Back in September, I heard about a music documentary miniseries from Berlin, Germany called the Busker Diaries. This is to be an ongoing series to promote and support the street performance culture. Living in the Boston area, I’ve always been amazed at the courage and commitment it takes to play your music on the city streets (and sometimes underneath the city streets, on noisy train platforms). To believe in yourself and your art that much is an inspiration. The next time you see a street musician pouring their heart out, stop and show your support. Listen for a few moments and give a little donation, even if it’s just a bit of spare change.
The Busker Diaries don’t seem to have a site, but they’ve released the first installment, featuring Katie O’Connor from Galway, Ireland, with her song “City Blue.” She also talks about her life in Berlin as a street musician (or in European lingo, busker).
The Busker Sessions are going to be featuring buskers from around the world, with a new artist every month. If you’re a street performer, email them for a chance to be featured. They plan to show not only the performance side of musicians, but their private side as well, at home and around the city where they live and work. They’ll talk about what it’s like to play on the street as opposed to a proper venue, what it takes to survive and other aspects of their unique way of life.
The Busker Diaries are the creative project of producer Julian Krohn (ex-A&R at Universal Music, freelance artist developer and music consultant) and director/cinematographer Fabian Frost (photographer and director).
“I think it is good to throw yourself back into the deep end when the pool starts to get shallow or you grow longer legs or whatever happens and sometimes it’s just good to go and try something new and be challenged and be in a place that makes you less comfortable than where you are…” – Katie O’ Connor
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