AN ARTS AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH COUNCIL-FUNDED REPORT

FROM BRASS BANDS TO BUSKERS: STREET MUSIC IN THE UK

Elizabeth Bennett and George McKay INTRODUCTION | 1

AS LONG AS CITIES HAVE CREATED PUBLIC MEETING PLACES AND THOROUGHFARES, PERFORMERS HAVE STAKED A PRESENCE IN THEM.

SUSIE TANENBAUM, UNDERGROUND HARMONIES (1995: 33)

EXECUTIVE Photography: Pixabay SUMMARY CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

A busker in an underpass, carol singers in the square, teenagers 1 INTRODUCTION Throughout history where people have gathered in shared public spaces, playing guitar on a high street corner with their cases laid out performers have been present amongst them to entertain, practice their craft, 2 HISTORY hopefully before them, marching bands parading through city and earn a living. However, despite the ever-present place of street music centres; anybody who engages with shared public space has at 6 CULTURAL POLICY in the soundscapes of our daily living, there may be not as much about the some point encountered street music. From the historical protection AND LEGISLATION subject in comparison to many other areas of musical study (Watt 2019: of royalty for the Elizabethan city waits, to a site of conflict on the 71). But there is some, and we have made it our business to find it, read it, 8 STREET MUSIC ADVOCACY thoroughfares of Victorian London, to its position today in urban annotate it for other users, and overview it in a structured report, here. regeneration via culture, street music remains a ubiquitous presence AND CAMPAIGNING in our contemporary environments and continues to be both a source In this report we intend to explore the existing research and policy writing 10 PLACE-MAKING, SPACE that has been undertaken in this area, and to indicate the rich possibilities for of surprise and debate, pleasure and nuisance. AND COMMUNITY further study. Our approach to this is fourfold. First, we aim to investigate and Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the purpose 13 PROTEST AND enhance the knowledge and understanding surrounding street music; second, of this report is to chart and critically examine available writing about SOCIAL MOVEMENTS we propose to examine the cultural value of street music; third, we wish to the historical and contemporary presence of street music in the explore the scope of street music practice within the UK in particular; finally, cultural landscape and our shared public spaces, drawing on both 16 CREATIVITY: PERFORMERS, we plan to consider the role of street music in the continual formation PERFORMANCE AND AUDIENCE academic and ‘grey’/cultural policy literature in the field. The review of communities and our sense of place. presents research findings under the headings of 19 FESTIVALS, CARNIVALS, From a source of wellbeing and social unity, to a means of increasing visibility – history LIVE AND OUTDOOR ARTS and knowledge of diasporic and migrant cultures, and a site of attraction for – cultural policy and legislation 22 FURTHER RESEARCH tourists, the literature shows that street music plays a significant social and – street music advocacy and campaigning cultural role at local and international levels. 23 BIBLIOGRAPHY – place-making, space and community While the report deals primarily with street music within the UK, it does draw – protest and social movements on critical work from English language scholarship internationally. The report PROJECT INFORMATION – creativity: performers, performance, and audience considers a range of music that takes places on the streets, with a primary The report was written by Dr Elizabeth – festivals, carnival, live and outdoor arts. focus on live music production. Literature was limited to academic books and Bennett and Professor George McKay journals, and policy/’grey’ literature, but largely does not contain newspaper The report concludes with a set of future recommendations for of the University of East Anglia, as or magazine articles. The report includes work from musicology, historical research. To accompany the report, a substantial annotated part of the Public Culture and Creative geography, cultural geography, urban planning, performance studies, and law. bibliography has been produced, which is freely accessible online, Spaces project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council-led Street music provides multiple opportunities for interdisciplinary study. via the Connected Communities website ( connected-communities. Connected Communities programme org/index.php/street-music-in-the-uk-annotated-bibliography/). (connected-communities.org). Project administration at UEA was provided Image above: Buskers in London. by Michelle Bagnall. Cover image: Busker envy in Liverpool 2008. Photographer: dreese. CC BY-SA 3.0 2 | HISTORY | 3

… BRAZEN PERFORMERS ON BRAZEN INSTRUMENTS, HISTORY BEATERS OF DRUMS, GRINDERS OF ORGANS, BANGERS OF BANJOS, CLASHERS OF CYMBALS, WORRIERS OF The predominant mode of academic discourse FIDDLES, AND BELLOWERS OF BALLADS. surrounding street music has been historical. This section traces the evolution of street music in the UK CHARLES DICKENS, ON LONDON’S STREET MUSICIANS, by surveying the current literature on historical modes 1864 (QUOTED IN PICKER 2003: 42) of musical street performance.

AN ANCIENT ART FORM the saving of the Israelites (ca. 1500 However, it is from the minstrels Among the places in Europe in through travelling spectacles such STREET BALLADRY Paul Oliver (2003) has shown how BCE), as well as musical performers of the Middle Ages onwards that which minstrelsy continued to thrive as the mystery plays—references As a result of the proliferation of the various forms of itinerant street on the streets of ancient Rome street music becomes more widely beyond 1300 was England. Although to the wandering minstrel tradition printing press in the 16th century, a performers have existed historically; depicted in the mosaic of street documented. Very early minstrels minstrels had an itinerant lifestyle, continue into the early modern new musical presence arrived on the with street music considered to have performers on the walls of the Villa were the goliards, a loose term some had benefactors and patrons period (Brayshay 2005: 431). The streets in the form of the ballad seller been present since streets existed. del Cicerone, Pompeii. Additionally, applied to groups of itinerant singers who supported them. Many were decline of the minstrel who played (also referred to as ballad singers and Oliver traces instances of street harps, lyres, shawms, and trumpets who were lower clergymen in less fortunate and spent the greater from memory was also hastened ballad mongers). Street balladry was music in the Bible, for example the are noted to have been played in Europe. Their performances were part of their time travelling to seek by the rise of more professionalised an occupation held by both men and women, and followers of Miriam, who the streets of ancient Assyria often satirical in nature, aimed at the audiences. During periods such as performers who could read musical women. Situated predominately in are playing their timbrels to celebrate (Oliver 2003: 71). church, society, or the hedonism Lent when their services were not notation (Milsom 2011). cities but also found in village squares, of the wanderer, and comprised of required, they could visit ‘schools’ ballad sellers would sing the printed THE WAITS song, prose or poetry performed in for minstrels, fiddle players, and songs they were selling (Atkinson The practice of the itinerant street Latin (Paxman 2014: 19). trumpeters in western Europe; these 2018: 83). musician was further limited by the were international assemblies where Often printed on a single sheet of TROUBADOURS development of the waits. The waits musicians could improve their craft, paper referred to as broadsides, The better-known performer were established in the 13th and learn new songs, and meet with with the text in verse or in prose and of medieval minstrelsy is 14th centuries as a night watch for other players (Wegman 2002: 11). surrounded by a woodcut image the troubadour. Associated towns and cities and comprised (Atkinson and Roud 2017: xi), one predominately with the Moorish- REGIONAL GUILDS of male wind instrumentalists who of the principal subjects of ballads influenced courts of the Provence Regional guilds for minstrels were would pipe the watch (Scholes would be the current affairs of the region of Southern France, the established in places such as 2011). As well as becoming day; a broadside from 1540 narrates origins of the troubadour can be York, Beverley, and Canterbury. widespread geographically the fall of Thomas Cromwell (Taylor traced to Poitou and Gascony, and Membership of such guilds required across England in the following 2012: 20). Broadsides was relatively troubadour influence extended into centuries, their duties diversified, the means to pay an annual fee, cheap, which meant that they were Italy, Catalonia, and Spain, and again benefitting those with regular and they became civic minstrels widely purchased. By the 1660s over courts across Europe (Gaunt and income and stable patronage. Those who focused on musicianship and 400,000 were being sold annually in Kay 2012: 3). without means or protection, and performed at weddings and other England (Capp 1985: 199). considered outlaws by the Church, ceremonial occasions. Operating within the period 1100- With urban population increase due to spent their time on the move 1300, troubadours were traditionally In addition to carrying out the the industrial revolution, the numbers between markets, fairs, and other knights who composed and watch, waits were highly valued of ballad sellers likewise grew. As gatherings in which a crowd might performed courtly love poetry and by municipal authorities and were David Atkinson notes, this period of be sought. music. They travelled between provided with salaries, liveries, economic growth, industrialisation, courts where they were received as In 1469 a guild of royal minstrels chains of office, and uniforms expansion of literacy, and increased honoured guests who provided both was established by Edward IV, those bearing the towns arms (Brayshay road travel, was also a time of entertainment and news from their minstrels not so recognised became 2005: 436). City waits were mostly widening disparity between classes, travels (Cohen and Greenwood 1981: more vulnerable to increasingly strict disbanded by the early 19th century, and ‘it is not surprising, therefore, that 29). The troubadours have been the laws on vagrancy and licenses. although the term wait continued to those who eked out what must have subject of revision, including studies Although associated predominantly be used late into the 19th century to been a frequently precarious existence of female troubadours, or troubairitz with the medieval period—with describe street musicians who sang singing and selling ballads were (Bogin 1976, Bruckner 1995, drama becoming a dominant Christmas carols (Scholes 2011). commonly depicted as rogues and The Picture Art Collection / Alamy The Picture Sankovitch 1999). art form from the 14th century, vagabonds’ (Atkinson 2018: 73). Villa del Cicerone, Pompeii. 4 | HISTORY HISTORY | 5

IN THE BEGINNING, MUSIC WAS ‘FOR FREE’. IN THE STREETS THERE WAS AN ORCHESTRATION OF CLOGS CLATTERING, TRAMS RATTLING, HOOVES BEATING, BARREL ORGANS GURGLING, TEMPERANCE BANDS BLARTING AND BUSKERS SERENADING.

