Calgarys worst busker?

[finboy]

Seeing as many beyonders work downtown, I was going to see if anyone else noticed they guy playing 80's guitar riffs in the +15's CONSTANTLY. I normally don't mind buskers, but it amazes me this guy hasn't been kicked out of every building and +15 yet. He literally plays guitar solos all day, anyone know if there is even a line to report him?

[jwslam]

I BELIEVE there is permitting that allows musicians to do that. I haven't seen the guy you are talking about but I have seen some people who full out put up their permit when playing their music in +15's.

Try 311?

[Kinjou]

http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/Pages/Arts-and-culture/Busking.aspx

Busking Conditions:
Performances are permitted in Calgary public areas only.
Maximum performance time is one hour per busking location.
No amplification may be used.
No high risk or unsafe performances, which may put the public and/or the performer at risk (knifes, fire, etc).
Consideration must be given for other acts performing in close proximity.
No busking in sites that have been booked for events or festivals.
Busking at transit stops or in transit vehicles is not allowed.
Busking performances at parks may take place only during the normal park hours, while the park is open to the public.
No busking in areas while paid performers are working.
No busking where either the performer and or the audience gathered to view the performer is blocking pedestrian and or vehicular traffic.
All performances must be suitable for a general family audience rating.
Failure to display a valid Busker ID or failure to follow these guidelines may result in your busking privileges being removed.

+15s are public areas and if hes not blocking traffic, can't really kick him out. Unless he has an amp..

[01RedDX]

.

[bourge73]

The worst one is the guy that whistles
And he isn't even that good. I want to
Flick pennies at him everytime I see him

[kaput]

.

[flipstah]

There's a guy that plays the ukulele near TransCanada Tower.

I want to punch him on the throat.

[toyboy88]

Originally posted by kaput
I vote for the hobo with the flute that only knows 3 notes and plays them over and over and over for hours.

Haven't seen/heard this guy, but from your post…all I can imagine is "Hot…Cross…Buns, Hot…Cross…Buns" (3 note over and over)… :nut: :rofl:

[jwslam]

Originally posted by toyboy88
Haven't seen/heard this guy, but from your post…all I can imagine is "Hot…Cross…Buns, Hot…Cross…Buns" (3 note over and over)… :nut: :rofl:
The same 3 notes can also do mary had a little lamb =)
And apparently a BUNCH more
http://bethsmusicnotes.blogspot.ca/2013/01/recorder-songs-gab.html

[sexualbanana]

Originally posted by bourge73
The worst one is the guy that whistles
And he isn't even that good. I want to
Flick pennies at him everytime I see him

No way. I love the whistler!

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by Kinjou
http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/Pages/Arts-and-culture/Busking.aspx

No amplification may be used.


+15s are public areas and if hes not blocking traffic, can't really kick him out. Unless he has an amp..

The guy that's usually between TD and Canada Trust uses an amp.

I'm pretty sure the guy between the stock exchange building and Fifth Avenue place only knows Knocking on Heaven's Door cause that's all I hear from him. Except for that one time he was yelling at people passing by because nobody would give him money.

[buh_buh]

The guy between stock exchange and Fifth Ave Place is brutal.
Don't mind the hobo playing the recorder or flute or whatever. But he does piss a lot of people off.

[Thomas Gabriel]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz

I'm pretty sure the guy between the stock exchange building and Fifth Avenue place only knows Knocking on Heaven's Door cause that's all I hear from him.

He also knows The House of the Rising Sun and everyday that goes by where he doesn't get a donation, he adds someone to a missing person's list.

[J-D]

Originally posted by buh_buh
The guy between stock exchange and Fifth Ave Place is brutal.
Don't mind the hobo playing the recorder or flute or whatever. But he does piss a lot of people off.

That guy is by far the worst. He's there all the damn time, too.

The other day there were four people jamming out not far from there who were quite good, and then it transitioned into him. Ugh.

[The_Rural_Juror]

He actually defends his turf.

"RUCK RUC ROKIN on rrrarrer's waallll. "

[BokCh0y]

Originally posted by flipstah
There's a guy that plays the ukulele near TransCanada Tower.

