Grant Goodrich – BATTLEHOOCH

Street performing a.ka. busking, what’s not to love? Oh okay, sometimes you get shut down. And right, sometimes the batteries run out. Oh, and yeah, sometimes another busker will already be playing in the spot you want when you show up. But in all fairness, if your band is looking to make ends meet on the road, network, gain exposure and a diverse fan base, and stay musically tight, then busking is a great avenue to employ.

You like making money right? You don’t want to come back home from tour broke, so you’ll need a way to pad your income and the money you make at your venue shows. Truth be told, Battlehooch made more money cumulatively on the streets during our 4-month U.S. summer tour last year than in bars and clubs. We came home in the black, not in the red. That was a big accomplishment for us, and it can be for your band too. It was made possible with a group commitment to busking. And, did I even mention how much damn fun these shows can be?

We’ve instigated some righteous and rowdy dance parties on the streets of such cities as San Francisco, New York, Portland, Seattle and Austin during SXSW. We successfully busked in the parking lot of a Primus/Gogol Bordello before our show in downtown Denver. We started one street performance in the heart of downtown Eugene at 2:00am and helped that huge bar crowd sober up with disobedient psychedelic song. It was certifiably badass.

Busking in the NYC Subway underground led to a meeting with a booking agent at one of America’s big boutique agencies. Now, that was a surreal experience. But, beware that things can get a bit ridiculous on the streets. During one street performance in the Mission District of San Francisco, some frisky creature came up and fiendishly made out with our drummer Ryan mid song! But, hell no, he didn’t drop the beat!

Treat busking not only as a performance, but as a potent promotional and networking tool in your band tool belt, both while on the road and at home. Busk effectively and you promote shows, sell merchandise and make worthwhile music industry connections. And, one of the best parts is, you don’t need to go through any traditional booker or agency to make these happen.

Seriously, the streets are ready-made venues for music. It’s not my intention to sound preachy, but the reality is, your band should embrace the potency of busking and, if you don’t, it’s time to reconsider. When you finally encounter those local street lurkers that sing, rap or dance along with your songs, or you play for some guy who leads his dog through a series of tricks while you’re rolling through the grass trying to maintain your bassline, guitar line, or vocal melody, you’re well on your way to busking success.

Grant Goodrich, BATTLEHOOCH
@BATTLEHOOCH
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