Taipei Street Music

It’s easy to perform as a famous musician.

Seriously.

I didn’t say that it’s easy to become a famous musician, nor did I state that it’s simple to maintain fame. I just said that it’s easy to perform. For people to drop their hard-earned cash on tickets just to see you play live virtually guarantees that your performance will be greeted by nothing but cheers and encouragement. It’s like being a Republican in Texas or a minister giving morning mass. A famous musician performs in front of a captive audience of the already-faithful.

Try being a street musician. That’s the missionary work, having to expose your music to people as unfamiliar with you as they are unfamiliar with your sound.

Thankfully, Taipei’s authorities are a little lax when it comes to street music. I am only personally aware of one performance shut down by the police and it was done grudgingly. The performance in question had gathered quite a crowd and some of the local residents were complaining. So apparently, while the powers-that-be enjoy hearing good music around Taipei some of the residents do not. Anyway, it’s not uncommon in the more “business” parts of the city to head out to lunch or after work and catch the sound of a saxophone or guitar drifting through the air seeking converts.

Creating art to the beat, tenor, and tempo of the city…just like street photography.

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