EDNA BOLD, ON EARLY 20TH CENTURY MANCHESTER (1978: 23) 2.0 Wilderness Kev is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND Barnes Salvation Army Band

damaging to the recovery of those of words, ‘a sensory approach to popular in Northern coal-mining the domestic middle class who were understanding the city as a sonic towns during the 19th century; and invalids, frail, or unwell (see Picker space that orchestrates different, were often sponsored by industrial 2003: 45; Simpson 2017: 96-104). often conflicting sound cultures’ concerns. Trevor Herbert views (Boutin 2015: 3). them as highly significant, not least Image credit: WilliamImage credit: Hogarth, CC0 1.0 As John Zucchi explores, so because ‘one of the achievements of William Hogarth, The Enraged Musician, 1741. prominent were the concerns of BANDS TAKE TO THE STREETS the brass band movement was that noise, class tension, and foreign In addition to the history of solo or it created what was probably the first influence, that other issues Yet, in the work of 18th century London were estimated by Mayhew ANTI-STREET MUSIC small groupings of musical street mass engagement of working-class within street music such as child artists such as William Hogarth, as over 1,000, with ballad sellers CAMPAIGNERS performers (commonly associated people in instrumental art music’ exploitation, say, were all but street singing is ‘described and totalling at quarter of that figure Contributions to this struggle against with the term busking, and discussed (Herbert 2000: 10). overlooked (1998: 88). depicted [as] integral to the life of the (Mayhew 1861; Oliver 2003). street music encompassed articles extensively below), the streets of The portability of brass instruments city’ (Atkinson 2018: 94). Hogarth’s in the press, Punch cartoons, While the street music opponents Britain have also been populated by Ballad sellers form part of the picture enables bands to perform outdoors The Enraged Musician (1741) depicts Charles Babbage’s chapter on have understandably dominated the music of bands. German bands of the extraordinary ‘street music and on the march. Brass bands thus a classical violinist practicing indoors ‘Observations on Street Nuisances’ the discourse around the musical were a common part of Victorian debates’ of 19th century London became and, to an extent, remain a and protesting against the noise in his book Passages from the Life activities of Victorian cities, both street music scene. Less formal than (Picker 2003; Simpson 2017). The fixture of civic parades and events. of a London street populated by of a Philosopher (1864)—which at time and subsequently, recent many of the newer types of band burgeoning metropolitan professional The Victorian era saw the introduction the ‘unlearned’ hoi polloi of ballad includes a letter by Charles Dickens scholarship has called for attention belo, they consisted mostly of brass middle class began to wage ‘a battle of bandstands to public parks singers, street hawkers, and street countersigned by many other to other sources of information on instruments, but sometimes also to impose the quiet tenor of interior prominent writers and artists of the (Rabbitts 2018), which facilitated musicians (Johnson 2017: 69). the reception of street music of the strings and woodwind; the ‘German’ middle-class domesticity upon the day—MP Michael T Bass’s Street bands being able to play in less nineteenth century (Watt 2018a: 3-8; name came from the ubiquitous use BALLAD SELLERS rowdy terrain outside’ (Picker 2003: Music in the Metropolis, and the favourable weather conditions, as Simpson 2017: 94). of the saxhorn. Although the ballads across this 42). Their occupations included subsequent 1864 street music well as providing acoustic support. period have been preserved through lawyers, writers, artisans, musicians, debates in Parliament. Such sources would include archival Numbers reduced dramatically Salvation Army brass bands broadside collections, relatively little is doctors, and scholars (Simpson material, neglected interviews with during and after World War One, with The Italian organ grinder was a originated in the 1870s and known about the lives of ballad sellers 2017: 93). street traders and performers, the bands becoming synonymous particular target of anti-street music developed parallel to the British and street musicians beyond their recollections from memoirs of people with ‘the itinerant, the vagrant, and The streets of London at the time campaigners, with three main brass band movement (Salvation depictions by artists, appearances from different classes, professions, the irresponsible in German culture were a source of much sound, from explanations given by scholars. First, Army, 2019); they are strongly in legal records, and street music and backgrounds, and collections of in Britain’ (Etheridge 2016). Brass the street cries of hawkers to the there were elements of xenophobia associated with seasonal traditions oppositionists. However in 1861, street cries from folksong collectors instruments have been present in wheels of carts, but the origin of and protecting English streets, in the UK through their presence Henry Mayhew published his core such as Lucy Broadwood (Watt various forms in villages, the military, sound, or noise as it was widely culture, and people from foreign at Christian festivals such as social document, London Labour 2018b: 17-22). and the church (Herbert 2000: 15). referred to, that became the main influence and invasion. Second, Christmas. Military bands have and the London Poor, which included point of consternation for the new aesthetic taste and sensibilities Other scholars employ new BRASS BANDS also been common fixture of street numerous interviews with street urban professionals was … street were significant, through which methodologies, thus shifting both The creation of formalised parades, civic, and royal occasions, musicians, such as ‘Old Sarah’, a musicians. John Picker explains that campaigners sought to maintain object and gaze. As highlighted by brass bands was in part due to with the military indeed being the visually-impaired hurdy-gurdy player the ‘fight against the oppression of social divisions and hierarchy of class, Watt (2018b: 21), Aimée Boutin’s industrialisation, and the growing single largest employer of musicians who performed on the streets for street music was mounted in print position and wealth. Third, questions study City of Noise: Sound and working classes, advances in design, from the late 18th century onwards over 40 years. The number of street and Parliament’ (2003: 42). of health: the music of the foreign Nineteenth-Century Paris is one and expansion in manufacturing. (Herbert and Barlow, 2013: 1). musicians playing at the time in itinerant street players was viewed as such example of taking, in her Brass bands were particularly 6 | CULTURAL POLICY AND LEGISLATION | 7

Bruce Johnson has argued that a controversial licensing system at music can create in spontaneous and successive legislative acts to control a tourism site in Ireland, Adam Kaul evolving moments—such as when street music since the 19th century argues that the scheme may be performers are asked for an encore have led to its gradual disappearance perceived as a way for the tourism or have built up a crowd—can be from the streets of modern cities authorities to ‘seize almost complete limited by codes of conduct that (2018: 68). However, busking, for control over the music … dramatically require musicians to play for no longer example, continues to be a familiar reducing the amount of control than one hour at a specific pitch, for sight on the streets of the UK. musicians have over their art-form instance (2011: 416). However, such Moreover, in places such as Bath, it to the bare minimum.… [I]nstead regulation is not always received is identified as one of the attractions of an inclusive, multivocal, sonically negatively by buskers themselves, of the city, ‘creating a vibrant and cacophonous musical landscape, the with performers interviewed by pleasant atmosphere for those who tourism authorities have made every Simpson acknowledging that it visit Bath’ (Bath and NE Somerset effort to create a site that speaks with allows for fair access to prime Council, 2016). their singular voice’ (Kaul 2014: 45). pitches (Simpson 2011: 424).

