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50STAGE
BUS KERS in the
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
“ It ’ s a Sight to See ” by Olivia Brownlee ublic arts are a window into the soul of a city . If you want to get to know a place better , yes , you can visit the art galleries , the opera houses , the arenas , and the swanky theaters ... but in my experience , the real truths of most places are to be learned on the streets and in the hand-carved corners of society — things like graffiti , rock cairns , soap boxes , and of course , buskers .
Busking is simply the act of performing in public places for tips . It has a storied and sometimes gritty history in nearly every culture , and I ’ ve heard it described as “ panhandling with a skill .” But here is what Old Crow Medicine Show — who cut their teeth on busking — says about it : “ Busking is a very humble and brave act that takes courage to do well . It ’ s also about the energy of [ the arts ] being alive outside . You can walk right by it right in front of you . Sometimes busking can be a great social barometer . You ’ re able to gauge who you live with on earth .”
By the way , if you ’ ve ever encountered buskers but didn ’ t know how to react or behave , it can
50 ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE