for 45mins , you can spent 20 of them talking about money , the other 20 introducing your "big finish " , then hat forcefully , and job done no ? But how many people in the audience actually had fun for all of those 45 mins of show ?
Longer shows mean less shows , which means you have to make good money on every show you do .
If a group of performers get together to allow things to run smoothly then Ok , but it goes against one of the golden rules of the street "first come first served " . And with so few street rules , we should all stick together and abide by them no ?

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

No.

Jugglermatt, you're whining, no? Shut up, yes?

[jugglermatt1]

Who me ? Whining , and since when was whining banned on PNet ?Or do I have to be super positive and give out good warm feelings all the time ? If someone tells me to go to school and look up mafia in the dictionary then I have a right to say .... OOps , whining again , sorry all

[harmonicakev]

Huh?

"As far as Mark goes, I've heard that he was the first person to turn Harvard Square into an actual pitch 15 years ago... " Le Pire, 5/04

That would be 1989?

So what were Peter Sosna, Fantasy Jugglers, Locomotion, Slaphappy, Kalonymous and others doing between 1978 and 1988?

Perhaps I too need a dictionary/street performing glossary?

[gav]

Originally posted by jugglermatt1

If a group of performers get together to allow things to run smoothly then Ok , but it goes against one of the golden rules of the street "first come first served " . And with so few street rules , we should all stick together and abide by them no ?

That's got to be the most outdated 'golden rule' of the street I've ever heard of !
There was a time when there were very few street performers in this world. When I started in Australia in the early 90s, you could count them on 2 hands. At that time, that 'golden rule worked just fine. Now there are at least 15 street performers in each city in Australia, and I'm sure it's a similar situation all around the world. The rule no longer works. If there are a number of people working a particular pitch, it is far better to work out some kind of draw system such as the one that Etienne mentioned.

[Doctor Eric]

That's the same way that the circle works here in San Francisco, although we don't have "time slots" we just bitch at each other when shows start going over 1:30 unnecessarily (here, you might have to build a crowd for 45 minutes on a slow day). And "first come, first served" is not only a ridiculous rule, it's also not very true in a city where the robot guys might ambush you with a lead pipe. The only golden rule when you are talking about the streets is "Survival of the Fittest", whether that be stronger or smarter. The streets are chaos, imposing a little bit of order is exactly the right thing to do, and a draw or coin toss is completely fair. And if anyone shows up thinking they're going to do 3 15 minute shows on the only pitch in town large enough for circle shows, we just point out all of the smaller spots on the wharf where a small show can play, there isn't much time on the circle (from 6pm til when the people leave) so having little shows burning the pitch for no reason just isn't feasible.

[worldwidese]

I was wondering....

you might have to build a crowd for 45 minutes on a slow day).

thinking they're going to do 3 15 minute shows

Three 15 minute shows equals 45 minutes so doesn't that mean that both types of shows are "burning the pitch for no reason?"
Especially regarding the quality of what the punters are watching.

[Doctor Eric]

"Three 15 minute shows equals 45 minutes so doesn't that mean that both types of shows are 'burning the pitch for no reason?'"

No, as a matter of fact, your argument makes no sense at all.

Let me explain it another way worldwide.

There is ONE and only ONE spot in San Francisco where a large circle show (200 - 400 people) can work. That spot, due to pitch politics, is already given up for most of the day to the robot guys (YOU come down here and argue with them). We get it for a few hours a night, enough for 2 -4 shows, 5 on the best night in the summer. We all share it. A 15 minute show on the other hand, draws a crow of 20 to 45 people, and therefore can work a myriad of spots. It is unfair, greedy, and most of all, stupid, to do a small show on a big spot with limted time slots, the rest of us can't really work anywhere else, what would be the point?

"Especially regarding the quality of what the punters are watching."

Isn't "punters" a derogatory term? I love my audience.
And no, this argument ALSO makes no sense. The whole reason that I CAN build a crowd for 45 minutes is that people are laughing their asses off. I've had people that had to leave tip me $20 (on numerous occasions) just watching me build a crowd and tell jokes, so no, I don't think that your (misconcieved) judgement of "quality"(as if any of this shit was worth anything, it's not like you can eat it, or heat a house with it.) has anything to do with whether or not they install zippers on bananas. But thanks for playing.

[UCO]

Here in Monty the almost the same things happens, A constant battle of the first come fuck off lineups. I mean you would think that grown adults could share a concrete slab. for the day, over the past few years I have been there the draw was set up this year lasted two days. Hows is that for democracy. We are not heaps of players here but enough to make a bitch.
One of the players told me that we should run the pitch like a corporation and that senior members would get the slots they wanted and make the others wait all day so they could get the opportune moment. I responded by
F*#k your senority senor. You don't get my respect that easily, We are not going to do shows or have to wait because you have been here for 20 years.
Jugglematt:
"And when was the last time you saw a child or anyone with a concentration longer than 5 mins ? If you pull a good crowd , then hammer anyne who leaves "
I guess I am confused on this statement you are doing 15 min shows with good crowds and then bitch at them when they leave?
Umm??? That sucks:

[Butterfly Man]

I got it in the book ... you got your car here? Follow me!

According to my recollection Harvard Square "opened up" circa 1972 with Al Shakespeare (of the Shakespeare Bros.) ... Loco, Fantasy et al followed soon thereafter.

P.S. Al also was "instrumental" in starting the program at Faneuil Hall.

Trivia question: Where were the acts performing just prior to the "opening" of Harvard Sq. and what made them move.

[The Pretty Good]

Mark has been credited with the brattle square pitch. Not all busking at Harvard square. But that is a good question. Does anyone know?