AFFECTIVE ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES PROTECTION ORDERS CULTURAL Nonetheless, legislation continues Legislation surrounding street In addition to the complexity of to be a feature of modern street performers in the USA has been local bylaws pertaining to street music, and scholars such as Paul covered in studies such as Patricia performance (Simpson 2011: POLICY AND Simpson have explored the extent J. Campbell’s 1981 Passing the 425; Bywater 2007: 114), a recent to which regulatory practices Hat: Street Performers in America, obstacle facing street musicians has limit artistic expression, freedom, Harrison-Pepper’s 1990 volume been the introduction of Public Space LEGISLATION democratic access, and spontaneity Drawing a Circle in the Square: Street Protection Orders. These orders chrismetcalf is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 chrismetcalf is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA (Simpson 2011; Simpson 2013). Performing in New York’s Washington may be used to restrict ‘activities No Busking! As he has noted, recent regulation State Park, and Susie Tanenbaum’s that carried out within the authority’s has varied in severity, from codes of 1995 book Underground Harmonies: area which have a detrimental effect conduct drafted by local authorities Music and Politics in the Subways on the quality of life of those in the MUCH OF THE HISTORY OF STREET marching bands by both Protestant at the more tolerant end, to the of New York. (There is no such locality’ (Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime PERFORMANCE IS FOUND IN THE and Catholic communities’ (McKay licensing systems requiring auditions equivalent wealth of scholarship in and Policing Act 2014). 2007: 22). that operate at locations such as the UK.) More recently John Juricich This law prompted concern that LAWS THAT PROHIBIT IT. Covent Garden and the London (2017) has argued that busking and FINES AND CONFISCATIONS PSPOs would or could be used to Underground, and performers being the solicitation of tips is protected SALLY HARRISON-PEPPER, In Camden, London, an area ‘target informal performances of banned completely. Thus, even in under the first amendment and DRAWING A CIRCLE IN THE SQUARE (1990: 22) previously renowned for its busking art and music on the grounds that cities ostensibly keen to produce an explores the case law around the free scene, the council introduced some people don’t like buskers a regulation in 2014 to make urban atmosphere and street content speech rights of buskers. The history of street music can Beggars and Vagabonds (Joseph and find them annoying’ (Keep performing without a license an of creativity, through processes of indeed be charted through its 2000: 62). The street music debates In Australia, Julia Quilter and Streets Live 2014). However, as offence. This meant fees of £19 to auditions of and permit-granting for legislation and regulation. In ancient of Victorian London led to the Luke McNamara (2015) examine raised by Keep Streets Live and play with a regular license and £47 street musicians, a form of ‘affective Rome, the death penalty was the implementation of restrictions against recent shifts in busking laws in other busking campaigners, the for a special one. On application, engineering’ takes place (Simpson punishment ascribed to those who street musicians in the 1864 Act for Melbourne and Sydney, away from potential difficulties in differentiating performers had to wait 20 working 2011: 416; Thrift 2004: 58). composed or performed libellous the Better Regulation of Street Music the criminalisation of busking in the between ‘the antisocial minority and days before a public consultation, writings and songs in the streets within the Metropolitan Area. Further, through auditions it is 19th and 20th centuries, to a permit genuine performers’—as they were which would deem if they were (libelli famosi) in the Twelve Tables possible to see how both quality and system that both encourages and distinguished in a House of Lords In Northern Ireland, following allowed to play. Those performing (Shuger 2013). repertoire could be controlled, as controls it. In their view, now ‘the debate on the bill (Parliament, House early legislation in the form of the without a license could face a one performer has explained: ‘I am law validates and protects, rather of Lords, 2014)—are numerous and In England in 1531, Henry VIII Procession Acts in the 19th century, fine of £1000 and instrument slightly wary about auditions as we than imperils, the contributions that complex (KSL 2014). The overall introduced the need for itinerant the emergence of the Troubles led to confiscations. This legislation resulted don’t want every busker in Bath just musicians and other performers issuing of PSPO-related fines rose street musicians, along with other the introduction of further regulation in a high-profile, though ultimately playing Vivaldi. I’m sorry but Bath is make to Australia’s two largest cities’ from 2,000 in 2016 to 10,000 in travelling tradespeople, to hold aimed at controlling street music. This unsuccessful, protest organised by very conservative. It is the variety I (Quilter and McNamara 2015: 590). 2018 (BBC 2019). licenses, and those found performing has included the establishment of the campaign group Keep Streets believe that makes Bath busking fairly without one could be whipped on two the Parade Commission, a ‘quasi- There can be more subtle effects of Live, joined by performers such as special’ (quoted in in Simpson 2011: consecutive days under the terms autonomous committee with the legislation, though. Simpson asks Billy Bragg and Bill Bailey (KSL 2014). 426). Discussing the introduction of of the Statute for the Punishment of legal authority to control parades of whether the sociality that street 8 | ADVOCACY AND CAMPAIGNING | 9 Photography: Gavin Mills

BUSKERS ACT AS CIVIC LIGHTHOUSES. WE GIVE DIRECTIONS. WE BREAK UP FIGHTS. WE TALK TO THE LONELY. WE CREATE MOMENTS BETWEEN SPACES, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE STREET MUSIC ENRICHMENT OF URBAN SPACES. WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT ADVOCACY AND THE WELLBEING OF THE PLACES WHERE WE PERFORM. JONNY WALKER, KEEP STREETS LIVE CAMPAIGNING Jonny Walker at the Camden protest, 2014. Street music is the focus of a number of advocacy campaigns. One of the most prominent in recent ONLINE INFLUENCERS StreetMusicMap was established in sharing, discussion forums and peer pride in their place’ (Outdoor Arts years has been the Keep Streets Live Campaign. Set Online platforms, social and digital 2014 to interactively document street support,’ and more (NASA UK). Audience Report 2018). up in the wake of increased regulation for performers media have played notable roles music across the world. Operating in Camden, Keep Streets Live was created by the Outdoor Arts UK is a membership THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET in the promotion of street music primarily via Instagram, the acclaimed late Jonny Walker—a popular busker across the organisation that aims to ‘bring As the Victorians showed us, in modern urban environments. project encourages people to UK in cities such as Leeds, Norwich, London, and together the many diverse parts of organisation can function effectively The Busking Project is a website upload pictures and videos, and has Liverpool—to ‘protect public spaces for informal the Outdoor Arts sector. Members in opposition, too. Networks against that allows users to tip buskers presented over 1,000 artists in 93 offerings of music and the arts’ (KSL). are individuals, companies and street music have been established electronically, hire street performers countries, filmed by more than 700 organisations working in different by those who have felt disturbed in for events, buy their music, and collaborators. StreetMusicMap also forms of outdoor arts’ (Outdoor their domestic and professional lives BEST PRACTICE FOR BUSKERS key recommendations to promote connect with performers globally. uses Spotify to create global busker Arts UK). Its activities include event by the conduct of buskers and street Keep Streets Live has been positive and neighbourly relations playlists (streetmusicmap.com). As a community interest company listings, information about training performers. For example, the Anti- successful in creating a number between users of shared public (CIC) they exist to ‘promote, OUTDOOR ART NETWORKS opportunities, members’ networking, Nuisance Busking Oxford is a group of well-received best practice spaces in the city, and will enable the celebrate and defend buskers There are also a number of report commissioning, advice for that was set up in order to campaign guides for buskers, created in busking community to flourish and with tech, advocacy, research and organisations and networks for street emerging artists, and advocacy for for street musicians in Oxford city partnership with local authorities, exist harmoniously alongside local opportunities’ (busk.co). World and outdoor arts. These include the the sector in cultural, governmental, centre to be ‘properly regulated by the businesses and residents. The first, business’ (Musicians’ Union 2014). Street Music is a video-blog that National Association of Street Artists and funding contexts. In partnership city council’ (ANBO 2008). Formed in Liverpool in 2014, was designed in Keep Streets Live have since charts ‘amazing street performers’ (NASA UK), a network managed with the Audience Agency, it by people who work and study in the collaboration with the local branch of worked with other councils in the across the world. Created in August by a steering group, which aims to produced an Outdoor Arts Audience area, the group claim that they are not the Musicians’ Union, the Liverpool UK, including Accrington, Bath, 2012, the project produced a provide support and development Report in 2018, which found that anti-busking per se but are instead Business Improvement District, Birmingham, Canterbury, Chester, documentary The Phenomenon of opportunities for UK-based street ‘outdoor arts have the power to ‘in favour of ensuring that we get a Merseyside Police, and Liverpool City Worcester, and York, to produce best Street Music that has been viewed artists, including musicians, ‘through amplify a sense of community, and pleasant pavement culture on the Council, and was claimed as the first practice guides ‘based on dialogue, by 130,000 people on YouTube engaging in strategy and policy to change people’s perception of street’ (ANBO 2008). guide of its kind in the UK (Musicians’ mutual respect, and backed up with (worldstreetmusic.com). discussions, advocating for the place.… A majority of their audiences Union 2014). Intended for buskers, properly-used enforcement action sector and networking with key reported an increased sense of law enforcers, businesses, and where necessary’ (KSL 2014). organisations, providing information belonging, social connection and residents, the guide ‘sets out some 10 | PLACE-MAKING, SPACE AND COMMUNITY | 11

THE DYNAMIC OF AUDITORY KNOWLEDGE MAKING MUSIC IS A PROVIDES… A KEY OPPORTUNITY FOR WAY OF THROWING MOVING THROUGH THE CONTEMPORARY BY MUSIC BACK INTO THE CREATING SHARED SPACES THAT BELONG STREETS—STREETS IN TO NO SINGLE PUBLIC AND YET IMPART A WHICH PEOPLE REALLY FEELING FOR INTIMACY. BEGIN TO LIVE AGAIN.

