It’s a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Lawrence. For you, it’s a great day for a stroll to see and be seen. For Tyler Gregory and his guitar, Sonny Sparks and his bass, John Tuttle and his homemade drum set, Bill Wachspress and his balloons or Tim Dingus and his flaming torches, it’s the perfect day to busk.
Downtown has always been a hip place, but it’s attracting a new crowd besides everyday shoppers, joggers and dog walkers. Buskers have taken to the streets to make a living, and it’s catching on rapidly. If you haven’t heard of busking, it’s essentially street performance for gratuity.
Lawrence resident Robert Knapp works near a prime pitch (performance area) and thinks he knows why. “You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting an artist in this town,” said Knapp. In other words, the community is eclectic and accepting of the arts. Those qualities have opened up the city to opportunities like Busker Fest, which is an event that showcases local and international acts while providing a performance platform for anyone with a talent to share.
Not only is Busker Fest good for the buskers, it’s good for business, says Kathy Hamilton, director of Downtown Lawrence Inc. “Busker Fest draws people in from all over. It’s a boost to the local economy.”
Producer Richard Renner says the festival brings good publicity. “Our intention was to create an image of Lawrence as a street-performing town where the people and city support it,” he said. “So far, that’s true.”
The first year in 2008, there were 20 hired acts performing at designated pitches. They’ve added five hired acts every year and the number of affiliated acts is also growing, though the exact number is hard to gauge, he said. Two of the more popular acts have been Voler, an aerialist troupe from Kansas City, and MamaLou Strongwoman, who can rip phone books in half and fold frying pans into burritos.
This year, Busker Fest will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Douglas County — if it happens. Money is tight because major donations have come from state-sponsored organizations that face budget cuts such as the Kansas Arts Commission. Renner will know by May 20 whether or not they have the funding for the festival scheduled August 19-21. As of this week, he still needs two thousand dollars, but he’s hopeful. “We’re 80 percent there,” says Renner.
Busker John Tuttle says that Busker Fest gives busking a sense of respectability by educating the public about what street performance is and what it is not: panhandling or “flying as sign.” Banjo player Aron Claassen agrees. “I’m not a beggar. I’m just out there performing and if people choose to pay me for my performance then thank you very much,” said Claassen.
Downtown business owner Larry Billings is wary of buskers and panhandlers alike. “Aggressive panhandling is a problem. It frightens customers,” said Billings. Last year, 19 citations were written for aggressive panhandling, which is more than the citations from 2005-2009 combined. According to city ordinance 7891, busking and panhandling are legal so long as there is no verbal request or harassment.
There’s no doubt busking is challenging. It’s a gamble, says guitarist Jason Phoenix. Besides needing optimal weather and fighting dirty hobo stereotypes, buskers face the reality that the choice to tip hasn’t been easy either. “People have a harder time giving because everybody’s wallets are strapped,” said Phoenix.
The economy has been rough on everyone, but if you ask Balloonman (Bill Wachspress) why he’s busked for 29 years, it’s not about the money. “Buskers really care about the people they’re interacting with. What it comes down to is giving the audience something to take away that really has value for them.”
Tyler Gregory performs in downtown Lawrence.