Motion tabled to ban amplified buskers

lampsie

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0613/1224298811284.html

Interesting, was just talking about this a few days back...

Curious to hear other people's views on it. I'm all for busking in town, and I think it really adds something to walking up and down Shop street.

However, I've noticed a sharp rise in the number of buskers using amplification. Now, no real problem if you're the only busker at one end of Shop street, but add another amplified musician 100ft down the road, and suddenly you're both turning up to be heard. In the meantime, the couple of buskers who don't use amplification are drowned out completely, and the people who aren't enjoying your music are subjected to it for longer than they should be (screechy child in top hat & girl on guitar who are usually ensconced outside Brown Thomas, I'm looking at you).

Agree, disagree, or don't care? Am curious..

PS get off my lawn!

HardyEustace

I really hope this motion is passed. It is great to have so many buskers in town but the amplification just makes it a nuisance and an irritation.

I'd also like to see a realistic minimum age as well. I know the kids that you are talking about, and I don't think it's right to have small children of about seven or eight standing in shop street for hours on end. It's tantamount to child cruelty and neglect.

happyoutscan

I'd be happy to see the amplified buskers gone. Some are great, most are rubbish and it must be torture for the businesses who have them set up outside their premises.

M.Pool

I love the buskers on Shop street, it's such a part of Galway life. However I do agree that the amplifiers detract from the enjoyment. Put simply, they are too loud! Talked about this to a few shop workers and they are harassed by the noise especially if it's a busker they don't particularly enjoy.

biko

It's a good idea, it's not real busking imo if you have speakers etc.

dr.bollocko

Sing louder. Strum harder. Turn off the painful amps.

Discodog

Also it would cut out the "buskers" who have an elaborate backing tape that often makes it impossible to know if the "busker" is playing or not.

bigtuna

I would be happy to have the one that sings every weekend outside Vision Express silenced. He sings Zombie at least 4 times a night. Even with all the windows in my flat shut I can still hear him. Drives me mental. Could they introduce a ban on certain songs? That would be great

LadyMayBelle

Great. Ruins the art of busking having an amp in my opinion, plus it's well annoying. I can't see how any reputable busker in galway would even use one, knowing how annoying it is to passer bys and other musicians.

inisboffin

Hmm. Very interesting. I am particularly intrigued re the 'excluding festivals' caveat, seeing as nearly the entire summer/autumn is one back to back festival!

Having lived beside one of Galways 'ground zero' busking spot, AND having a load of musician friends who have/still busk, I still have mixed opinions on this. It's come up a few times on boards over the years.

Discodog wrote: »

Also it would cut out the "buskers" who have an elaborate backing tape that often makes it impossible to know if the "busker" is playing or not.

I often wonder if people can tell that it's a backing track with some of the people who are playing the same instrument as the track, yet only playing one in 5 notes!

bigtuna wrote: »

Could they introduce a ban on certain songs? That would be great

There was a lad who used to play under my window years ago, in retrospect, now I've moved, he was actually a really good musician but 'overdid' Van Morrisson beyond belief. To the point where I couldn't listen to Van for a couple of years:eek: Or this guy. I think if you work or live near a busking spot, any repetition whether voice or song can drive you mental after a while, no matter who it is.

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

Great. Ruins the art of busking having an amp in my opinion, plus it's well annoying. I can't see how any reputable busker in galway would even use one, knowing how annoying it is to passer bys and other musicians.

TBH, instead of banning amps, I would WAY prefer they did what the do in other prime European busking spots - have a decibel limit. Portable little thingy that the Guards would have and if you go over a certain level, you are asked to stop/turn it down.
A couple of issues with banning amps only:

1. What about Brass and Drum circles? I know the hours law will really help for residents, but Sax, Trumpets, Drums etc will have free reign, no?
2. What about say Spanish/classical guitars? Again a decibel level would be fairer than a ban.