I want to punch him on the throat.

Hahaha. Havent seen him before, but pics if u punching him please!!!

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by Thomas Gabriel


He also knows The House of the Rising Sun and everyday that goes by where he doesn't get a donation, he adds someone to a missing person's list.

Oh right, that's the other song I've heard from him.

[The_Rural_Juror]

He did Constant Craving for a while. :rofl:

[benyl]

Originally posted by kaput
I vote for the hobo with the flute that only knows 3 notes and plays them over and over and over for hours.

He stops every once in a while and reads the news in a heavy French accent. It is comical.

[codetrap]

I first heard the flute guy while I was walking by while on the phone with my wife, and SHE said I should go pay him to stop playing.

The other one that I can't stand is the guy that's often between TCPL and 5th Ave. He plays the guitar and sings, and no word of a lie he was the worst volume control and singing voice ever. He alternates between two buffalo having sex and a mountain lion in a wood chipper.

[rage2]

Originally posted by finboy
Seeing as many beyonders work downtown, I was going to see if anyone else noticed they guy playing 80's guitar riffs in the +15's CONSTANTLY. I normally don't mind buskers, but it amazes me this guy hasn't been kicked out of every building and +15 yet. He literally plays guitar solos all day, anyone know if there is even a line to report him?
He sounds pretty fucking awesome to me. :rofl:

Where do I find this guy?

[Aaaaaron]

The best one I ever saw was a guy playing 'when the saints come marching in' on a traffic pylon.

[woodywoodford]

There used to be some pretty good mumford and sons type people playing in the +15 just north of harry rosen. But the last few times I went through there was some very loud, very annoying old man. Might be the guy you're talking about.

[BigMass]

Originally posted by rage2

He sounds pretty fucking awesome to me. :rofl:

Where do I find this guy?

he plays bad riffs. No solos. It's like hearing nothing but rhythm guitar power chords and missing the rest of the band. Doesn't sing, nothing. Down that way there was that 3 piece that looked pretty professional. Now there's some transient looking guy playing acoustic that's actually pretty good. Sings too. 90s grunge / alternative stuff. Also always see that Chinese chick playing her violin.

[ExtraSlow]

I love the whistler too.

[J-D]

Originally posted by woodywoodford
There used to be some pretty good mumford and sons type people playing in the +15 just north of harry rosen. But the last few times I went through there was some very loud, very annoying old man. Might be the guy you're talking about.

Tall with lighter hair and kind of grumpy looking?

[ZedMan]

Originally posted by codetrap
I first heard the flute guy while I was walking by while on the phone with my wife, and SHE said I should go pay him to stop playing.

The other one that I can't stand is the guy that's often between TCPL and 5th Ave. He plays the guitar and sings, and no word of a lie he was the worst volume control and singing voice ever. He alternates between two buffalo having sex and a mountain lion in a wood chipper.

Holy shit, he's still there? Must be going on 3 years.

[Gainsbarre]

Originally posted by Thomas Gabriel


He also knows The House of the Rising Sun and everyday that goes by where he doesn't get a donation, he adds someone to a missing person's list.

That's pretty impressive that you can even understand what the guy between Fifth Avenue Place and Canada Place is even saying. House of the Rising Sun is one of my favourite songs and I go by that guy at least 3 times a week. I try my best to understand what he is singing, but i have yet to succeed after many years of walking past him. I thought on one occasion he was singing "Sympathy for the Devil" by the Rolling Stones, but nope, that was not the case...I swear for the life of me that I can't even make out what the heck he is saying each time I walk past him...:(

I will try to listen for "knocking of Heavens Door" the next time i walk by him but I don't think it'll help.

The guy with the flute...isn't he outside? On the NW corner of the bow parkade across from Bow Valley Square on the corner of 5th ave and 2nd street, right?

