I had a woman who was watching me , and I kept playing not knowing that she was crying , until about fifteen mins later , I stopped playing , and asked her if I’d done anything to offend her …I was really worried , and she threw some money in , completly sobbing saying ” No , Thank you , you touched my heart…Thank you ” Gee that stunned me , and there a buisness mean that drop in a note with tears in there eyes , saying thank you.

I write the words from my heart , but sometimes it’s tough , it’s hard work and very tiring.

Robert Doyle should do busking for 24 hours and see what it’s like .

How about it Doyle ?
Cheers everyone

I believe there is also some sort of fee for use of each time block, but I’m not sure about that.

Government: BAWWWWWW people are making a buck we can’t control, let us force our greasy mits into the pie! We’re the GOVERNMENT!

Busking should be totally unregulated save for acceptable performance hours. Stuff London’s approach.

Her stint at DJs got her coverage on the telly at the time, she is clearly someone with an interesting life story.

Adrien, I wouldn’t dispute that some of the amplified acts in the Mall are talented musicians. I will keep a look out for the Japanese blues dude. But it can also be a question of musical taste or preference, and you don’t really have a chance to opt out of listening when it’s so in your face, due to the loudness. So by allowing good acts to mike-up, isn’t it creating a precedent that allows all cashed-up buskers to amplify their music?

Those South American folk singers in traditional garb play great music i’m sure. But with all their speaker boxes it really takes over, would prefer to listen to their Andean ballads (if that’s the right description) in comfort at home. They’ve been there for years, they must have made a packet by now, seems like instead of hiring a concert venue, they’ve got an almost cost-free venue. And they would probably get the Lord Doyle seal of approval over some lone guy with a guitar who’s just starting out.

I was in town early on a summer Friday night a few years ago when there was an astounding number of Bible preachers spruiking their wares, all with microphones. Being both loud and hyperbolic in its hell fire and damnation message, the hubris of it was offensive. So i just think, be done with the mikes and that puts everyone on a more level playing field.

Thankyou feral sparrowhawk for your explanation of MCC preference shenanigans. Why would they want Doyle over Ng, i wonder? Guess it’s the Boys Club, they understand each other, these Spring street types – and Brumby & co. are desperate to keep the big end of town on side(Like Labor everywhere over the last decade or so).

Frankly, it’s hard to trust that Doyle appreciates the varied tastes of Melburnians.

Errh, I think I know the person you mean, and IMHO she can’t play a note, and single note pinging in an “atmospheric” fashion is not music.

That said however, have a look at how London does it. High traffic sites are identified and buskers audition and are licenced. This seems to be what Doyle is talking about.

The sites are allocated in 1 hour blocks (every Tuesday I think). An acquaintance of mine (who is a professional musician) does this. He works the Tottenham Court tube for a few hours most Saturdays and does quite well. About 200 GBP an hour he reckons.

I believe there is also some sort of fee for use of each time block, but I’m not sure about that.

Although he wishes he was.

Have you met the guy? I have. And I bet he won’t last long as Lord Mayor. He’s got the worst people skills of any professional pollie I’ve met. He can only talk up or down, never at the same level.

On the other hand though, he may do the math and bubble up in the role. Like Irvin Rockman. (A very sardonic Melbournian in-joke there)