BRANDON LABELLE, JENNIFER WHITNEY, ON ACOUSTIC TERRITORIES (2010: XXI) THE INFERNAL NOISE BRIGADE, ANTI-CAPITALIST MARCHING BAND (QUOTED

Photography: Ferrara Buskers Festival IN MCKAY 2007, 22) Ferrara Buskers Festival

be considered ‘creative’ and ‘global’ impacts on diversity and inclusive take place in ‘routinized and Similarly, although buskers are (Bennett and Rogers 2014), the forms of place (re)making … where alienating environments’ (1995: 1-2). described in current civic literature PLACE-MAKING, potential for street music to produce the city can be reimagined, debate as adding ‘diversity’, ‘local colour’, Michael Bywater further conjectures moments of spontaneous joy, can occur, new identities may be that street music creates liminal time and ‘vibrancy’ to cities (Norwich SPACE AND cohesion, and conviviality appears to forged and marginalised voices for those who stop to listen, time to City Council 2019, Glasgow City be an urgent area for further enquiry, can be heard’ (2016: 59). Yet, they just be and not do, to step away from Council 2019, Cardiff City Council research and consideration. continue, in research terms ‘the role the ‘stress of modern daily life’, which 2019), street performers continue to of migrant street musicians in the he sees as ‘a complaint against occupy something of a controversial COMMUNITY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL? constitution of, and encounter with, the appropriation of liminal time … and even oppositional place in the Street music can also be a space ethnic and cultural diversity in cities an unowned time in which we are everyday life of modern cities and in Street music can create positive atmospheres, relations, of diversity, where audiences has only briefly been considered’ literally in transit: the traveller has no fact such apparently celebratory civic and places (Bywater 2007; Doughty and Lagerqvist who watch, listen, and enjoy the (Doughty and Lagerqvist 2016: 59). appointments so long as he or she is literature perspectives ‘often take the 2016; Harrison-Pepper 1990; Simpson 2011, 2013, 2014; performance together are made up of Tanenbaum 1995). There is also a danger that the travelling’ (Bywater 2007: 118). form of brief mention or by way of a people from different socio-economic caveat to the introduction of some representation of culture becomes This is echoed by Simpson who backgrounds. As Tanenbaum form of legislation or imposed control’ a commodity and people feel that illuminates the positive affect of A number of recent academic studies Doughty and Lagerqvist discuss states, street music is ‘accessible to (Simpson 2014: 160). nationalities are being staged, street music for listeners who have have focused on the potential of this in terms of street music’s ability everyone regardless, of income, race, and thus become inauthentic— impromptu encounters with it, ‘to the Simpson states that ‘streets street music to create moments to facilitate ‘moments of egalitarian gender, or age’ (Tanenbaum 1995: ‘performances were often described extent of elevating [listeners] from have never actually been free or of joy, surprise, and togetherness togetherness, moments that 19; emphasis added). as a gimmick, a business idea, a well- their everyday routines and concerns democratic spaces’ (Simpson 2011: (Doughty and Lagerqvist 2016; encouraged co-mingling across To be accessible to everyone is thought-out concept for selling the and so engendering a sense of 418), and through differing degrees Simpson 2014; Williams 2016). multiple existing lines of difference’ a profound cultural claim. The same thing everywhere, as something wellbeing’ (2014: 149). of censorship, control, and omission, Transient gatherings of people rushing (2016: 65). Street music convivial musical performances themselves out of Disneyworld’ (Doughty and various groups of street musicians MARGINS OR MAINSTREAM through their daily lives stopping affects may in turn effect the health are also potentials for diversity, Lagerqvist 2016: 65). have been subject to marginalisation, to become audiences for street and well-being of the urban populace, with both performers and musical The history of street music may again exclusion and restriction. performers, and the possibilities for as Simpson argues, ‘producing repertoires encompassing a variety of The relationship between street be seen through performers being ‘in’ music and liminal spaces has also VICTORIAN VIEWS broader social cohesion, are explored positive atmospheres in public nationalities, providing opportunities and ‘out of place’; moving between been explored by contemporary the mainstream and the margins The nationalism and xenophobia through notions of community. spaces through diverse (if fleeting) and platforms for diasporic and scholars (Tanenbaum 1999; (Simpson 2017: 98). As such, whilst present in the Victorian anti-street Termed by Tanenbaum as ‘transitory social relations … in addition to the migrant cultures, and space to Simpson 2011; Bywater 2007). city waits could be afforded royal music debates offer a stark example communities’ (1995: 105), busking music itself’ (2014: 160). celebrate multicultural, cosmopolitan of this, with Italian organ grinders and street performing are viewed Street music creates an ‘urban ritual patronage, minstrels were ‘thought In an era in which high streets cities and populations. referred to as ‘“Savoyard fiends” as ‘facilitating moments of contact that challenges the way we think of as lecherous and irresponsible are struggling and urban spaces Through examining the role of South fly-by-nights’ and in general to be or “blackguards” that smelled of a between strangers and therefore about public space by promoting are increasingly ‘presented as American pan flute musicians at spontaneous, democratic, intimate mobile in the Middle Ages was ‘to combination of garlic and goat-skin’, producing a more convivial form of environments of incivility and Sergels Torg, a ‘failed public space’ encounters’, and, as Tanenbaum be without place, both socially and and vocabulary used about musicians public space’ (Simpson 2011: 423). indifference’ (Simpson 2014: 161), yet in central Stockholm, Doughty and argues with particular reference to geographically’ (Cresswell 2012: 11). consistently evoking dirt and disease: while cities are increasingly aiming to Lagerqvist explore how ‘busking subway stations, these encounters 12 | PLACE-MAKING, SPACE AND COMMUNITY | 13

‘they “infest” the streets having DISABILITY Michael Accinno’s study of civil war brought a “certain vice from Italy” … Additionally, discourse on disability veteran organ grinders in post-bellum the streets “swarm with vagabonds” and access has received relatively America provides multiple avenues (Simpson 2015: 2). little attention in scholarship on street for further exploration, including Photography: Bob Naylor/reportdigital.co.uk music thus far. In the 1980s Cohen applying Susan Schweik’s critical Although on a more moderate and Greenwood discussed the war approach in The Ugly Laws: Disability scale, recent research conducted veteran as ‘one traditional aspect in Public (2009), which ‘deconstructs by StreetMusicMap has shown of street music that still lingers in cultural efforts to sort beggars from that fewer than two out of ten London’, and highlighted the work performers, the worthy from the street musicians are women of Ernie and Jack; having been shot unworthy, and real from fraudulent’ (StreetMusicMap 2019), and further during the Second World War while (Accinno 2016: 405). Accinno cites research into the historical role of working as a stretcher bearer, Ernie earlier examples of disabled veterans’ gender in street music may yield subsequently busked on the streets street music activity, not least that of other insights. As McKay has noted, of London for 35 years playing the Empress Maria Theresa, who in the ‘street music is heavily gendered banjo outside London underground mid-18th century introduced licenses and must therefore compromise the stations, with Jack acting as his for veterans of the Seven Years’ War liberatory claims’ it regularly makes bottler (money-collector) (Cohen and to play barrel organs in Hapsburg (2007, 22). Greenwood 1981: 181). territories (Accinno 2016: 405). Woman singing at RAF Greenham Common at the end of the Embrace the Base GOING UNDERGROUND protest when 30,000 woman joined hands around the 9-mile perimeter fence, 1982. Following the growing hostility towards street musicians in the Victorian era, the opening of the London Underground became a PROTEST fertile space for busking. As Brandon Labelle comments, ‘the underground Photography: George McKay allowed the busking musician new- AND SOCIAL found opportunities to play outside the particular tensions walking the London streets had; and one could MOVEMENTS reach an extensive public without Throughout recent history, where people have taken to WE’LL FACE THEM having to roam the streets through the streets in protest, solidarity, occupation, revolution, the rather unpredictable weather’. intimidation, and celebration, music has been present. WITH REFUSAL WE’LL FACE THEM However, this territory further served From anthems of the civil rights Historically, ‘rough music’ or charivari to mark the characterise ‘the movements such as ‘We Shall was a tradition practised regionally WITH SONG. busker as an itinerant, panhandling Overcome’ that have spread to other in England from medieval times ANNA READING, beggar by contrasting to the social movements in the West; to through to the 19th century. Usually more professional classes that the the familiar sight of samba bands formed by people playing instruments ‘THE SILOS SONG’ underground trains mostly served’, dispersed amongst marches against including trumpets and drums and FROM GREENHAM thus arguably perpetuating the the rise in student fees protest, the banging together household objects COMMON WOMEN’S narrative of the vagrant outsider Iraq war, and austerity; to trade such as ‘pots, pans, basins, spades, PEACE CAMP (2015) (Labelle 2010: 17). union brass bands, the songs of the animal horns, bells, and tongs to Greenham Common Women’s Peace make a cacophonous sound’ (Marsh Camp; and the protestivals (St John 2010: 37), it was generally performed 2015) of the Reclaim the Streets as a way of displaying disapproval movement, music has been a way of at a person’s behaviour or of their making your voice heard. violating social and community norms, and it involved ‘music and street theatre, mockery or hostility’ (Thompson 1991).