[jwslam]

Originally posted by Gainsbarre
The guy with the flute...isn't he outside? On the NW corner of the bow parkade across from Bow Valley Square on the corner of 6th ave and 2nd street, right?
That's the guy I thought... opposite to those crazy guys with the sandwich boards yelling "shame on you"

[Canmorite]

The guitar riff guy is always in the +15 between the BMO building and TD square with his shitty amp and same old songs over and over...I've heard his version of stairway to heaven at least 20 times :rofl:

[finboy]

Originally posted by Canmorite
The guitar riff guy is always in the +15 between the BMO building and TD square with his shitty amp and same old songs over and over...I've heard his version of stairway to heaven at least 20 times :rofl:

That's the guy, even with headphones in you can hear him 2 buildings away sometimes.

[adam c]

there's a guy with a recorder that sounds like he's stuck in grade 4 music class, horrible

[Disoblige]

Originally posted by flipstah
There's a guy that plays the ukulele near TransCanada Tower.

I want to punch him on the throat.
Is the the white glasses guy who sings Christmas songs during Christmas?
He's wasn't so bad during Christmas. I actually enjoyed it HAHA.

[el_fefes]

The guy between transcanada and 5th ave place is pretty bad. It's almost like he's singing to himself. Always looking down lol. I've seen him filming his performances, wonder if he's on youtube...

[se7en]

fuck. I laffed. I miss living in the big city lol.

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by Canmorite
The guitar riff guy is always in the +15 between the BMO building and TD square with his shitty amp and same old songs over and over...I've heard his version of stairway to heaven at least 20 times :rofl:

Oh, that's the guitar riff guy you guys were talking about? Yeah he sounds horrible!! Maybe he's playing to save up for a new amp haha

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Maybelater]

For years Vancouver had a guy on Granville street who would play the same rift from Stairway to Heaven over and over again. One time I legit seen a guy playing the recorder for change, that really made me laugh.

[viff3r]

Originally posted by woodywoodford
There used to be some pretty good mumford and sons type people playing in the +15 just north of harry rosen. But the last few times I went through there was some very loud, very annoying old man. Might be the guy you're talking about.
I've also seen them on the +15 between Suncor and TCPL. They are pretty good.

How about buskers outside the core... if anyone uses the Brentwood LRT on a regular basis, you've probably seen the crazy-eyed guitar playing guy who looks like a Breaking Bad extra. Gives me the creeps.

[megavolt]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


This guy gets my vote, he plays just down from 5th avenue club usually from the morning until just before lunch.

He is a short little Italian guy with the long excessively greasy flat hair and he pretends to play famous Italian music on the recorder... he also does a long verbal introduction of the songs and their history too (which is weird because if nobody is there he is just talking to himself).

Walk by flute guy every morning. I don't know if it's worse when he's playing or when he's reading the paper to us.

I realized the other day the incoherent tooting is actually the music of his madness. :cry:

[borN]

The worst busker is the guy that plays in the afternoons on the 7th ave +15 between TD and First Canadian Centre. He's the guitarist with the amp that just stares down everyone that passes by and plays the same two songs. It was the worst in November when he had a stache...

[n1zm0]

this thread makes me wish I worked downtown to witness this stuff :rofl:

[Mitsu3000gt]

The 3 worst, IMO, are:

1) Guitar riff guy in the BMO building. He is BY FAR the worst IMO. Plays the same 3-4 second riff over and over WAY too loud (people are always flinching as they walk by or covering their ears), and intensely glares at you if you make eye contact. Absolutely terrible. I'm surprised the building allows him to play at those volumes as well.

2) The guy between 5th ave and stock exchange. Can barely even hear him most of the time. He has a sign saying he's doing it for cancer money for someone else or something, which is nice and all, but literally anything else would be more profitable and a better use of his time than the $5 he makes over lunch hour. So I wonder if it isn't just a marketing ploy. Reminds me of Conway Twitty.

3) The recorder guy with the long hair. Wait around long enough and he yells racial slurs at people in between songs.

And the best, by far, IMO, is the young 3-5 person folk group with the big cello and everything. I have seen them at other 'gigs' downtown as well and they are way better than any of the other buskers I've seen.