The buskers themselves know this is going on. Most with amps will always turn it down when asked, but there are a couple of a**holes who are rude to shop owners and give the rest a bad name. Apparently amps make more money. One particular band with electric instruments clean up, and they wouldn't do so without an amp due to what they play.

It's complicated I'd say. Some are busking for an extra few bob and a laugh, others do it, along with gigs, and that's their only income.
When the latter is the case, it only gets worse in the summer, when the non local buskers flood in with amps, and the only way to be heard and make a living, is with one. I don't agree that busking with an amp is not 'real' busking, for some it is survival.

I'd be more for a decibel ban than an amp ban, but agree it will only get worse over the summer
I wonder have the Council talked to the buskers at all?

inisboffin

dr.bollocko wrote: »

Sing louder. Strum harder. Turn off the painful amps.

Sometimes strumming louder is not necessarily better though. There's a lovely guy who used to do classical guitar, he *did* use an amp, but his busking would be lost without the amp.

And some instruments are just naturally louder, you can lightly strum a banjo and be way louder than a medium strum guitar.

Decibel monitors (there's probably a proper name for them, sorry:rolleyes:) is the way to go imo

Mr Keek

Hate the amplifers, especially the Pan Pipes guy you see in summer.

Really does ruin it for other buskers and the atmosphere on the nice quit streets of Galway.

inisboffin

Mr Keek wrote: »

Hate the amplifers, especially the Pan Pipes guy you see in summer.

Hee hee.

Mr Keek wrote: »

Really does ruin it for other buskers and the atmosphere on the nice quit streets of Galway.

Have you *been* here for Race week?

Fey!

I'm for banning the amps.

Where you have bands who rely on electrical instruments, maybe move them up to the square where there is space for the crowds they attract without blocking the place up completely, and away from where they are deafening people working in the shops.

If there are several bands, it could provide an excellent buzz around the square.

ciano1

From the Advertiser facebook:

I kid you not - one councillor tonight suggested that the gardai should be allowed to determine what is a good busker and a bad busker. Yes, Cllr Nuala wants the boys in blue to start X-Factor.

:pac:

ErnieBert

Buskers with amps are not buskers.

The lads with he banjos are excellent and don't have amps. The little lad with the top hat is so loud, that I avoid Easons if he is outside.

The guys with the panpipes are just playing karaoke to a CD.

inisboffin

ErnieBert wrote: »

Buskers with amps are not buskers.

.

Why do you think this? Not getting at you, but just wondering if people think electric instruments are not for busking and why?

One of the best buskers I ever saw in Europe sang African songs to an electric bass with a cube amp. He wasn't super loud, but used the amp for his bass.

Funk It

inisboffin wrote: »

Why do you think this? Not getting at you, but just wondering if people think electric instruments are not for busking and why?

One of the best buskers I ever saw in Europe sang African songs to an electric bass with a cube amp. He wasn't super loud, but used the amp for his bass.

I think that that may be the difference that they are referring to

inisboffin

Funk It wrote: »

I think that that may be the difference that they are referring to

Right. Then banning amps, like I said earlier, is not going to stop loud buskers. We'll still have drums brass etc.
Have a loudness monitor. Little lad with the top hat has it cranked to 11!

galwaybabe

ErnieBert wrote: »

Buskers with amps are not buskers.

The lads with he banjos are excellent and don't have amps.

Banjos are very loud instruments, hence there is not the same need for amplification as a nylon string guitar which would generally be lost without the boost of a small amp. There is a happy medium that could be reached here. I agree with inisboffin, what is needed is a limit on decibels rather than amps.

Ficheall

Does that mean they'll test the noise levels from the ones staggering and yelling up and down the street? Or the gobsheens in their soop'd up little Micras? Or outside the nightclubs and such whose patrons seem to have no issue with being deafened?

BornToBe?