Left: Disabled busker, Glasgow, 2009. 14 | PROTEST AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS PROTEST AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS | 15

I KNOW THAT IT’S SPRING AND DARK WINTER IS PAST WHEN I HEAR THE SOUNDS OF THE PROTESTANT MARCHING BANDS… FOR IT IS THE MARCHING BANDS THAT ARE KEEPING OPEN ROADS FOR PROTESTANTS TO WALK UPON.

IAN PAISLEY, UNIONIST POLITICIAN,1986 (QUOTED IN MCKAY 2007, 20)

McKay has explored the relation Acoustic music, especially played on the streets of Brighton and MARCHING BANDS contradictory gamut of military and However, embedded within the between such ‘rough music’ and on the guitar, became an emblem Lewes until he died in 2010. During Nor is it only folk music. Traditional pseudo-military practice’—they parading traditions of the two major hat has been called the ‘rough side for resisting commercialized music the period of his chart success, jazz marching bands were a mainstay are ‘also so very different from one communities of republicans and of unionism’ in the context of the in the late 1950s and early 1960s, in February 1969, he organised of the Campaign for Nuclear another—…in terms of ideology, the unionists are ‘the sense of separation Northern Irish parade band tradition establishing the ‘amateur acoustic a concert at the Royal Albert Hall Disarmament annual Aldermaston politics of repertoire, gender, cultural and difference that has been at (2007, 26-29). performer as a symbol of authenticity featuring fellow street performers marches in the late 1950s and early tradition and innovation’ (McKay the root of the conflict’ (2000: iii) and accessibility in opposition to the called Buskers’ Happening 1960s (McKay 2004; 2005, ch. 1). 2007, 20). This has been seen most and during the 1970s, following 1960S star system of the popular music (LaBelle 2010: 18). For many street In his 1958 book Jazz in Britain, strikingly of course in recent decades the reclamation of street music by The 1960s is hailed as a time of industry’ (Bennett and Rogers 2014: musicians, the spontaneity and David Boulton wrote of how the in the powerful and intimidating Protestant youth, there was a, ‘shift resurgence for busking, with the 456). One-man-band Don Partridge freedom of their practice continues new scene’s ‘attempts to establish a practice of the parade bands in in balance from the parade as a folk movement being one of the key had top ten hits in 1968 with songs to be a means of resisting capitalism, British marching style could spark off Northern Ireland. statement or celebration of religious influences. As Prato suggests, the ‘Rosie’ and ‘Blue Eyes’. However, commercialism, and control, as part such a new music. If we were to bring and historical tradition to a more cultural-political turmoil of the period Jaime Rollins states in Battle Cries he preferred the lifestyle and ethos of an alternative economy (Harrison- jazz out into the streets of our towns overt, sometimes uncompromising ‘primarily involving the younger and Lullabies that the parade of busking and returned to it shortly Pepper 1990; Tanenbaum 1995; and cities,’ he continued idealistically, display of its political underbelly’ generation, led to a rebirth of the tradition in Northern Ireland is about afterwards. He continued to perform WorldStreetMusic 2019). hearing another kind of political (McKay 2007: 27). folksinger as a popular stereotype, ‘the commemoration of events and street music, ‘then jazz might once able to attract many of the new anti- people, the prioritizing of political This division could lead to conflicts on again develop a music of the people’ conformist expectations’, thus putting aims and objectives, and maintaining marching days between republican (quoted in McKay 2005, 65). into motion, ‘both a vast process memory and historical narrative marchers and unionist parade bands, of music self-education especially But there are different approaches, through music’ (Rollins 2018: 19). Catholic residents, the police and on the guitar and a “return to the too. The marching band tradition Furthermore, in The Irish Parade army; as in the dumcree standoff in streets”’ (Prato 1984: 153). of accompanying a political Tradition, Seamus Dunn and Valerie the town of Portadown, Northern

Cover Art: Anthony Thompson demonstration, or being the focal Morgan highlight that there is an Ireland (2007: 23), with clashes Characterised by nomadism, point sounding a political statement ‘historical, cultural and emotional during marching season from 1995- revolution, and autonomy, and in the street via its musical presence, significance of the need many 2000 gaining international attention modelled on prominent figures such is an important one. While ‘marching communities feel to join together in and unfolding against the backdrop as Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, the bands are resounding in their public demonstrations’ (Dunn and of the peace process. folksinger became a mainstay of similarities—choreography, the Morgan 2000: viii). the busking scene. In the protest Mark Howard Ross observes that rhythm of drumming, uniforms, the songs of the folk movement—and after 2003 there was a different tone in busking’s continual relationship to marching season in Portadown to music with socio-political and wider Northern Ireland with messages—it may also be possible ‘significant de-escalation in the to observe what Joseph Williams rhetoric and provocation from all describes in his article ‘Busking in sides’ (Ross 2007: 115). musical thought’ as its ‘capacity

to catch us unawares at our most Photography: © Ken Colyer Trust insular and exposed moments as we auto-navigate the paths of everyday life, potentially impelling us toward new courses of thought and action’ (Williams 2016: 142). Buskers Concert, Royal Albert Hall. Recorded in January 1969 by Don Partridge.

Omega Brass Band, ‘FREE OUR HEALTH SERVICE’ (c. 1962) 16 | CREATIVITY: PERFORMERS, PERFORMANCE AND AUDIENCE |17

WHEN YOU’RE STREET PERFORMING, YOU’RE CREATIVITY: ON A TIGHTROPE. YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHATEVER COMES ALONG… THE WEATHER, THE PERFORMERS, IN THIS GAME, THE EQUIPMENT, THE SOUND QUALITY MIGHT NOT BE WEATHER’S THE WHAT YOU EXPECTED. CAN YOU STILL DELIVER PERFORMANCE GUV’NOR AND THE A PERFORMANCE? BUSKING IS THE ULTIMATE COPPER’S THE VERSION OF THAT. GET GOOD AT BUSKING AND AND AUDIENCE FOREMAN LATER, WHEN YOU’RE PLAYING THE PYRAMID 2.0 CC BY-NC-SA Photography: Katy Stoddard THE HAPPY WANDERERS STAGE, YOU KNOW YOU WON’T BE FAZED. As Billy Bragg notes in his ‘How to Busk’ guide (2014), Frank Turner and Billy Bragg busking, street music is a means through which musicians, SINGER BILLY BRAGG (2014) London, 2013. singers, and performers may practice their craft.

