We had already decided on a few places to go, with the idea of circling them a few times throughout the day. First we went just outside of the market as we figured it would be quite a busy place. We set up in the doorway of a closed down shop and began to sing. At first I was a little nervous, but as soon as I realised that people did not stare and judge I felt it all fade away and I allowed myself to completely get lost in the moment and enjoy it fully. Even when one of us messed up it didn't seem like a big deal, we were just there having fun and any money we made from it was an added bonus.
After finishing up our set there we moved to the other end of town, in all honesty this was probably the quietest part of town, but it was where we had the most fun. We sat down on a step at the back of a Church, facing the shops and began to play again. A few people stopped and threw us bits of change and we got a lot of smiles off people as they passed. A couple of boys passed and waved and a slightly trampy man stood and watched us for about two songs.
At the end of the second song he started talking to us, asking if they were own lyrics and how long Tom had been playing. He was impressed when Tom said that he had only been playing since Christmas and asked if he could have a little go on the guitar. To be completely honest, i did not expect much from this man as the way he was dressed suggested that he did not have much of a life, but he picked up the guitar and bought it to life. He was incredible! He sang a folk song and told us how he was impressed with our songs before wishing us luck and leaving.
We never asked this man his name so on our walk back home we decided to call him Smithy.
After this we moved once again to the centre bit of town where all the buskers go. We had been unable to go there before as there was already someone busking but by this time they had moved on. We played again and had a little girl, stood staring at us for minutes, completely mesmerised by our playing. To be acknowledged like that was a beautiful feeling. Kids especially seemed to be attracted to what we were doing and it reminded me of when I was younger and used to see buskers in Dudley - I had never imagined then that one day that could be me!
After sitting in the sun for hours playing music and singing and Tom losing his plectrum inside his guitar about three times we decided it was time for some food. After this we really felt the full effect of how tiring the day had been and decided that we just wanted to sit by the river playing to ourselves, relaxing.
We found a nice spot facing the river, just by the water fountain where children were running round in the warm sun and we played. A huge group of school children passed us, I think they might have been on a trip there were that many of them, and they all watched and listened as they passed.
I don't know about anyone else, but to me, it doesn't seem like summer until you can hear the soundtrack of peoples lives. Whether that be from a passing car or an open house window, someone listening to their i-Pod or a busker in the street.
Yesterday for me, really felt like the first day of summer. And I gave it my own soundtrack.
Meeting people like Smithy made me realise just how much I want to be a part of this world, just how much I want people to hear my life's soundtrack on their warm summers day and just how much I really do enjoy performing, even if it only be to the birds swimming downstream.
Yesterday marked the ticking off of another thing on my list of 100 things to do before I die list. Number 95 - Go busking. I cannot wait to do it again.
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