Can this please include the likes of "The Latin Festival", Cuz for some reason DJ's think they have turn it up to 11 before people can hear or notice you (the DJ),
God help the people working near there, Obnoxiously LOUD, KINDA LIKE TYPING IN CAPITAL LETTERSSSSSS!!!!

Don't get me wrong, the latin festival was nice, except for the fact eveything had to be played at


FULL VOLUMEEEE!!!!!!

Sponge Bob

I'd be in favour of the Amped ones getting a Culture Police prehearing and a preset Culture Police decibel level as well as a 1 amped act at a time ruling ( or 2 amped acts at set Db levels and spacing) .

But **** me Robbie in a doorway with no amp ( back in the day) could be heard in Salthill nearly which means that unamped ain't the purest either.

I'd go for decibels and a decibel meter meself whether there was an amp or not. I'll wager some of the cnuts will find a rooftop for themselves even then

inisboffin

Ah Robbie...what a set of lungs.

dloob

Well the amp ban wasn't passed last night.
They are to look at that issue further.
However they did ban busking between 11pm and 10am March to October and 10pm to 10am outside that those months.

http://www.galwaynews.ie/19927-council-calls-time-late-night-city-performers

Mayo Miss

I love to wander slowly down Shop Street on a sunny day listening to the music and looking at the street performers.

Some musicians need to realise loud music isn't always good music. And some singers sound painfully bad!

What annoyed me more last week was speakers outside shops blaring out loud crappy music. I wonder what's the law around that.

Pure Sound

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scdh7QV7WEM

cfeeneyinterior

Amazing..... well what happened anyways, did they get amps stopped. Definately need to stop shops from playing rubbish out on to the steets too. Not looking at any of the new shops that closed in liquidation on a sunday and reopened on a Monday in particular...,....

Mrs OBumble

HardyEustace wrote: »

I'd also like to see a realistic minimum age as well. I know the kids that you are talking about, and I don't think it's right to have small children of about seven or eight standing in shop street for hours on end. It's tantamount to child cruelty and neglect.

So have you called the HSE about it, then?

Remember, an age limit would need to be across the board. I'm not sure that stopping classes from singing Christmas carols in the street for a few hours in December is necessary, in order to address issues with particular families.


I'd be more in favour of a decibel limit, and a ban on certain groups of instruments - ie drums. Sorry drum circle folks, but ye're just a pain in the ear and can be heard blocks away.

tightropetom

I used to busk on Shop street between 1995 and 1998 when I was in college (even before the pedestrianisation of Shop Street). I never had amplifiers nor did I need one. I managed to supplement my income during college quite well (ie I earned my drinking money ) without the need for gimmickry. There were a number of 'pitches' which offered good acoustics - Taaffe's Shop, Zhivago, O'Connors (best acoustics), Wollen Mill centre. The only time I had trouble was when the cr**ties used to come along banging bongos near me. They showed no consideration for other buskers when they'd set up. Similarly, anyone who had an amp (very few in those days) would just crank up the volume and ruin it for the rest of us.

A volume knob doesn't make you a better busker. It makes more people hear you, but unfortunately it annoys a lot more people too. You rarely see a busker these days without an amp. Unfortunately that means that anyone who has an amp, suddenly thinks that they look and sound good, even if they suck.

Learn to project your voice, respect other buskers and respect other street users... I think a decibel limit might be a helpful thing.

inisboffin

I'd say plenty of the folks who use an amp now could project fine without one, but it's a catch 22 situation, with the few who crank it up way too loud ruining it, and by default the others need the amp to be head over brass, drum circle, street magicians with mics, Mc Savage etc!
Yes, loud does not mean good, but amped doesn't alwaysmean loud either. Nor does it mean someone is not a 'true' busker. If that were the case a lot of the great street music in Europe wouldn't exist!

Most buskers in town are sound. They respect each other and turn down amps if they are asked. Again it's a few that abuse that, but in summer that number goes up. For some buskers this is their income, not just drink money. I really hope the find some compromise like a decibel meter, so this great tradition can continue without such animosity.