The immediacy between the The ability to transform passers-by associated with the informal, the CULTURAL PRIORITIES The freedom, variety, and spontaneity one to buy a mijwiz, and that’s only performer and the audience is a into an audience is also foregrounded untrained, and the amateur A recent news item highlighted these afford by unregulated, or lightly counting the ones who told me so key feature of street performance by street musicians as a test of their (Prato 1984). tensions over cultural and priority, regulated, street music, thus also personally afterwards’ (quoted in and subway music (Tanenbaum talent and performance, as a busker detailing an incident between Dame leads to issues of quality control, Bywater 2007: 100). Thus, as Schafer states, ‘after art 1995; Labelle 2010; Simpson interviewed by Bywater recounts— Helen Mirren and a parade promoting which can mean that for some music moved indoors, street music It is therefore possibly to see 2011), both intensifying the intimacy ‘when you’re busking, they’re not the a gay and transgender festival on people, ‘performers appear to them became an object of increasing how through both opportunity for and interaction, and in some audience. That’s not what they’ve Rupert Street, London. Leaving as little more than beggars, or that scorn’ (Schafer 1980: 66). Reception, musicians to finesse their craft, and circumstances, ‘requiring more in come out to be. They’ve got other the nearby stage of the Gielgud their performances constitute little class, and taste have also played a for audiences to be exposed to new the way of improvisation by the things on their mind. And your job is Theatre in the middle of one of her more than noise or an unsightly part in the valuing of street music. musical styles and instruments, performer’ (Simpson 2011: 420). to make them be an audience for a performances in The Audience as obstacle that annoys residents or In terms of repertoire, the organ busking pitches may be conceived bit—hopefully long enough to drop Queen Elizabeth II, Helen Mirren disrupts trade’ (Simpson 2011: 427). Improvisation is a skill needed by the grinders of Victorian London were of as ‘sites for learning’ (Webster and some money in your hat’ (quoted in is reported to have shouted at the street performer for more than the often playing music that in its However, once licensing schemes McKay 2016: 13). Bywater 2007: 100). drummers in the parade, ‘Quiet! I’m audience-performer relationship, the ‘original’ form was being consumed that require auditions are introduced trying to do a play in here! People Value also plays an interesting unpredictabilities reaching far beyond MUSICAL VALUE by the new middle classes. or buskers and other street have paid a lot of money for tickets’ role in the coverage of a busking that to a variety of external factors. However, the craft and creativity performers are banned altogether, However, even when music from (BBC, 2013). experiment in the Washington As Harrison-Pepper points out, of street musicians has also been the possibilities for surprise, nostalgia acceptable repertoires was being Post. One January morning in ‘helicopters, barking dogs, traffic, disparaged, and indeed the term Festival organiser Mark McKenzie occasioned by songs from the past, played, ‘for certain sections of the 2007, virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell babies, hecklers—all become the street musician can all too often embraced the performativity of the diversity of styles and nationalities, population these organs managed went ‘undercover’ as a busker in stuff of outdoor performance, and ‘carry with it pejorative implications situation, instructing his performers and freedom from the mundane to transform such music into the L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station, the better a performer can transform of impoverishment and an inferior ‘let’s end this now because we can’t everyday are restricted. A user on undesirable and disturbing noise.… Washington. The question posed these potential disruptions into status’ (Oliver 2003: 71). With the do better than that’ and stating the notice boards of Lewes Forum it was not so much an issue of what by the Washington Post was, ‘in a entertaining diversions … the more rise of concert halls and other indoor during the press coverage, ‘not much captured these debates in their was played on the streets but rather banal setting, at an inconvenient successful they will be’ (Harrison- music venues for skilled, professional shocks you on the gay scene. But comment on the “Standards of how it was played that affected time, would beauty transcend’ Pepper 1990: 114). performers and formal recitals, the seeing Helen Mirren dressed as the busking on the Precinct” thread, some listeners the most’ (Simpson (Weingarten, 2007)? space left outdoors began to be Queen cussing and swearing and arguing: ‘I say let it be. If you let 2017: 101). making you stop your parade – that’s people perform on the streets you get The general consensus was no, as 1957 record of Soho, London busking group ‘The Happy Wanderers’. That street music has been perceived a new one’ (BBC, 2013). all sorts. Real gems and real howlers. in the time that Bell played, seven as lacking in prestige is underscored I’d rather all than none’ (Lewes people stopped to listen of the Street music may also be performed by Williams in his observation that Forum, 2011). 1000 that passed, and he collected by those with little, or no, musical the majority of literature pertaining $32.17 from 27 people. This was ability as a legalistic device; a SITES FOR LEARNING to musical street performance has despite Bell being, ‘one of the finest recorder player of ‘pitifully abbreviated Diverse or unusual instruments are been produced outside of music classical musicians in the world, tunes’ interviewed by Bywater also a feature of street performance. scholarship, and that ‘the idea of playing some of the most elegant explains that, ‘if you don’t play As one London Underground busker musical value has no doubt played music ever written on one of the you’re, like, begging. They kick you from the 1980s put it, ‘by playing a role in the small amount of literature most valuable violins ever made’ around. But I’m not begging with in public pretty much constantly, I on busking coming out of the (Weingarten, 2007). this recorder. What it is, I’m busking. expose many people to instruments discipline of musicology’ (Williams Everyone likes music. I don’t cause they would never otherwise hear. 2016: 142). trouble’ (Bywater 2007: 100). In doing so, I have inspired three people to buy a hurdy gurdy, and 18 | CREATIVITY: PERFORMERS, PERFORMANCE AND AUDIENCE 19

MEASURING VALUE Further recommendations from the technologically complex than that However, as Simpson highlights, report included a study that engages produced by earlier forms of street Photography: Luke Jerram these value qualifications are based with local businesses and their music which relied purely upon on audiences being defined by response to street performance, unamplified acoustic instruments’ people who stop to listen and people widening the field to all other (Bennett and Rogers 2014). who donate. Might there have been key London busking sites (such In part, the reason for this—beyond value for those who encountered as Camden, Spitalfields Market, musical progress and aesthetic and enjoyed the music in passing, Southbank), and surveying street choice—is that street musicians have or people who expressed gratitude performers, ‘to gauge the importance needed to cut through the newer and appreciation in ways that weren’t of busking as an income stream, as and louder noisescape of the city. financial, such as smiling? How might well as an opportunity to hone their While increased amplification can we understand other ‘practices of craft in pursuit of a professional music cause annoyance for people who listening’ (Simpson 2009: 2557). industry career (MusicTank 2016). might see this raising of the stakes as Recent studies on street music TECHNOLOGY PLAYS A PART further noise pollution, for others it is audiences have begun approach Increasingly levels of technology provides a welcome counter, as one measuring audience responses. have also affected the way that street musician interviewed noted: ‘I Robbie Ho and Wing Tung Au assert street musicians perform, and the think, you know, people are happy to, Street Piano, Harrow Rd, London, 2009. that unlike past studies of busking way that they are received. Where to listen music in the street because that have mainly been concerned organ grinders were once the focus it’s like different ... to what they have with performance and performers, of those opposed to street music, all the time, the noise of the car and their study ‘takes an audience amplification is the 21st century stuff and the bus’ (quoted in Bennett perspective with the aim to identify source of complaint. Andy Bennett and Rogers 2014). FESTIVALS, the components of how street and Ian Rogers have researched how Bennett and Rogers also highlight performance is experienced by street musicians have diversified their the performance energy and quality CARNIVALS, LIVE the audience’ (Ho and Tung Au craft in order to adapt to a changing aimed for by street musicians among 2018: 453). urban environment and become as the hubbub of the street, which they a result an ‘inextricable aspect of the The study was undertaken across refer to as a ‘desire for momentary AND OUTDOOR contemporary urban soundscape’ Hong Kong in what the authors stasis in performance’, and examine (Bennett and Rogers 2014). identified as the city’s most popular how such performatives desires ARTS areas for street performance, Through state-of-the-art technology can be realised by technology; with three stages of interviews, such as small-scale PA systems, how, for example, the ‘sound of a While the term street music may conjure up the solo, LONDON HAS ONE OF Street Audience Experience scale effects, samplers, and loop pedals, performance can be pushed into a or small group, performances that take place in urban THE MOST VIBRANT design, completion and analysis. they argue that the modern-day specific place and held there with an thoroughfares, doorways, and tunnels, that can be It was designed to measure the street musician produces a sound amplifier’ (Bennett and Rogers 2014). broadly termed ‘busking’; street music encompasses AND DIVERSE BUSKING experience of audiences who are that is ‘bigger, richer and more many practices, genres, styles, and crossovers. SCENES IN THE ‘unambiguous spectators’. WORLD. THIS WILL Steel Drummers, London. CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS Musicians Festival in Ferrara, Italy. Findings included that audiences Festivals are common sites and Founded in 1988 it has become BE A GREAT DAY FOR identifying positive experiences with facilitators of street music. In addition part of the identity of the city and its sense of place, novelty and technique FAMILIES ACROSS THE to public processions related to seasonal cultural offer (ISMF, 2019). donated larger amounts, and that CITY – AND AROUND displaying identity, where music is increased levels of interaction and Busk in London, a not-for-profit bound up with ‘cultural celebration THE WORLD – TO a heightened sense of place led to initiative run by Found in Music and urban energy’ (Webster and GET TOGETHER AND longer audience viewings (Ho and since 2016 and supported by the McKay 2016), such as Gay Pride, Tung Au 2018). A recent study for Mayor of London, programmes ‘over ENJOY A FANTASTIC calypso and street-based urban the Greater London Authority and 7,000 hours of live music and street SHOWCASE OF THE

dave_apple is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 dave_apple is licensed under CC BY-NC carnival, there are the programmed advocacy group Busk in London, of performance on busking pitches streets acts that accompany CITY’S TALENT, 1,042 respondents in popular, licensed across the capital each year’ and regional arts festivals such as the London street entertainment locations also runs the Busk in London Festival MUSIC AND STREET Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Brighton (Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square and (Found in Music, 2019). PERFORMANCES. Fringe Festival and the Norfolk and Portobello Road) found that 86% of Norwich Festival. Festivals have also tourists and 62% of residents surveyed SADIQ KHAN, MAYOR OF been created around busking and were in favour of busking and street LONDON, INTERNATIONAL street performance; one of the most entertainment (MusicTank, 2016). BUSKING DAY AT notable is the International Street WEMBLEY PARK, 2018 20 | FESTIVALS, CARNIVALS, LIVE AND OUTDOOR ARTS FESTIVALS, CARNIVALS, LIVE AND OUTDOOR ARTS |21

STREET CHOIRS neighbours in streets, squares, and DIASPORIC SOUNDS amplified music is played and made. perform an action together in a public people played or listened to music Choirs from the natural voice tradition door-to-door. (Though note here The place of diasporic music and 21st century carnival ‘has an explosive space and then disperse; flashmobs from the pianos’ (Street Pianos). and other musical styles are also a Barry Cooper‘s words of doom: ‘Live dance free public gatherings is vital to auditory impact due to its cacophony were harnessed by companies such The project has continued to grow, large part of our outdoor musical performances are less frequent, for understanding the depth and energy of sounds, in which soca, steel bands, as T-Mobile to create advertising with around 2000 street pianos landscape, a contribution marked, the days when bands of carol singers of British urban spaces today, as calypso floats and sound systems mix campaigns (Molnar 2014). being placed in 60 cities across the celebrated and staged each year would roam the streets during the well as their sometime contestation and mingle in a multi-media and multi- Flashmobs are performed by, and to, world, reaching as either audience or by the Streets Choirs Festival. The Christmas season have long since of majority culture. They also sensory event’ (Henriques and Ferrara a wide variety of musical styles; an performers an estimated 10 million festival has been running for 35 years passed—partly due to … the increase sound the shifting landscape and 2014: 131). Such ‘bass culture’, orchestral flashmob of Beethoven’s people (Street Pianos). and takes place in a different location in traffic noise’: Cooper 2008, 95.) consciousness of what it means to played in the streets during carnival, Ode to Joy in the Catalan town of each year across the UK. The festival’s be British. So, ‘the first carnival forms an ‘alternative soundtrack to The project’s legacy has also been to Other regional customs in which Sabadell has over 15 million views first location was Sheffield in 1984, —a Caribbean “fayre” staged in St Britishness’ (Riley 2014). inspire other grassroots organisation music is integral include mummers’ on YouTube. where it was inspired by the musical Pancras town hall in 1959—was… or individuals to donate pianos to plays, plough Monday celebrations, FLASHMOBS protest movement of the 1980s: an attempt to galvanise London’s PUBLIC ART local train stations, shopping malls, Lewes Bonfire Night, Up Hella Aa, Street music can also be found in choirs formed from striking miners’ black community… It drew on Finally, street music may also be and city squares, thus continuing and morris dancing, as well as folk flashmobs. Emerging from the cultures wives who sang on the picket lines Trinidadian traditions of costume and discussed in relation to public art. to place street pianos amongst us festivals—from the smaller scale town- of the 20th century avant-garde still regularly attend the event (Street the scurrilous political commentary For example, the public art project in many places, both locally and based festivals, to the established and countercultural movements, Choirs 2019). of Calypso’ (Melville 2002). ‘Play me, I’m Yours’ was conceived globally. Through projects such as events of Cambridge, Sidmouth, and flashmobs became a sensation in by British artist Luke Jerram ‘in ‘Play me, I’m Yours’, it is possible to CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS Whitby Folk Festivals. These practices, Within a few years, this would the millennium, aided by the growing 2008. 15 pianos were located across see how live art and music can help Calendar customs and traditions events, and festivals become for many transform into Notting Hill Carnival, practice of going ‘viral’ on the internet. Birmingham for three weeks with the us to reimagine our public spaces as are another iteration of street music inhabitants and visitors a ‘pivot around now with more of a Jamaican Taking the form of a seemingly instructions, ‘Play me, I’m yours’, and places of creativity and sharing. across the UK. The most prominent which the rest of the year is planned’ musical slant—featuring reggae spontaneous gathering of people to it was estimated that ‘over 140,000 nationally are the singing of Christmas (Webster and McKay 2016: 10). music’s mighty sound systems where carols by formal choirs or groups of

Notting Hill Carnival 2014. Morris dancers, Hastings, 2014. Photography: Poliphilo, CC0 Photography: Angel Ganev CC-BY-2.0 22 | | 23

FURTHER BIBLIOGRAPHY RESEARCH Based on this review of the academic and ‘grey’/cultural policy literature, the following are recommendations for further study: Accinno, Michael. 2016. ‘Disabled Brayshay, Mark. 2005. ‘Waits, Dunn, Seamus and Valerie Morgan. Union veterans and the performance musicians, bearwards and players: 2000. ‘Introduction’. In Fraser, T.G ed. of martial begging’. In Blake Howe the inter-urban road travel and The Irish Parading Tradition: Following – An authoritative set of cultural, historical, et al, eds., The Oxford Handbook of performances of itinerant entertainers the Drum. Basingstoke: MacMillan. geographical, musicological, and social Music and Disability Studies. Oxford: in sixteenth and seventeenth century studies of street music. Oxford UP, 403-422. England’. Journal of Historical Etheridge, Stephen. 2016. ‘Street Geography, 31(3): 430-458. music in Manchester: “Spy Fever”, the – Further audience-based research Andrews, Gavin J., Paul Kingsbury, First World War and the decline of the and Robin Kearns, eds. 2014. Bruckner, Matilda Tomaryn, Laurie “Peripatetic Professors of High Art”’. for street music in the UK. Soundscapes of Wellbeing in Popular Shepard and Sarah White. 1995. Making Music in Manchester during – Further research into street music, Music. Farnham: Ashgate. Songs of the Women Troubadours. WW1. [Blog]. New York: Taylor and Francis. wellbeing, and social cohesion. Anti-Nuisance Busking Oxford Found in Music [website]. 2019. [ANBO] [website]. 2008. Bywater, Michael. 2007. ‘Performing – Further research into the effects of legislation www.foundinmusic.com/ anboxford.blogspot.com/ spaces: street music and public busk-in-london. on the variety of street performance and territory.’ Twentieth-Century Music, capacity for spontaneous social relations. Atkinson, David. 2018. ‘Street ballad 3(1): 9-120. Gaunt, Simon, and Sarah Kay, eds. singers and sellers, c.1730-1780’. 2012. The Troubadours: – Further research into street music and Folk Music Journal, 11(3): 72-106. Cardiff City Council. 2019. ‘Busking An Introduction. Cambridge: permit in Cardiff’. Cardiff City Council. Cambridge UP. diasporic and migrant cultures. Atkinson, David and Steve Roud, 97-120. eds. 2017. Street Literature of the Glasgow City Council. 2019. – Further research into the role and rhetoric Long Nineteenth Century: Producers, Carlin, Andrew. 2014. “Working the ‘Busking and Begging’. Glasgow of street music in creative cities. Sellers, Consumers. Cambridge: crowds: features of street performance City Council. Cambridge Scholars. in public space.” In Tara Brabazon, – Interdisciplinary studies that develop new ed. City Imaging: Regeneration, Harrison-Pepper, Sally. 1990. theorisations, critical approaches, and Babbage, Charles. 1864. Passages Renewal, and Decay. New York: Drawing a Circle in the Square: Street methodological perspectives to contemporary from the Life of a Philosopher. London: Springer, 157-169. Performing in New York’s Washington Longman. State Park. Jackson: University Press and historical research into street music. Carmo, Andre. 2012. ‘Reclaim of Mississippi. Bath and NE [North East] the Streets, the protestival, and the – Further research into the economic Somerset Council. 2016. The Guide creative transformation of the city’. Henriques, Julian and Beatrice benefits of street music for the UK. to Busking and Street Performance Finisterra, XLVII(94): 103-118. Ferrara. 2014. ‘The sounding of the in Bath. Bath: Bath and North East Notting Hill Carnival: music as space, Somerset Council. Campbell, Patricia. 1981. Passing place and territory.’ In Jon Stratton the Hat: Street Performers in America. and Nabeel Zuberi, eds. Black Popular BBC News. 2013. ‘“Queen” Helen New York: Delacorte Press. Music in Britain since 1945. Abingdon: Mirren scolds drummers.’ 6 May. Routledge, 2016, 131-152. Cohen, David, and Ben Bennett, Andy, and Ian Rogers. Greenwood. 1981. Buskers: History Herbert, Trevor, ed. 2000. The British 2014. ‘Street music, technology and of Street Entertainment. Exeter: David Brass Band: A Musical and Social the urban soundscape’. Continuum, and Charles. History. Oxford: Oxford UP. 28(4): 454-464. Cooper, Barry. 2008. ‘Christmas Herbert, Trevor, and Helen Barlow. Bogin, Meg. 1976. The Women carols.’ In Sheila Whiteley, ed. 2013. Music & the British Military in Troubadours. New York: Christmas, Ideology and Popular the Long Nineteenth Century. Oxford: Paddington Press. Culture. Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, Oxford UP. 88-97. Bold, Edna. 1978. The Long and Ho, Robbie, Tung Au, Wing. 2018.

