It's Sunday! So lovely to have a nice, summery day in Brighton. It's about time - the end of July! Days like this really make a difference - a lot of people outside: tourists, international students, parents with kids etc. The whole city just comes alive - vibrant and lively. Perfect conditions for Zebra to come out and play some piano!
I usually come out around 10:30am, not many buskers around at this time. Advantage of living in a center really helps - 10min and I'm in Pavilion Gardens. The sun becomes more present as I set up my gear. Few people passing by giving me smiles. I can hear them saying "zebra" to one another, they probably have seen me busking before.
As soon as my mask goes on, I hit the epic choir chords to make everyone aware of my presence. "The show is on" and audience quickly builds up around my piano. They laugh and poke each other. Most of them have phones in their hands taking pictures and videos of me playing. The theme from "Amelie" goes down very well - I can already tell it will be a very good day!
As I keep playing crowd keeps changing. I swing my head around and often look at the people, sometimes shaking my head in their direction. I focus more on the people rather then playing the piano - I trust my finger memory. It's about engaging with people and making a contact.
I often see kids and I give them a wave. Some of them give me a wave back, some of them keep staring at me with big, open eyes. They are so funny! Parents love watching their kids reaction too - they give them a coin and push them towards me. Very carefully they make their way to the front of the piano where "zebra mat" is lying for the money. They throw the coin in and laughing they run back to the parents as fast as they can.
The day goes well, the time comes to 12pm and I have to move to give space to another buskers (famous man with an African drum and his partner with a soprano sax). We have a little conversation while I pack my stuff. I wish them well and keep moving.
Bond street is my best second choice, but I often get moved by police there. This time I'm smart. I know it's the tobacco shop that's calling police - I go straight in and ask the owner if I could play for no more than one hour promising to move straight after. He looks at me with a grin, but then agrees. I'm really happy! This day is really going well.
Bond street very busy, people wondering through the lanes. The narrow streets make it look packed. I quickly set up and begin my set as usual. It's going well straight away. I keep getting smiles, laughs. People imitate horse sounds (not knowing the fact Zebra's actually have their own sound). Lunchtime is a very good time to busk on this street - sun is facing me like a spotlight.
A family settles down on the other side of the street next to the pub. A little girl keeps looking at me and her father holds her hands. They become my main audience and I play for them. Sometimes I give them a wave and shake my Zebra head to make little girl laugh. Few kids stopped by and comment on the amount of money I got. "He must be rich," says one of them. I smile behind the mask and give him a funny head shake.
I finish my set one hour later as promised to the Tobacco shop and pack my stuff. My fiancee comes along on the bike to give me a kiss even though I am all sweaty and smelly... I decide to take a little break, come home and have lunch...
Around 2:15pm I come out again. First I try Pavilion Gardens, but I notice an orchestra setting - they often have concerts there on the weekends. I can't go back to Bond street and quickly decide to try East street.
East street is a very nice place to busk, there are at least three restaurants with tables outside, street serves as a link between seaside and Pavilion gardens - lots of foot traffic. The only downside of busking here - the spot is always taken by a big jazz band. They are regulars here and probably have been playing there for many years. According to the council busking leaflet (advisory) you can only busk in one place for 1h, these guys seem to be there 24/7. I think it's unfair to other buskers...
So what I do - I just move a little bit up the street and play on the crossroads with Bartholomews. It's a very nice spot around 4pm when sun makes a turn and it gets a lot of sunshine. I was there around 2:45pm. The street was packed with various street traders, a fortune teller, portrait artists and also a massage therapists which is quite tempting after a long day of busking...
Anyhow - I talked to one of the street traders, he's a really nice guy, sells different hand-crafted jewelry and bubble guns. He was holding in hands his 5-year-old son Omar, I never met him before, really cute boy. In the end I set up just opposite his stall and began my usual Zebra show.
I played for 1 hour, as always got lots of attention. The friend I just spoke to making bubbles with the bubble guns - goes really well with my music. In the middle of set I noticed someone has put a 10-pound-note on my Zebra mat. I feel really appreciated when someone gives me such an amount. I wish I noticed the person at least to say thank you...
I finish my busking day at 4pm. Played 3.5h. Really great day, wasn't tired at all - that's how it should be. It pays off when you look after yourself - no point forcing the busking process. Have a nice lunch, drink plenty of water - it's all important.
This is pretty much how a usual busking day goes. Lots of positive emotions, joy. Being Zebra is really fun and I feel like I made a lot of people happy today. This is what I will think about before I go to sleep. Tomorrow is another day. Hope it brings as much fun as today!
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