[borN]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
The 3 worst, IMO, are:

1) Guitar riff guy in the BMO building. He is BY FAR the worst IMO. Plays the same 3-4 second riff over and over WAY too loud (people are always flinching as they walk by or covering their ears), and intensely glares at you if you make eye contact. Absolutely terrible. I'm surprised the building allows him to play at those volumes as well.

2) The guy between 5th ave and stock exchange. Can barely even hear him most of the time. He has a sign saying he's doing it for cancer money for someone else or something, which is nice and all, but literally anything else would be more profitable and a better use of his time than the $5 he makes over lunch hour. So I wonder if it isn't just a marketing ploy. Reminds me of Conway Twitty.

3) The recorder guy with the long hair. Wait around long enough and he yells racial slurs at people in between songs.

And the best, by far, IMO, is the young 3-5 person folk group with the big cello and everything. I have seen them at other 'gigs' downtown as well and they are way better than any of the other buskers I've seen.

:thumbsup:

On a sidenote, does anyone have any great nicknames for the guitar riff guy?

[D'z Nutz]

Grabbed these on the way home today. Sorry for the crappy videos, but I was trying to look like I was texting haha

"Guitar Riff Guy" @ 6ave SW +15
RaY7nxeCVZA

The amp actually doesn't sound too horrible when there's more room, but it's really bad when he's in the 7ave SW +15 leaving TD.


"Knocking on Heaven's Door" @ 2nd Street SW +15
qVe4WPN9Yxg

And yes, those aren't bad acoustics. That IS his singing. NONE of the words of that song sound like that, even phonetically. I don't think he sings when he does House of the Rising Sun.

[schocker]

Saw acoustic guitar guy today on the way to wendy's then was talking about the flute guy and then he ended up being in front of us at wendy's :rofl:

[D'z Nutz]

Sounds get whistle guy and flute guy. I don't think I've seen them.

[quick_scar]

Guitar riff guy was in the +15 between BVS and 5th Ave place. Snapped a picture of his license. When he noticed what I was doing, he tried to throw his hand in front of the camera to block me. Was pretty upset that I took a picture of his license (which has to be displayed in the open by law anyways).

Needless to say he hightailed it out of there pretty quick and was gone not even 10 min later. I think he knows hes breaking the "no amplification" rule and that his license is in jeopardy for doing so.

I know he is just trying to earn a living, and I can respect that, but do it like the rest of us and follow the law. If you choose to break it, you have to live with the consequences.

Usually there is a trio in that space (2 guys, 1 girl) that are actually pretty good, and that I enjoy listening to as I walk past. I think what happens is he is beating them to that space and forcing them to go elsewhere. Hopefully I have scared him off and one of you other beyonders will have to deal with his horrible guitar riffs now :rofl: :rofl:

I printed off the busking laws for him but he was gone before I could get them to him. If I see him around (I am sure I will) I am going to make sure he is aware of the rules before reporting him. It could just be a matter of not knowing that no amplification is allowed, in which case I would hate for him to loose his source of income because of an oversight.

[Mitsu3000gt]

I can't understand how busking (terribly), and mostly annoying people, is preferable to pretty much any other imaginable job. I doubt they clear more than $10 in a lunch hour, and yet they are there every single day. Fast food restaurants pay better than that, and for more than 1hr a day. I walk by guitar riff guy and the old guy nobody can even understand every single day, provided they are out, and I have not once seen anyone give any money.

I realize there are some excellent buskers, especially in other cities, who make a decent wage, but the really terrible ones I just can't understand. I truly believe they could make more money in an hour checking the change slots on vending machines, or something similar. Blows my mind.

The old guy has a sign that says he is raising money for cancer, which is great, yet literally anything else he could possibly be doing for money would yield him a better wage, so I question that one.

[403Gemini]

The funniest i've seen was in Seattle , guy with jamaican drums banging on them - walking around to the side you could see a boombox with the music playing under the blanket :rofl:

[quick_scar]

The good buskers make surprisingly good money. The folk group you mentioned above (I think they are the same group I mentioned) are really good, play a variety of songs (dont hear the same one two days in a row), and look like they are making some decent money (all tax free remember).

I am willing to bet that most Buskers are living off government handouts and this is their way of adding to that without having to claim it (although by law they should, we all know they arn't).

Going to work at a fast food place or somewhere else for minimum wage means they have to give up the government handouts.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Most of them throw their own money into their money bins before they even start playing - usually a small variety, couple of $5's, a $20, some change. Clearly nobody is going to throw guitar guy a $20 unless it's to stop playing, so that for sure is his own money. It's a tactic to make people think they are good. The other tactic is to have zero money by clearing out their bin regularly, so people give them pity money. I think it's impossible to tell how well they do without watching them for an extended period of time.

I've seen the folk group playing at other venues, like Sun & Salsa, and in the trailer thing on 8th ave in the summer. They seem to be getting some attention, and always have people standing to the side to listen to them for an extended period of time.

[clem24]

Fuck you guys are waaaay to harsh on the recorder guy, he doesn't play 3 notes, he plays FIVE notes and sometimes adds a 6th. All he plays is a 5 note scale in sequence - up down, up down, and then throws in that 6th note in there because you know, it's cool hahaha. And I think he's French, not Italian. Fuck I can hear his recorder playing in my head now.

The guitar guy with no volume control is usually in the walkway over 5th Ave by Sonoma's.

Yeah definitely the best is those 3 or 4 guys with the cello, and also this one asian girl who plays violin, occasionally with a friend. Violin is definitely one instrument that is really tough, cause it sounds like absolute shit if you suck at it.

Never seen the whistling guy.

Well better busking than those fucking panhandlers who walk up and down 4th Ave at red lights. There's this one psycho/crack blonde chick who works the Louise bridge that I wouldn't mind seeing being run over...

[rage2]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
I can't understand how busking (terribly), and mostly annoying people, is preferable to pretty much any other imaginable job.
How do you know it's about the money? Maybe they're just doing it because they love doing what they do. In fact, when I retire, I plan on being a busker, and playing 80's metal riffs poorly all day long, because that would be my dream job.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by rage2

How do you know it's about the money? Maybe they're just doing it because they love doing what they do. In fact, when I retire, I plan on being a busker, and playing 80's metal riffs poorly all day long, because that would be my dream job.

If you love what you do, it isn't really work I guess :rofl:

[rage2]

Exactly! haha

[clem24]

I've got an idea. Just bring all your plastic Rock Band instruments, an XBOX, and a small TV and start "busking"...

[quick_scar]

Originally posted by clem24
I've got an idea. Just bring all your plastic Rock Band instruments, an XBOX, and a small TV and start "busking"...

I think the TV would count as amplification ;)

[thrasher22]

Originally posted by woodywoodford
There used to be some pretty good mumford and sons type people playing in the +15 just north of harry rosen. But the last few times I went through there was some very loud, very annoying old man. Might be the guy you're talking about.

Those guys seem to move around a fair bit, but I'm usually really impressed with them!

...not that I ever have any change anyways.

[Mitsu3000gt]

I forgot about the bagpipes guy who plays in the summer around the Devon/Canterra tower, Spaghetti Factory, etc. He is my favorite. I haven't seen him in a long time though.

[mr2mike]

WHistle guy is great.
Bagpipe guy is awesome with his AC/DC stuff. Sounds better when you're a few blocks away.
The guitar jam guy is so bad. I feel like he just has no jam space to practice.
I want to find the recorder guy. haha it's gotta be good.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Recorder guy moves around a lot, I've seen him on both extreme ends of downtown, and everywhere in between, inside, and outside. There is no mistaking him though haha.

[megavolt]

To be fair it's not a recorder... it's an actual flute, so probably have to have some skill to play it (I've never tried to play a flute).

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by megavolt
To be fair it's not a recorder... it's an actual flute, so probably have to have some skill to play it (I've never tried to play a flute).

Every time I've seen recorder guy it's been an actual recorder like the one I had to play in grade 5 haha. Maybe he upgraded recently?

[megavolt]

Maybe there's 2 of them. :eek:

[adam c]

Yea it's not a flute, it's a white recorder if i remember correctly