Photography: Norwich and Norfolk Festival Short of It: Being the Recollections Cresswell, Tim. 2012. On the Move: ‘Development of Street Audience and Reminiscences of Edna Bold. Mobility in the Modern Western World. Experience (SAE) scale’. Psychology Burnett Archive. Abingdon: Routledge. of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 12(4): 453-470. Boutin, Aimeé. 2015. City of Noise: Doughty, Karolina, and Maja Sound and Nineteenth-Century Paris. Lagerqvist 2016. ‘The ethical International Street Musicians Champaign: University of Illinois Press. potential of sound in public space: Festival Ferrara [website]. 2019. migrant pan flute music and its . Bragg, Billy. 2014. ‘How to busk’. www.ferrarabuskers.com/en/ potential to create moments of The Guardian. 21 March. conviviality in a “failed” public square’. International Busking Day, London Emotion, Space, and Society, 20: [website]. 2018. www.wembleypark. 58-67. com/international-busking-day-2018/

Transe Express, Norwich and Norfolk Festival 2018. 24 | BIBLIOGRAPHYHISTORY BIBLIOGRAPHY | 25

Johnson, Bruce. 2018. ‘From music Mayhew, Henry (1861). London OutdoorArtsUK [website]. N.d. Sankovitch, Tilde. 1999. St John, Graham. 2015. ‘Global days Wegman, Rob. 2002. ‘The Minstrel to noise: the decline of street music’. Labour and the London Poor. London: https://outdoorartsuk.org/. ‘The troubairitz.’ In Gaunt and Kay of action and carnivalized politics at School in the late Middle Ages’. Nineteenth-Century Music Review, Griffin, Bohn. 1999, 113-126. the turn of the millennium.’ In George Historical Brass Society Journal, (15)1: 67-78. Parliament, House of Lords. McKay, ed. The Pop Festival: History, 24: 11-30. McKay, George, 2004. ‘Subcultural 2014. Public Order: Busking and Live Shuger, Debora. 2013. Music, Media, Culture. London: Joseph, Antoine. 2000. English and social innovations in the Campaign Music, 21 January. Censorship and Cultural Sensibility: Bloomsbury. 129-148. Weingarten, Gene. 2007. ‘Pearls Professional Theatre, 1530-1660. for Nuclear Disarmament.’ Peace The Regulation of Language in Tudor- before breakfast: can one of the Cambridge: Cambridge UP. Review, 16(4): 429-438. Paxman, Jon. 2014. A Chronology of Stuart England. Philadelphia: University StreetMusicMap [website]. N.d. nation’s great musicians cut through Western Classical Music 1600-2000. of Pennsylvania Press. ‘About’. http://streetmusicmap.com/. the fog of a D.C. rush hour? Let’s find Jurich, John. ‘Freeing Buskers’ Free McKay, George. 2005. Circular London: Omnibus Press. out’. The Washington Post. 8 April. speech rights: impact of regulations Breathing: The Cultural Politics of Jazz Schafer, Murray, R. 1980. The Tuning Street Choirs [website]. 2019. on busker’ right to free speech and in Britain. Durham: Duke UP. Picker, John. 2003. Victorian of The World: Toward a Theory of www.streetchoirs.org/. WorldStreetMusic [website]. N.d. expression’. Harvard Journal of Sports Soundscapes. Oxford: Oxford UP. Soundscape Design. Philadelphia: ‘The phenomenon of street music’. Street Pianos [website]. N.d. and Entertainment Law, 8: 39-62. McKay, George. 2007. ‘A soundtrack University of Pennsylvania Press. worldstreetmusic.com/ to the insurrection: street music, Prato, Paolo. 1984. ‘Music in the www.streetpianos.com/. Kaul, Adam. 2014. ‘Music on the marching bands and popular protest’. streets: the example of Washington Schweik, Susan. 2009. The Ugly Williams, Joseph. 2016. ‘Busking edge: busking at the Cliffs of Moher Parallax, 13(1): 20-31. Square Park in New York City’. Popular Laws: Disability in Public. New York: Tanenbaum, Susie J. 1995. in musical thought: value, affect, and and the commodification of a musical Music, 4: 151-63. New York UP. Underground Harmonies: Music and becoming.’ Journal of Musicological landscape’. Tourist Studies, (14)1: Melville, Caspar. 2002. Politics in the Subways of New York. Research, 35(2): 142-145. Quilter, Julia, McNamara, Luke. 30-47. ‘A carnival history.’ Open Democracy. Scholes, Percy. 2011. ‘Waits’. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. 4 September. 2015. “Long may the buskers carry on In Alison Latham, ed. The Oxford Zucchi, John. 1998. The Little Keep Streets Live [website]. 2014. busking”: street music and the law in Companion to Music. Oxford: Oxford Taylor, Andrew (2012). The Songs Slaves of the Harp: Italian Child Street ‘The fight to keep streets live in Milsom, John. 2011. ‘Minstrel’. Melbourne and Sydney’. Melbourne UP. [Online]. and Travels of a Tudor Minstrel: Musicians in Nineteenth-Century Paris, In Alison Latham, ed. The Oxford University Law Review, 39: 539-591. Richard Sheale of Tamworth. Camden’. keepstreetslive.com/ London, and New York. Montreal: Companion to Music. Oxford: Oxford Simpson, Paul. 2009. ‘Falling on Woodbridge: Boydell & Brewer. blog/2014/01/the-fight-to-keep- McGill-Queen’s Press. UP. [Online]. Reading, Anna. 2015. ‘Singing for deaf ears’: a postphenomenology streets-live-in-camden. my life: memory, nonviolence and of sonorous presence’. Environment Thrift, Nigel. 2004. ‘Intensities of Keep Streets Live [website]. N.d. Molnar, Virag. 2014. ‘Reframing the songs of Greenham Common and Planning A: Economy and Space, feeling: towards a spatial politics of public space through digital Women’s Peace Camp’. In Anna affect’. Geografiska Annaler: Series B, ‘Company Mission’. keepstreetslive. 41(11): 2556-2575. mobilization: flash mobs and Reading and Tamar Katriel, eds. Human Geography, 86(3): 57-78. com/company-mission. contemporary urban youth culture’. Cultural Memories of Nonviolent Simpson, Paul. 2011. ‘Street Kushner, Roland, Brooks, Arthur. Space and Culture, 17(1): 43-58. Struggles. 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Ulster Covenant Commemoration Parade, Belfast, September 2012

Having championed and opposed bureaucratic restrictions on busking for many years it is hugely encouraging to see this very well researched study which looks at the origins and cultural importance of street music, its benefits and in particular its contribution to societal creativity. It is also an impressive overview of the regulation of busking and street music and the risks it presents in terms of enforced conformity and restriction of diversity. I very much hope that this report will lead to much needed further quantitative and qualitative research into the impact and benefit of street music and the effect of regulation and adoption of best practice which will inform policy makers at both local and national level so that the benefits of live street music will be properly recognised.

TIM, LORD CLEMENT-JONES

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CITATION DESIGN For a large print version of this report please www.designpod.info go to connected-communities.org/index. Elizabeth Bennett and George McKay. php/street-music-in-the-uk-large-print/ 2019. From Brass Bands to Buskers: Street Music in the UK. Norwich: Back cover image Photography: For an open access copy of this report Arts and Humanities Research Council/ Ardfern CC BY-SA 3.0 please go to connected-communities.org/ University of East Anglia DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18521.98408 index.php/street-music-report/

CONNECTED COMMUNITIES