tenlittlebullets | (no subject)

You know what beats the shit out of minimum wage? Busking on the Metro. Seriously, I have a running "I'm a vocal performance major, which means I'm going to end up singing for change on the subway for a living" gag, but if I hit rush hour I can easily make $15-20 an hour.

The downsides are that it tires my voice out enough that I can only do a few hours at a time, I occasionally get harassed by security and I'm still not sure if it's allowed under protected speech, and I lack the motivation to kick myself into doing it on a regular basis. But if I can overcome the last bit, earning enough money for the road trip will be a piece of cake. And it's loads more fun than being a cashier, and I found a station with amazing acoustics.

Am royally pissed about being told off by the security guard though. Apparently "soliciting and panhandling" aren't allowed on the Metro, but they can't stop people from randomly bursting into song due to First Amendment free-speech protection. The question is whether standing around singing and holding out a hat, but not asking anyone for money, counts as soliciting. I'm inclined to say it doesn't, because busking on the Metro is fairly widespread and I've seen crotchety jerks online complaining about the fact that there's no way to stop it, not to mention the few cities who do try to ban it are in legal hassles right now... but I didn't argue when I was told to go away. Was ready to throw in the towel anyway, and too tired to cause a stink. Will probably go into a giant freedom of speech snit if they try it on me again.

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JERKS!
That's one thing that never made sense to me. Why ban performers? Sure they want some bucks but they're not asking for money. If you just have your case open or a hat out, that's more voluntary. If they ban performers, they should ban those annoying guys who try to sell 10 dollar candy bars "for a good cause" like to help kids or something but they have no organization they're affiliated with. They always try to leech off of students at my campus.
Besides, it's not like you're begging, and I don't call that soliciting.
What I CAN get away with is playing music in the park. Most officers don't approach you and if they do you can say you're simply playing for your own personal pleasure. Especially if you're just sitting on a bench, minding your own business, they don't seem to mind very much. It's not asking for money in any way but people will drop coins or bucks in if they like your playing/singing, ect.
I would try the 1st amendment thing with the singing... anyway, the cities who ban it or try to do that are just jerks. Where's the freedom of expression?
Ugh.

Yep. I'm pretty sure it's legal for the reason you said--you're just making music, if people want to give you money that's their business. If they try to stop me again, I'm totally going rabid-libertarian on their asses. (I don't want to sing in the park. The subway has great acoustics. XD Singing for personal pleasure, indeed!)

The jackass security guy who told me off probably just didn't like Gilbert & Sullivan. XD

I never understood why busking and street preforming was so looked down upon. I've had numberous run-ins with the authorities about it. It's ridiculous.
People should be happy that there's some whimsy in the world.

On the London underground you have to have a permit to busk, or they're allowed to throw you out. I think that it's stupid because some of the people who I occasionally see getting told to stop are really good. Then again, you can make serious money during rush hour so *shrugs*.

I wish I lived in an area where I could run into random people singing in the subway.

But when I was last in Pittsburgh there was this lady DANCING and playing her VIOLIN and I had to give her money 'cause i was just that impressed.